press releases

O'Melveny Awards College Scholarships to New York City Public High School Students in All Five Boroughs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW YORK, NY — June 12, 2014 — O’Melveny & Myers LLP, an international law firm, will award college scholarships to 15 promising 11th grade students from New York City public high schools for whom the costs of attending college would otherwise be an insurmountable hurdle to realizing that dream. The scholarships will be given at the Firm’s 12th Annual New York Scholarship Awards ceremony on June 25, 2014, at 6:30 p.m. at the Tweed Court House and will include remarks from New York City Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña. One student from a public school in each of the five boroughs will receive US$14,000 to support four consecutive years of college education; two additional students from each of the schools will receive US$2,000 for this purpose. O’Melveny’s New York Scholarship Program has awarded more than US$1.2 million to New York City public high school students since its inception in 2003.

The 2014 O’Melveny Scholars hail from every borough and are students at the Bronx Leadership Academy, Brooklyn’s Benjamin Banneker Academy for Community Development, Manhattan’s Thurgood Marshall Academy, Queens’ High School for Arts and Business, and Staten Island’s Curtis High School. O’Melveny attorneys and staff selected the Scholars through an application and interview process that considered students’ grade point average, attendance, enrollment in college preparatory classes, financial need, and community involvement. The scholars represent a diverse group of talented students, and many will be the first person in his or her family to attend college.

In addition to the financial support that the scholarships provide, scholars will also receive professional mentoring from O’Melveny employees. Each scholarship recipient will be paired with an O’Melveny attorney or staff member who will offer support throughout the college admission process, provide feedback on application materials, and give advice on school selection. Past O’Melveny Scholars have emphasized the importance of mentoring to their success in college and beyond. This type of mentoring is invaluable to students and their families that may be navigating the sometimes challenging waters of the college admissions process for the first time.

In addition to remarks from Chancellor Fariña, the ceremony will include speeches from Mahsooma Abbas, a 2006 O’Melveny Scholar and graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, and Jeff Kohn, Managing Partner of O’Melveny’s New York office. Ms. Abbas will share with the 2014 O’Melveny Scholars how the scholarship has helped shape her collegiate and professional careers. Mr. Kohn will talk about the Firm’s commitment to sponsoring the program for the past 12 years.

“As part of the Firm’s commitment to corporate citizenship, O’Melveny’s New York Scholarship Program allows the Firm to expand opportunities for economically disadvantaged young people and ultimately promote diversity among New York City’s professional workforce,” Mr. Kohn said. “By providing financial assistance for college, mentorship, and professional guidance to these remarkable young individuals, O’Melveny is honored to help them achieve their long term career goals.”

Established in 2003, O’Melveny’s New York Scholarship Program works with the Fund for Public Schools and the New York City Department of Education to encourage high school juniors who demonstrate the Firm’s values of uncompromising excellence, distinctive leadership, and a commitment to community service to continue to excel. The Program’s goal is to help these students realize their dream of attending college. In June 2014, the Firm received recognitions from the New York City Council, the New York State Senate, and the President of Staten Island Borough for its contributions over the past decade to Curtis High School, one of O’Melveny’s targeted institutions.

Since the program’s establishment, 165 students have been named O’Melveny New York Scholars. Institutions attended by the recipients include Barnard College, Boston University, Bowdoin College, Cornell University, New York University, University of Pennsylvania, and Vassar College. Past O’Melveny scholars are now employed in a variety of professions and companies, including O’Melveny itself. For example, 2003 O’Melveny scholar Vladimir Yelizarov is now an Associate in O’Melveny’s Project Development and Real Estate Finance Practice in the Firm’s New York office.

O’Melveny will provide short biographies of the 2014 scholarship recipients at the awards ceremony on June 25, 2014, at the Tweed Courthouse.

Members of the media interested in attending the event should contact Emily Lattal at elattal@omm.com or (212) 326-2285 for press credentials.

About O’Melveny & Myers LLP
With approximately 800 lawyers in 16 offices worldwide, O’Melveny & Myers LLP helps industry leaders across a broad array of sectors manage the complex challenges of succeeding in the global economy. We are a values-driven law firm, guided by the principles of excellence, leadership, and citizenship. Our commitment to these values is reflected in our dedication to improving access to justice through pro bono work and championing initiatives that increase the diversity of the legal profession. For more information, please visit www.omm.com.

About The Fund for Public Schools
The Fund for Public Schools is dedicated to improving New York City’s public schools by attracting private investment in school and encouraging greater involvement by all New Yorkers in the education of our children. The Fund plays a pivotal role in improving public education in New York City by strengthening the New York City Department of Education’s relationship with the private sector, securing funding for critical reform initiatives, helping businesses to create partnerships and programs that support city schools, and promoting the value of the public schools. The Fund is a nonprofit organization. For more information about the Fund for Public Schools, visit www.fundforpublicschools.org.

# # #