Calcaterra Pollack’s 2021 Diversity Pipeline Pre-Law Summer Internship
In partnership with the State University of New York at New Paltz, Calcaterra Pollack completed our second annual six-week paid internship program. The program is intended for diverse undergraduate students interested in pursuing a legal career to work alongside the Firm’s nationally recognized litigators with a hands-on approach to gain real life work experience. During the program, summer interns are introduced to the substance, business and ethics of the law.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, our internship program was conducted remotely.
Summer 2021 Interns
Mackenzy McMorris is a passionate scholar crafting his intellectual skillset around business, law, and serving communities of underrepresented populations. Raised in Upstate New York, and in his senior year at SUNY New Paltz, Mackenzy is on a dual-degree track studying Finance and Black Studies. His leadership roles have further solidified his passion for leading others and impacting people of color. Currently, his influence resides as President of the Business Association for Students of Color, Chapter President of the Ankh Maat Wedjau Black Studies Honor Society, and Liaison of the Scholar’s Mentorship Program which addresses the educational disparities of the historically underrepresented students of SUNY New Paltz. An aspiring lawyer, Mackenzy plans on pursing his MBA next, then attending law school; his main objective is to combine his educational platform and social conscience to continue advocating, fighting, and striving for social justice and civil rights.
“Interning at Calcaterra Pollack has been the most influential decision to my educational path thus far. The atmosphere continues to shape the narrative my future is centered around: inclusivity as a driving factor to embrace diversity in both a law firm and its clientele. A critical role through my academic journey has been the experience learning from and leading groups from marginalized communities. Collectively, I’ve gained insight in how to effectively navigate the complexities of problem solving through teamwork, communication, and leadership. Calcaterra Pollack’s collaborative approach is essential in laying the foundation of my legal beginning in a family-oriented atmosphere full of warmhearted individuals driven for justice.”
Firm Staff:
Regina Calcaterra
Partner Regina Calcaterra co-manages the Firm’s Diversity Pipeline internship program. Prior to starting the program at Calcaterra Pollack, Regina oversaw several successful summer internships, working to highlight the importance of diversifying the professionals in the legal industry. As a proud SUNY New Paltz graduate, Regina is a strong proponent of professional mentorship and will facilitate workshops between attorneys and interns centered around each of the Firm’s practice areas.
Isidora Echeverria
Paralegal Isidora Echeverria assists Regina Calcaterra in managing the summer internship, where she brings her own legal research and litigation experience to the program. As a recent graduate of CUNY Hunter College and a former diversity pre-law intern, Isidora is eager to continue furthering the Firm’s values of social justice and impactful mentorship.