CHICAGO – Barnes & Thornburg LLP has awarded a 2018 Diversity Scholarship for its Chicago office to Cristina Alma McNeiley, a first-year law student at Chicago-Kent College of Law at the Illinois Institute of Technology.
McNeiley will take part in the firm’s summer associate program in Chicago. As a law student, McNeiley is involved in various organizations, including the Hispanic Latino Law Student Association, Corporate Law Society, Women in Law, and Black Law Student Association.
“I am honored, excited, and extremely humbled to be the recipient of the 2018 Barnes & Thornburg Chicago Diversity Scholarship,” McNeiley said. “Representation of diverse individuals matters in the legal profession, as well as in all aspects of life, and I am proud to know I will be working at a firm that values and knows the importance of maintaining a diverse environment for its employees and clients. I truly look forward to learning and growing with Barnes & Thornburg LLP this summer.” The Diversity Scholarship is open to first-year law students who demonstrate a commitment to contributing meaningfully to the diversity and inclusion goals of Barnes & Thornburg and the legal profession.
“Deliberately cultivating a robust pipeline of top-notch diverse talent is critical to the future of this firm and to our illustrious profession,” said Dawn R. Rosemond, Barnes & Thornburg partner and director of diversity, professional development and inclusion. “We are elated to have Cristina join us this summer as she embodies why we established this scholarship in the first place.”
McNeiley earned a bachelor’s degree with honors in criminology from Butler University in Indianapolis. She served as the director of diversity and inclusion for the Student Government Association and was president of the Pre-Law Society. She also served as a student ambassador for the university’s admissions office.
Additionally, McNeiley was a student worker and intern at the Indiana Legal Services Inc. Immigrants & Language Rights Center. She contacted potential clients, translated legal documents and shadowed attorneys.
“Cristina is an extraordinary candidate,” said Jonathan Froemel, a Barnes & Thornburg partner and Chicago office hiring chair. “Her academic success, her commitment to extracurricular activities that promote diversity and inclusion, and her engaging interpersonal skills distinguished her from a deep class of candidates.”
