News: Ungaretti & Harris Promotes Diversity Through Secondary Education Initiatives

Chicago, March 16, 2010 – Ungaretti & Harris LLP Real Estate Partner Richard H. Levy was a panelist at Young Women’s Leadership Charter School of Chicago (YWLCS) Career Day on Tuesday, March 2. Each panelist spoke to three different groups of 10-15 students about his or her chosen profession.

“I enjoyed being able to share my career experience with these young women, and applaud YWLCS for providing them the chance to become more aware of opportunities that exist in the legal profession,” said Mr. Levy.

YWLCS, the only all-girls public school in Chicago, accepts 350 urban girls in grades 7-12 each year. It provides them with tools to help them graduate from high school, continue through post-secondary education, and go on to lead fulfilling and productive lives. The school ranks first among 77 Chicago public high schools in percentage of students entering college or post-secondary education.

Mr. Levy’s presentation was part of Ungaretti & Harris’ long-term effort to help increase the number of diverse students who enter law school in hopes of creating a more diverse legal community. Ungaretti & Harris supports these initiatives as part of its firmwide Commitment to Diversity.

In addition to Mr. Levy’s speaking engagement, Ungaretti & Harris is currently sponsoring and participating in the corporate work-study program at Christ the King Jesuit College Preparatory School, a Cristo Rey Network® school. Each week, a team of young women and men come from the school in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood to work in a job-share internship capacity in Ungaretti & Harris’ Records Center. The program allows students to earn three-quarters of their tuition costs while gaining valuable skills and experience through jobs at Chicago-area companies. Approximately 98 percent of all Cristo Rey school graduates attend a college or university.

“Ungaretti & Harris is pleased to support of the Cristo Rey model of forming partnerships between urban education and the business community,” says Ungaretti & Harris Litigation Partner and Diversity Committee Co-Chair Samera S. Ludwig. “Our goal is to expose Christ the King students to the law firm environment while creating an invaluable learning and work experience.”