Four Northwest Early College students spent a week as interns at the Scherr Law Firm and earned a scholarship for law school
When the Scherr Law Firm won a court settlement worth more than $10 million last year, lead attorney Maxey Scherr decided to take some of her commission and do something positive for the community. That settlement led to the creation of the Scherr Law Firm Internship and Scholarship Program for high school students interested in pursuing a law degree.
The inaugural class was a partnership between Scherr and Northwest Early College High School with four students selected through a competitive process to spend a week learning the ins and outs of the legal system in El Paso.
The students — sophomore Jacob Lozano and juniors Ymilette Contreras, Brandon Enciso and Sebastian Esparza — also received a scholarship from Scherr in preparation for law school.
“I have been around experienced lawyers for years, and the amount of work and dedication I saw last week from these four amazing students is just extraordinary,” said Scherr, a Board Certified lawyer who specializes in personal injury cases. “I am so proud to have been a part of this and I can’t wait to see what these guys will be able to do as attorneys.”
During their week at the Scherr Law Firm, the four Griffins met with lawmakers, judges, attorneys and other professionals who gave them a glimpse into the legal world in El Paso. Additionally, they researched, studied and worked on a case involving a truck accident and even presented their own version of a closing argument to a sitting federal judge.
The students combed through depositions, expert witness interviews and other documents to better understand the case and how lawsuits progress through the court systems.
NWECHS Principal Frank Clark said the partnership between Scherr and the school will be beneficial to students in the long run, not just because of the unprecedented access students will get into the legal world, but also because of the hands-on learning opportunities.
“We strive to provide students with the tools and resources they need to meet their academic and professional goals,” Clark said. “Thanks to the Scherr Law Firm, we are able to meet a specific need for those students who have a keen interest in becoming attorneys.”
Scherr said she was delighted with the first batch of students to have participated in the internship program and told a group of Northwest students that the program will continue next year.
“This is amazing and I am determined to keep it going. I hope you guys can go through the same experiences these four students went through this past week,” she said.