KU News Release

KU law students earn positions through summer diversity clerkship program

From left: Joseph Jarvis, Lara Guscott and Alexander Aguilera

LAWRENCE — Three University of Kansas School of Law students have earned clerkships at Kansas City law firms this summer through a program aimed at increasing diversity in legal education and the legal profession.

First-year law students Alexander Aguilera, Joseph Jarvis and Lara Guscott earned half of the six full-time, paid positions in the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association’s Summer Diversity Clerkship Program. One law student from each of the other eligible universities — Washburn University, the University of Missouri-Kansas City and the University of Missouri — received the remaining three spots.

The clerkship program is just one of several initiatives in which area legal employers are participating to increase the number of underrepresented diverse law students and, ultimately, attorneys in Kansas City. The program is intended to address one objective of the bar association’s Diversity Action Plan, which states that member firms will establish one substantial hiring initiative to attract and retain diverse law graduates.

The action plan defines diversity as including race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation and physical disability.

Todd Rogers, assistant dean of career services at the KU School of Law and a member of the clerkship program’s subcommittee, said the program had been an excellent addition to the bar association’s ongoing diversity initiative.

“In three years, the program has matched over 20 talented, diverse law students with top-flight law firms in Kansas City,” Rogers said. “Joe, Alex and Lara will represent KU extremely well this summer. We’re proud of them and look forward to continuing to partner with the KCMBA to promote diversity through this program for years to come.”

KU students selected for clerkships are listed below by hometown, parents’ names, educational background and law firm at which they will work.

JOHNSON COUNTY
From Lenexa 66215
Joseph Jarvis is the son of Catherine and Mark Jarvis of Lenexa. He graduated from Shawnee Mission Northwest High School and received his undergraduate degree from KU. His clerkship is with Polsinelli Shughart.

SEDGWICK COUNTY
From Wichita 67215
Alexander Aguilera is the son of Carol and Alex Aguilera of Wichita. He graduated from Goddard High School and received his undergraduate degree from Wichita State University. His clerkship is with Lathrop & Gage.

CANADA
From Fairview, Alberta
Lara Guscott is the daughter of Julia and Malcolm Guscott of Fairview, Alberta. She graduated from Grande Prairie Composite High School and received her undergraduate degree from Graceland University. Her clerkship is with Stinson Morrison Hecker.

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