O’Melveny Awards Scholarships to 15 Exceptional New York High School Students

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW YORK—June 3, 2019—O’Melveny recently awarded scholarships to 15 deserving students from five New York City public schools at its 17th Annual New York Scholarship Awards ceremony, held in the international law firm’s Times Square office.

O’Melveny’s New York Scholarship Program honors public high school students—three 11th-graders from each borough—selected through an application and interview process conducted in collaboration with the Fund for Public Schools. The awards recognize students who show tremendous promise but face significant obstacles to realizing their college and career aspirations.

O’Melveny works with dedicated principals, teachers and counselors at each of its partner schools to identify and award three students at each school who have demonstrated academic excellence, distinctive leadership, community involvement, and personal growth throughout their high school career.

Since 2003, O’Melveny’s New York Scholarship Program has awarded more than US$1.9 million to some 260 remarkable students in the five boroughs. In addition to the monetary support the scholarships provide, the program offers college readiness workshops and mentoring from O’Melveny employees, who volunteer to provide support and guidance throughout the college admission process and beyond.

“O’Melveny has always been recognized for excellence in the legal profession,” said Jeff Kohn, managing partner of O’Melveny’s New York office, welcomed the students and their families to the firm. “Above all, we pride ourselves on being a values-driven law firm, guided by principles of excellence in the legal profession, distinctive leadership and citizenship. I am proud to say that every student we are honoring here tonight exhibits these same values—values that will serve them well throughout their lives.”

Cristian Romero, a 2012 scholarship recipient who is now a community liaison for US Congresswoman Grace Meng, served as the keynote speaker. Romero congratulated the students, noting they “deserve to be here.” He also encouraged them to serve as mentors to others.

O’Melveny firm chair Bradley J. Butwin presented the awards to each recipient. The ceremony also included remarks by Julianne Rana, deputy executive director of the Fund for Public Schools.

O’Melveny’s New York Scholarship Awards is part of the firm’s nationwide scholarship program, launched in Los Angeles in 1993 when the firm honored its then-Chairman, Warren Christopher, as he began his service as US Secretary of State under President Clinton. The program was expanded to New York City in 2003, when the firm began a partnership with five New York City public high schools: Benjamin Banneker Academy, Bronx Leadership Academy, Curtis High School, The High School for Arts & Business, and Thurgood Marshall Academy.

Additional facts:

• Worldwide, O’Melveny has contributed or committed more than US$10 million in scholarship awards for students in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Shanghai, and Beijing.
• O’Melveny Scholars have graduated from Barnard College, Boston University, Bowdoin College, CUNY, Cornell University, New York University, University of Pennsylvania, and Vassar College, among other colleges and universities.
• Many O’Melveny Scholars have established rewarding careers in the public and private sectors, including one who became an O’Melveny lawyer.

About O’Melveny

It’s more than what you do: it’s how you do it. Across sectors and borders, in board rooms and courtrooms, we measure our success by yours. And in our interactions, we commit to making your O’Melveny experience as satisfying as the outcomes we help you achieve. Our greatest accomplishment is ensuring that you never have to choose between premier lawyering and exceptional service. So, tell us. What do you want to achieve? Visit us at 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 schools 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 public schools. The Fund is a nonprofit organization. For more information about the Fund for Public Schools, visit www.fundforpublicschools.org.

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