SIDEBAR Fall 2021 - 22

MONTGOMERY B AR .O R G
The Equity Stop
Continued from page 21
The following essay was
submitted by 2021 participant
Joshua Dufour as part of his
scholarship application.
In 2017, I attended Columbia
University School of the Arts to
pursue a Master of Arts in Film
Studies. I went in to my graduate
program right after finishing my
undergraduate education, and
although I was proud to advance
to a new degree, I only chose this
path out of a desire to be seen
as successful and to postpone
adulthood. Consequently, I spent
my time aimlessly taking courses and writing with no direction or
purpose.
When I decided to pursue my oldest dream of becoming a lawyer,
I promised myself that I would do things differently. My goal
was to weave a path to success that will not fade-no matter how
many new places or opportunities I discover along the way-and
the Montgomery Bar Association Summer 1L Diversity Program
became the foundation I needed to carefully outline the next steps
in my legal career.
From orientation to our mock interviews, I have had numerous
opportunities to explore my future as an attorney before stepping
through my law school's doors. Our conversations with Judge
Austin showed me how multifaceted and kaleidoscopic a legal
career can be. When hearing from Judge Page and Judge Walker, I
came to understand that the artistic pieces of me can continue to
grow in tandem with my practice. Judge Clifford taught me the
importance of living in my truth, and that my queerness can have
as much power inside the courtroom as it does in my community.
Under the mentorship of Matt Vahey, Esq., and Nicole LaBletta,
Esq., I have had the chance to explore various fields of law
(commercial litigation, antitrust law, sports law). Our talks have
led me to connect with the legal team at The Rittenhouse Hotel
to inquire about hospitality law and how my skills as a bartender
and future lawyer can potentially intersect. Additionally, my mock
interview with Bruce Pancio, Esq., was so invaluable as a rising 1L
because I have been gifted with a model for excellence that I can
develop in law school. My favorite session was Marilou Watson,
Esq.'s lesson on intellectual property law and how interdisciplinary
this area of law is. The affirmation I experienced from this
program speaks volumes on the value of early integration into new
professions.
Throughout this entire process, every person we have spoken
with has emphasized the importance of keeping an open mind.
Initially -after my time in graduate school-this notion seemed
frightening. I feared that if my mind was too open, I would end up
aimlessly taking courses and writing with no direction or purpose,
just like before. However, as this program comes to a close, I have
evolved. The support from Nancy Walsh, Jimmy Chong, Esq., the
judges, and all of my mentors has shown me how much you all
believe in my ability to succeed and are diligently leveraging your
resources to allow more diverse students the chance to exist in the
legal profession.
I have spent this summer getting to know myself through
intersectional lenses and am able to respectfully facilitate
discussions with people from various backgrounds without
compromising my integrity. My character has been imbued with
the principles of the Montgomery Bar Association, and I am
confident that-no matter how many new places or opportunities
I discover along the way-the path we have woven together will
never fade.
The Honorable Mark A. Kearney
Hosts Summer 1L Interns
By Jimmy C. Chong, Esq.
Prior to Judge Mark A. Kearney
becoming a United State District
Judge of the United States District
Court for the Eastern District of
Pennsylvania, he was a Montgomery
County attorney. His ties to
Montgomery County are strong;
not only is he a longtime resident,
he was also an attorney at Elliot,
Greenleaf & Siedzikowski, PC in
Blue Bell, PA, a Past President of the
Montgomery Bar Foundation, and
a permanent part of our history books as the Montgomery Bar
Association President in 2009. That year was special because it was
the MBA's 125th anniversary as well as the first year of the Robert
E. Slota, Jr. Summer 1L Diversity Internship program.
Since I have been involved with the MBA, Judge Kearney has
brought the summer 1L interns to his Chambers and in 2020, he
held a Zoom conference with the interns due to Covid-19. This
year, the interns went back to Philadelphia on the insistence of
Judge Kearney. They first visited his Chambers and were given
sweets and snacks to munch on while he answered all their
questions. He spoke about the history of our country, American
law, and the Montgomery Bar Association. Afterwards, the interns
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