Mercer Law School is offering its students a unique opportunity to gain practical experience through its Corporate Counsel Externship Program. The program allows students to work with experienced lawyers in some of the nation's leading companies, providing hands-on learning and professional identity formation.
Students can choose from various externship courses tailored to their interests and career goals, including judicial, corporate counsel, consumer bankruptcy, public defender, nonprofit, or governmental offices. This initiative aims to prepare students for legal careers by refining their skills and expanding their opportunities for engagement.
Ben Parrish leads the Corporate Counsel Externship Program at Mercer Law. He highlighted that since its inception in fall 2022, "students have participated in 78 externships with 26 companies and nonprofits." Students attend weekly classes focused on practice-oriented topics alongside their externships.
Notable participants include Lawson Haynes, who joined Mercer Law School in 2021 aiming to become a transactional attorney. Haynes praised the program for aligning with his career goals and noted his internships at Americold Logistics and Southern Company Gas provided valuable experiences. "Through these experiences, I grew not only as an individual and future attorney but also built strong relationships with mentors," he said.
Another student, Will Bazemore, described the program as one of the most rewarding parts of his law school journey. His externships included positions at Chicken Salad Chick and The Home Depot. "The externship program does a fantastic job of preparing students for work in this field," Bazemore remarked.
Stephanie Mendoza Torres expressed her gratitude for her internships at Tractor Supply Co., Hero Practice Services, and FedEx. She emphasized how these experiences empowered her as a female Latina law student: "Collectively they have provided a strong foundation in legal research...and positioned me as a competitive candidate."
Parrish commended alumni support for hosting students during externships and stressed the importance of mentoring by supervising attorneys. He himself brings extensive experience to the role after serving as general counsel for several companies over his career.
Mercer Law continues to enhance this program's offerings to better prepare graduates for their future roles within the legal community.