NEW YORK, August 17, 2020: International law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP is pleased to announce the 2020-2021 inaugural class of its new multi-stakeholder philanthropic initiative, the Weil Legal Innovators Program (WLI).

This first cohort of eight Innovators have been accepted to one of the WLI partner law schools and have deferred entering their first year to complete a year of public service at a WLI partner nonprofit organization. The Innovators commence their fellowships at the nonprofit organizations beginning in early August 2020 and continue through July 2021, and then begin their first year of law school in fall 2021. The Innovators’ positions at nonprofit organizations and law school acceptances are as follows:

• Julia Bevan will be joining the Tahirih Justice Center, based in Houston, TX, as Court Observation Coordinator. She will attend New York University School of Law.
• Caleb Greene will be joining the Aspen Institute, based in Washington, D.C., as Coordinator of the Youth Leadership Program. He will attend University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School.
• Harvey Lou will be joining the Earthwatch Institute, based in Boston, MA, as Impact Manager. He will attend University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School.
• Rachel Marandett will be joining the Innocence Project, based in New York, NY, as Post-Conviction Litigation Paralegal. She will attend New York University School of Law.
• Maeve O’Brien will be joining Human Rights Watch, based in New York, NY, as Communications Associate. She will attend New York University School of Law.
• Anne Pfeifenberger will be joining Ashoka, based in Washington, D.C., as the Ashoka Support for Entrepreneurs Coordinator. She will attend New York University School of Law.
• Cassidy Shapiro will be joining Human Rights Watch, based in New York, NY, as Legal Associate. She will attend Duke University School of Law.
• Carly West will be joining Oxfam, based in Boston, MA and Washington, D.C., as Legal Associate for Migrant Rights. She will attend Columbia Law School.

All Innovators will receive a $50,000 salary and a full benefits package for their one-year engagement with the aforementioned nonprofit organizations. Upon starting law school in fall 2021, they will receive a $10,000 scholarship towards their first year academic expenses. Nonprofit partners will also receive a stipend to help cover operating expenses associated with onboarding their Innovator. Due to the ongoing pandemic, all Innovators will begin their posts with their nonprofit organizations in a remote capacity.

The inaugural program kicked off with a two-day virtual orientation on July 16 and 17, featuring presentations and panel discussions led by Firm leadership, nonprofit leaders and external subject matter experts.

“We remain dedicated to supporting and mentoring the next generation of leaders and change-makers from an early stage in their professional careers and are proud to hold true to the Firm’s commitment to invest approximately $1 million annually through the Weil Legal Innovators Program to the future of the legal profession and the public service sector,” commented Weil Executive Partner Barry Wolf.

For more information, please visit: https://www.weil.com/weil-legal-innovators

About Weil’s Citizenship Commitment
Weil is committed to engaging as a responsible corporate citizen in the communities where we live and work. The Firm’s corporate citizenship footprint is brought to bear through Weil’s longstanding community engagement, diversity & inclusion, pro bono legal service, and charitable contributions programs, including the Weil Foundation.

About Weil
Founded in 1931, Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP has been a preeminent provider of legal services for more than 80 years. With approximately 1,100 lawyers in offices on three continents, Weil has been a pioneer in establishing a geographic footprint that has allowed the Firm to partner with clients wherever they do business. The Firm’s four departments, Corporate, Litigation, Business Finance & Restructuring, and Tax, Executive Compensation & Benefits, and more than two dozen practice groups are consistently recognized as leaders in their respective fields.