Russell-Cooke recruits interns for this summer’s 10,000 Black Interns programme

Two students have accepted offers from Russell-Cooke to join the firm this summer as part of the 10,000 Black Interns programme. Each will complete a paid six-week internship.

Olamiji Shekoni will be joining the firm from 4 July to 12 August. Gloria Asiegbu will join from 8 August to 16 September. Each will circulate around a number of legal teams across the firm’s broad practice in emulation of the structure of a training contract.

The 10000 Black Interns programme offers paid work experience across a wide range of sectors (including legal) each year, providing critical training and development opportunities. At present the plan is that 24 industries will provide 10,000 internships in aggregate over five years. The original 100 Black Interns initiative in the investment management industry will serve as a template for other industries to follow with the aim of those sectors joining the programme, each offering at least 100 internships, where feasible, per year for five years. These internships will begin in the Summer of 2022 in order to reach the ultimate goal of providing 10,000 internships to young Black people.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Partner Gareth Ledsham says:

“10,000 Black Interns say that each internship offered presents the opportunity to change a life, each interview offered provides invaluable experience and each training session can genuinely change an individual’s trajectory. With this in mind we are very much looking forward to welcoming Olamiji and Gloria to the firm this summer and giving them an experience that we hope will have a positive impact on their future outcomes and indeed a positive impact on our own people. Congratulations to both and we look forward to seeing you this summer!”