Latest / The Diversity Career Podcast with Fexingo: Inclusion, Equity, and Underrepresented Professionals / How a Law Firm Built a Career Path for Former Foster Youth
Transcript
- Lucas: So there's a stat that's been sitting with me all week. Roughly twenty thousand young people age out of the U.S. foster care system every year, and within four years, only about half have a job. That's a talent pipeline that's almost invisible to most employers. Luna: Yeah, I've seen those numbers too. And it's not just about finding a job—it's about building a career. But how many companies actually think about that? Lucas: Very few. But there's one law firm that decided to do something about it. They built a formal career track for former foster youth, starting with a paid internship program that leads directly into paralegal roles—and eventually, for some, law school. Luna: Wait, a law firm. That's interesting. What's the firm? And what made them take this on? Lucas: It's a national firm with offices across the country—let's call them a large, well-known firm. They started about five years ago, after a managing partner read a piece on how many foster kids never even get considered for professional jobs. The firm had a diversity committee, but this felt different. Luna: So how does the program actually work? I mean, it's not just hiring someone and hoping it works out, right? Lucas: Right. The first piece is a paid summer internship. And they deliberately removed the usual application barriers—no GPA requirement, no networking interviews. Instead, they do a strengths-based assessment and a group interview. They're looking for resilience and determination, not polish. Luna: That's a big shift. So they're not just checking a box for diversity—they're redefining what 'qualified' means. Lucas: Exactly. And after the internship, the firm tracks high performers into a two-year paralegal apprenticeship. But here's the key: they don't just hand them a desk and a stack of files. They assign each person a mentor—a senior attorney—and a 'buddy' from the junior associate pool. Luna: So it's both a professional and a personal anchor. That makes sense, because for a lot of foster kids, there's no safety net. If something goes wrong—like housing or transportation—they might just vanish. Lucas: That's exactly the hidden barrier. The firm found that one of the biggest reasons people didn't show up or perform was instability outside the office. So they partnered with a local nonprofit to connect each intern with affordable housing and a transit pass for their first year. Luna: Whoa. That's going beyond the typical 'we're inclusive' statement. They're actually removing the obstacles that keep someone from succeeding. Lucas: Yes. And they also changed their policy on professional attire. Instead of requiring a specific dress code, they give each new hire a clothing stipend and a personal shopper at a department store. It sounds small, but it eliminates the anxiety of 'do I look like I belong here?' Luna: That's thoughtful. And what about the actual work? Are these people just doing admin work, or are they getting real experience? Lucas: They're on real cases. Paralegals do document review, research, drafting—they sit in on client calls and depositions. The firm tracks that each person gets at least four different practice areas in their first two years. So they're not pigeonholed. Luna: That's how you build a career, not just a job. But what about the ones who want to become attorneys? Is there a path? Lucas: That's the ambitious part. For paralegals who show promise, the firm covers tuition for a part-time law degree and offers a flexible schedule. They've had three people go through so far, and two are now associates at the firm. Luna: That's incredible. But I have to ask—what's the retention rate? Because I can imagine a lot of programs like this have people leave after a year or two. Lucas: The firm says their three-year retention rate is about seventy percent, compared to around fifty percent for typical entry-level hires in the legal industry. And the cost? They estimate the program costs about twenty thousand dollars per participant in the first year—including the stipend and mentoring time. But they've seen a return in client satisfaction and employee engagement. Luna: That's a real number. And it's not crazy expensive compared to what it costs to recruit and train someone who leaves within a year. Lucas: Right. The firm also credits the program for helping them win two big contracts with corporate clients who specifically asked about their diversity pipeline. So it's not just a feel-good initiative—it's a business asset. Luna: Now, what about the challenges? I imagine there have been hiccups, especially in the first year or two. Lucas: Definitely. The biggest challenge was managing expectations. Some partners initially saw the program as a charity case, and that created friction. The firm had to run training sessions to reframe it as a talent development program. They also learned that flexibility around deadlines is critical—some people need time for therapy appointments or court hearings related to their own legal status. Luna: That's a whole layer most employers don't think about. So it's not just about adapting the job—it's about adapting the workplace culture. Lucas: Exactly. And that's why the mentoring piece is so important. The senior attorney mentors aren't just there to review work—they're there to advocate for the person when things get difficult. One mentor actually fought to keep a paralegal on a case when she had a family emergency, and the firm ended up changing its leave policy. Luna: That's a tangible outcome. So what would you say to a company that wants to do something similar but doesn't have the resources of a big law firm? Lucas: Start smaller. You don't need a full apprenticeship program. You can start with a paid internship and a mentorship—just two or three people a year. The key is to treat it as a talent pipeline, not a CSR project. And you have to be ready to invest in the support structures, not just the salary. Luna: Yeah, that makes sense. It's about intentionality. And this connects to something we talk about on this show a lot—that diversity without support is just a poster on the wall. Lucas: That's exactly it. And you know, we've been covering these kinds of programs all year, and it's interesting to see what makes the difference. The firms that succeed are the ones that treat it like any other business unit—with clear goals, metrics, and accountability. Luna: Absolutely. And I think it's worth mentioning that we're able to do this deep-dive because we're ad-free. That's a deliberate choice—we don't have to cut corners or interrupt the conversation for sponsor reads. If you value that, there's a link at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo where you can support the show. It keeps us independent and allows us to spend time on stories like this. Lucas: Yeah, and we really appreciate that. It lets us go deeper than a typical podcast segment. And speaking of going deeper, let's get back to what other employers can learn from this law firm's approach. Luna: Right. So one thing that stood out to me is that they didn't just focus on the individual—they changed their own processes. I think that's the lesson: real inclusion means changing the system, not just the people. Lucas: Exactly. And the firm is already expanding. They're now working with local community colleges to build a feeder program, and they're looking at other underserved groups, like military spouses, to apply the same model. Luna: That's great to hear. It shows that once you build the infrastructure, it can be adapted. So what's the one thing you want listeners to take away from this? Lucas: I think it's that there's untapped talent everywhere—you just have to remove the barriers that keep it hidden. For this law firm, it was about looking at a system that most people ignore and asking, 'What would it take for these young people to thrive here?' The answer wasn't charity—it was a career path.