International law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP announced today that second-year law students Maddie Bober (University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School), Amita Chauhan (Georgetown University Law Center), Tara-Anne Dugel (University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School), Clyde Freeman (Northwestern Pritzker School of Law), Yona Isaacs (Northwestern Pritzker School of Law), Julia Nha-Rae Kong (Cornell Law School), Arlinda Shehu (Notre Dame Law School), Sidy Traore (Columbia Law School), and Nneka Ukpaby (Northwestern Pritzker School of Law) were selected as recipients of Weil’s $50,000 2L Diversity Fellowship award for 2022. The nine winners will be Summer Associates in the Dallas, New York and Washington, D.C. offices.

Weil’s 2L Diversity Fellowship was first established in 2012 and is open to students who are enrolled in an ABA-accredited law school and intend to practice law in a city of the United States in which Weil has an office. Eligible students must have successfully completed their first year of a full-time JD program, and may not be the recipient of a similar scholarship award from another law firm. In addition to their resume and transcript, applicants submitted a personal statement discussing how their life experiences have shaped them as a person and as an aspiring lawyer. A committee selected the winners based on the applicants’ commitment to diversity, work experience, and academic achievement.

Maddie Bober is a second-year law student at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. They received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies from Emory University in December 2020, where they graduated Phi Beta Kappa. During their time as an undergraduate, they were Editor-in-Chief of Emory’s independent student newspaper, The Emory Wheel. Maddie currently serves as an Associate Editor of the Journal of Law & Social Change and as a Direct Services Coordinator for the Trans Empowerment & Advocacy Project. This past summer, Maddie worked at Yale Law School’s Media Freedom & Information Access Clinic and as a Research Assistant to disability law scholar Professor Jasmine E. Harris.

Amita Chauhan is a second-year law student at the Georgetown University Law Center. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a minor in Public Policy, with high distinction, from the University of California, Berkeley in May 2019. While she was an undergraduate, she won the UC Education Abroad Program Promise Award and the Peter E. Haas Public Service Leader Award. She also participated in the Human Rights Investigation Lab and Death Penalty Clinic at Berkeley Law. Amita currently serves as a staff editor for the Georgetown Journal of International Law. She is an active member of the South Asian Law Students Association and the Women of Color Collective. This past summer, Amita was a Judicial Intern for the Honorable Joan M. Azrack at the United States District Court, Eastern District of New York.

Tara Dugel is a second-year law student at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in History, magna cum laude, from Columbia University in May 2020. During her time as an undergraduate, she made Dean’s List all eligible semesters and was a member of the Columbia Athletic Department’s 4.0 Club. She was also a four-year Varsity Athlete on Columbia Women’s Squash Team and an Academic Mentor at StreetSquash NYC. Tara currently serves as a Board Member and Executive Editor of the Asian Law Review. She is also Treasurer of the Penn Law Real Estate Club and member of If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice and Penn Law Women’s Association. This past summer, Tara was a Legal Intern at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA.

Clyde Freeman is a second-year law student at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from New York University in May 2021. While he was an undergraduate, he served as a Mentor for the Academic Achievement Club and Committee Chair for Model United Nations. He was also a member of the Black Student Union. Clyde currently serves as an APEX Mentor to 1L’s and staff member of the Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology. He is also a Teaching Assistant to Professor James Pfander (Civil Procedure) for the 2022 fall semester. This past summer, Clyde was a Law Clerk in the Criminal Appeals division at Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in Chicago, IL.

Yona Isaacs is a second-year law student at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biopsychology, Cognition and Neuroscience, magna cum laude, from the University of Michigan in May 2015. She then went on to receive her Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan in December 2019. During her time as an undergraduate, she won the Virginia L. Voss Award for Excellence in Academic Writing and the Albert Cain Honors Award in Psychology. She was also a Lab Manager for the Cognition and Aging Lab and Writing Consultant for the Sweetland Center for Writing. Yona currently serves as Vice President of Events and Programming for OUTLaw, Teaching Assistant for Communication and Legal Reasoning, and Staff Member for Northwestern University Law Review. This past summer, Yona was a Summer Associate at Faegre, Drinker, Biddle & Reath LLP in Chicago, IL.

Julia Nha-Rae Kong is a second-year law student at Cornell Law School. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Linguistics and Literature, summa cum laude, from Hanyang University in August 2019. During her time as an undergraduate, she served as an After-school English Teacher for the Sehwa Girl’s Middle School and intern at Lee & Ko Law Firm in Seoul, South Korea. Julia currently serves as Associate Editor of Cornell Law Review, Treasurer for the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association and 2L representative of the Women of Color Collective. This past summer, Julia was a Judicial Intern for the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania in Pittsburgh, PA.

Arlinda Shehu is a second-year law student at Notre Dame Law School. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Psychology, cum laude, with Distinction from Cornell University in May 2018. She then went on to receive her Master of Arts in Philosophy from Columbia University in May 2020. During her time as an undergraduate, she served as President of the Von Cramm Hall Cooperative and was Vice President and Editor of Logos, Cornell's philosophy journal. Arlinda currently serves as a Staff Editor for the Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics & Public Policy and President of the First Generation Professional Students Organization at Notre Dame Law School. She is also a legal extern for the Hon. Damon R. Leichty of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana. This past summer, Arlinda was a research assistant at the Kellogg Institute for International Studies in Notre Dame, IN.

Sidy Traore is a second-year law student at Columbia Law School. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies, magna cum laude, from the University of Arizona in December 2016. During his time as an undergraduate, he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and won an Outstanding Environmental Studies Award for academic achievement and community impact. He was also a University of Arizona Cheerleader and member of the Students for Sustainability. Sidy is currently a member of the Columbia Business Law Review, Columbia Business and Law Association, and Black Law Student’s Association. This past summer, Sidy was a 1L Summer Associate at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP in New York, NY.

Nneka Ukpaby is a second-year law student at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Community Health, summa cum laude, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in May 2020. She then went on to receive her Master of Public Health in August 2021. During her time as an undergraduate, she was a member of the African Cultural Association and Moda Bellissima Modeling and Dance Troupe. She also made Dean’s List for 7 consecutive semesters and was a member of the James Scholar Honor Society. Nneka currently serves as the Director of Sponsorship for the Black Law Student Association and is a Teaching Assistant for a first year Contracts lecture at Northwestern. She is also a PracticePro Law School Mastery Scholar. This past summer, Nneka was a Summer Associate at Haynes and Boone LLP in Dallas, TX.