News & Insights

Firm Welcomes Second Lightfoot Academy Class

June 6, 2022

Lightfoot, Franklin & White LLC is proud to welcome its second class of Lightfoot Academy participants. Four college seniors and incoming law students from across the country will participate in the weeklong pre-law program starting June 6.

Modeled after Lightfoot’s immersive summer clerkship program, the Lightfoot Academy gives participants an insider’s perspective on what it’s like to work as a lawyer, particularly as a litigator. They will engage with aspects of the litigation process during the program, including sitting in on client and team meetings, writing briefs and motions and observing trial lawyers in action. The firm will also pair each participant with dedicated mentors at the firm.

The firm launched Lightfoot Academy in 2021 to encourage and support qualified, diverse students pursuing a legal education. The program is open to rising college seniors who are seriously considering law school, as well as incoming law students interested in becoming trial lawyers.

This year’s Lightfoot Academy welcomes the following participants:

• Breanna Lozano, The University of Texas at Austin (2022)
• Estrella Burks-Parra, Washington & Lee University (2022)
• May Wang, Yale-NUS College (Graduating in Dec. 2022)
• Peter Nelson-Broderick, Loyola University New Orleans (2021), Loyola University New Orleans College of Law (2025)

The Lightfoot Academy also includes curated, interactive educational sessions focused on the skills and habits necessary to succeed in law school and litigation practice. Students learn about the legal profession, including what it’s like to practice law and how to set the groundwork for a long career. This year, program participants will meet with the general counsel of Spire, a Lightfoot client, for a Q&A discussion covering the roles and relationships between law firms and the in-house legal departments of their clients.

Lightfoot Academy additionally helps participants experience Lightfoot’s culture firsthand, as well as develop career-lasting connections inside and outside of the firm. The program features several social events designed for pre-law students to get to know the firm’s lawyers, including younger associates who can offer insights into all that Lightfoot offers to those starting their legal careers. Spire’s general counsel will also correspond with Lightfoot Academy participants throughout the year to support them in their law school journeys.