Cipriani &Werner continues its efforts in promoting diversity in the legal profession by being an active participant in the Allegheny County Bar Association Diversity Initiative 2012 Summer Clerkship Program. This summer Cipriani & Werner hired not one, but two, summer associates as part of the Diversity Initiative summer clerkship program: Carrie Waybright and Bethany Williard. Although Cipriani & Werner had only committed to hiring one first year student to clerk in its offices during the summer, the candidates’ writing samples, academic performance and interviews made it impossible for the hiring committee to choose between them… so Cipriani & Werner increased its commitment to the program and hired both women for the summer.

Carrie Waybright attended high school in South Korea where her parents currently reside. After high school, she moved to Morgantown and graduated from West Virginia University with a degree in international studies. She is currently entering her second year at West Virginia University Law School.

Bethany Williard grew up in Central Pennsylvania and attended Clark University in Worcester, MA, where she obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration. Bethany is entering her second year at Duquesne University’s School of Law and is enrolled in its full time J.D. program.

Rebecca Sember Izsak, C&W’s attorney liaison with the ACBA Diversity Internship Program, commented on C&W’s participation in the ACBA’s program: “Cipriani & Werner is very pleased to have both Carrie and Bethany working in our Pittsburgh office this summer as part of the Diversity Internship Program. We hope that the experience is mutually beneficial for them and the firm. The goal is to provide them with practical legal experience, which is lacking in our law schools, as well as insight and guidance from our experienced litigators in both Pittsburgh and West Virginia as to the practice of law; in exchange we expect that Carrie and Bethany will aid our attorneys in legal research and projects that will help us better serve our clients. Cipriani & Werner takes its commitment to diversity very seriously and is proud to again be participating in the ACBA’s program.”

Carrie and Bethany will be clerking at the firm through August 10, 2012.