From left: 2023 Phillips Murrah Diversity Fellows Diamond Mayberry, Neena Alavicheh, Jared Hernandez, and Darren Seward.
Phillips Murrah’s 2023 Diversity Fellowship Program, facilitated by the Firm’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, has come to a close. As we bid farewell to Neena Alavicheh (OU Law 2L), Jared Hernandez (OU Law 2L), Diamond Mayberry (OU Law 2L), and Darren Seward (OCU Law 2L), we wish them the best and trust that the time and effort they devoted to our Program was well-spent.
“The program attracts a lot of outstanding applicants, so it’s no surprise our Fellows are so impressive,” said Director C. Eric Davis, current Chair of Phillips Murrah’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. “Neena, Diamond, Jared, and Darren were a fantastic group. The Fellowship gives students real-world experiences and networking opportunities that will benefit them in their careers.”
The Phillips Murrah Diversity Fellowship Program gives participating law students an insider’s journey into the practice of law at our firm while enhancing their legal skills. The Program offers experiential legal knowledge through a series of lunch and learns, attending a variety of activities with Phillips Murrah attorneys, including hearings, mediations, depositions, arbitrations, and client meetings, as well as short-term research and writing projects. Additionally, Fellows benefit from attorney mentorships and cultivate networking relationships with a variety of professionals in the legal community.
In the video below, our 2023 Fellows discuss their experiences while participating in the Diversity Fellowship Program.
Click on any of the photos below to open the slideshow.
PM Fellows: Why did you get into law?
Neena Alavicheh: “I got into law for various reasons: When taking my media law class in undergrad, I was constantly badgering my professor with questions about law, and he told me I should go to law school and stop badgering him with questions. I also was the person who always helped my mom and dad fill out forms, as neither of them spoke English very well, so I thought I’d want to help people in ways like that.
Jared Hernandez: “I always wanted to help people and originally thought I would be a doctor. I ended up working in the mental health field after obtaining my undergraduate degree. The clients I worked with were teenage boys who were dealing with mental, emotional, and behavior disorders. Many of them also experienced neglect or abuse in their homes. It was through working with this population that I came to hear about guardian ad litem work. After doing my research, I made the choice to go to law school so that I could serve underprivileged populations.”
Diamond Mayberry: “I wanted to do something where I could make a decent living for myself while being able to give back to communities that are important to me. I looked at all of my talents, and I thought law was where I would be of the most use.”
Darren Seward: “I want to have a positive impact on the community overall, but specifically on the youth. I want to be an example that you can still obtain the things you want out of life without having to look over your shoulder all the time. I think by showing people and being relatable, at least some of the youth will reconsider their course of action. Also, I wanted my own kids to see the hard work that I’m putting in now so they can reap the benefits later.”
Click on the hyperlinked years, below, to view articles about our previous Phillips Murrah Diversity Fellowship participants:
2021
2022
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