Law Students Gaining Civil, Social Justice Experience Thanks to Kellogg, NAACP

Helping others is a life commitment, not just a job.

That's one of the key lessons aspiring attorney Krystle Cadogan says she has learned this summer while participating in a Kellogg-sponsored legal fellowship with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

"When I applied to be an NAACP Law Fellow, I was hoping to gain a solid, meaningful, practical legal experience," says Krystle, who attends law school at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va. "It's been that and much more. We are applying the skills that we've been taught in the classroom to help real people – and contribute to lasting and substantial change."

Krystal is one of six students spending 12 weeks this summer working for the NAACP's national legal department and its Washington, D.C., bureau thanks to an ongoing partnership between the NAACP and Kellogg – specifically, our Legal & Compliance team and the Kellogg's Corporate Citizenship Fund.

Since 2003, our company has been a committed supporter and primary funding source for the NAACP Law Fellows program, designed to give law students valuable experience in civil rights law and strengthen their commitment to social justice. Participants work with the NAACP's civil rights attorneys on organizational issues, criminal justice, education, housing, voting rights and environmental justice.

"Kellogg Company is proud to continue our support of the NAACP Law Fellow Program," says Gary Pilnick, our senior vice president, General Counsel, Corporate Development and Secretary. "Each year we are impressed by the talented law students who are selected for this valuable experience to learn and grow."

Terrell Nicholson, a Law Fellow who attends North Carolina Central University, says the program promotes a truly open and honest dialogue about racial, ethical, economic, social and political issues – all of which he feels will make him a more well-rounded lawyer. In fact, he hopes to become a practicing civil rights attorney after he graduates.

"I grew up in a small, rural town in North Carolina and was surrounded by people in my community who didn't believe they had a 'voice' in our society's legal, political and economic processes," Terrell says. "I want to take what I'm learning and be able to apply and use it to be the voice for those who don't feel they have one."

As the summer progresses, Terrell, Krystal and their fellow Law Fellows will help work on cases and study strategies to advance civil rights. They'll also prepare research papers, moderate panel discussions, evaluate citizen complaints and participate in ethical discussions that impact ongoing civil rights advocacy issues. In addition, the group will visit congressional offices and meet civil rights leaders, state legislators and legal advocates.

Plus, as part of what's become an annual tradition, the Law Fellows recently spent a day with members of the Kellogg Legal & Compliance department, getting the inside scoop on what it's like to be a lawyer inside a major corporation like ours.

This year, Melanie Beller, vice president, Government Relations; Mary Fair-Matthews, counsel, Employment, Labor and Intellectual Property; and Nicole Reed, manager, Internal Audit, represented our Legal & Compliance team.

"I learned a lot from the Kellogg team," says David Koppelman, a Law Fellow who attends Penn State's Dickinson School of Law. "I was especially intrigued to find out that your Legal team is so integrated into the company and every aspect of its business. I had always viewed a corporate legal department as a separate entity that didn't really have any involvement with the products or with the marketing and exchange of those products. But that's clearly not the case at Kellogg."

It's obvious that the Kellogg team enjoys its work, remarks Law Fellow Angela Alexander of Rhode Island's Roger Williams University.

"It was refreshing to see lawyers who love what they do, see the world and still have time for family and friends. It was inspirational and helped to ease some of my fears of becoming a lawyer," she says.

Kellogg's continuing support of the NAACP and legal education is commendable, says NAACP Interim General Counsel Angela Ciccolo.

"Kellogg Company has been a great supporter of the NAACP and its legal program," Ciccolo added. "The accomplishments of program alumni and their continuing support of the NAACP speak volumes about the success of the program."

Previous NAACP Law Fellows have gone on to become assistant state's and district attorneys, staffers on Capitol Hill, public defenders, law clerks and legal counsel at private firms, government agencies and non-profit groups across the nation and in Australia.

Each of this year's participants say they'd enthusiastically encourage other law students to pursue the opportunity to be a Law Fellow.

"This has been more than a summer job," says Ashlei Taylor from Fordham University in New York City. "It's been a great, well-rounded experience."

Adds Angela Alexander, "Without help from Kellogg, this fellowship would not be possible. So on behalf of the 2008 Law Fellows, I would like to again extend our sincerest thanks."