Burke Warren Selects Adrian Atwater and Jolisa Warmack to Participate in the Burke Warren 2021 3L Minority Internship Program
Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella, P.C., a full service Chicago-based law firm, is pleased to announce that Adrian Atwater and Jolisa Warmack are participants in the Burke Warren 2021 3L Minority Internship Program. Under the leadership of its Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Committee, Burke Warren is hosting their paid internship program to commence in the Fall of 2021 for a duration of 12 weeks. The program is designed to enhance the legal careers of underrepresented racially diverse third-year law (3L) students by providing practical law firm experience as the participants begin a rewarding career in the field of law. In addition to providing participants with “hands on” work experience, the program seeks to establish lifelong professional relationships and nurture strong leadership skills.
In establishing their 3L Minority Internship Program, Burke Warren also seeks to address racial inequity in the legal community at large and ensure that their firm, as a member of that community, is engaging with and open to developing relationships with underrepresented law students of color. The interns will receive a variety of substantive and challenging work assignments. Interns will also receive spectator assignments, including attending hearings, depositions, negotiations, client conferences, and other client-related activities. Spectator assignments will be integrated with research and writing assignments.
Adrian Atwater is a law student at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law with a projected graduation date of May 2022. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Legal Studies from Aquinas College. He served as a legal intern at the Chicago Housing Authority Office of the General Counsel. He also served as a prosecution legal intern for the City of Chicago Department of Law (Buildings & License Enforcement).
Jolisa Warmack is a law student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign College of Law with a projected graduation date of May 2022. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Language Literature and Writing from Eastern Michigan University. She served as a judicial extern for Chief Judge Sara Darrow for the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois. She also served as a policy intern for Janee Ayers, At-Large Council Member, for the Detroit City Council. She is a student member of the Chicago Bar Association.
John Stephens, a Burke Warren shareholder partner and chair of the firm’s DEI Committee stated, “We are very excited to launch the Burke Warren 2021 3L Minority Internship Program and have Adrian Atwater and Jolisa Warmack participate in the program. It enables us to better engage with talented underrepresented law students of color and build long-lasting connections with the interns participating in our program. And it reinforces a cornerstone of Burke Warren’s DEI commitment: we firmly believe that workplace diversity allows us to be stronger advocates for our clients, enhances the quality of the legal services we provide, and enriches the workplace atmosphere itself.”
Interested individuals were invited to participate in an application process wherein members of the Burke Warren DEI Committee reviewed all applications and made the final selection. The application criteria requirements are as follows: exceptional academic performance; excellent written and oral communication and legal research skills; strong teamwork, interpersonal & relationship-building skills and leadership ability, personal and professional accomplishments; attention to detail; strategic thinking and thought leadership; and welcoming change and challenge, with a creative and entrepreneurial spirit.
Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella P.C., a full service multi-practice Chicago-based law firm comprised of over 70 attorneys, serves clients in the Chicago area and nationwide. Our clients range from individuals to closely held businesses to publicly held companies, and from not-for-profit entities to governmental bodies. Our many long-term client relationships attest to our success. We have nurtured these relationships by listening to our clients and learning their needs and challenges, and we have earned their loyalty. www.burkelaw.com
Adrian Atwater Jolisa Warmack