A few weeks ago, one of my apprentices mentioned the date, December 3, 2014. It hit me like a ton of bricks. I just had my 10-year anniversary as an attorney, and it passed without ceremony. How could I have forgotten that? The test that consumed my life for two years as I failed thrice before passing on my fourth attempt–that test, which was once the single biggest obstacle to my well-being and sense of self, was now a passing anniversary that I might (not) remember.
I haven’t forgotten the journey. Studying until my nose bled then finally getting the license and still facing doubts about my capabilities because of the skin I’m in. Once, I walked into a courtroom in a suit with a briefcase and the bailiff told me that defendants were not allowed inside before the judge arrived. Another time, I arrived to give a presentation and the audience asked when the lawyer would arrive. I remember wanting to scream in an Elphabean rage: It’s me!
On December 3, 2014, I became a lawyer and on January 13, 2015, when I founded Esq. Apprentice, I began to understand what that meant. Now, as Esq. Apprentice is at the precipice of completing one decade and starting another, I will not let the occasion pass unceremoniously. Against all odds, a global pandemic, one Trump administration, and numerous stops on the cycle of deaths and births, Esq. Apprentice is still here and better than ever!
Our organization has much to celebrate.
⭐ In the last 10 years, we have worked with about twenty women and helped 85% of them secure legal employment for the first time and/or wage increases in their existing work.
⭐ We responded to a global pandemic with critical resources like cost of living support and remote learning opportunities such that, instead of losing apprentices, we enjoyed a 75% retention rate.
⭐ We garnered over $3,000,000 in in-kind support from our dedicated community of attorney volunteers.
⭐ And, after nine years of continually refining our curriculum, we have passed not one but two apprentices over the Baby Bar Exam, a notoriously difficult standardized test that, like all standardized tests, is a better indicator of zip code than aptitude. The pass rate has been as low as 13%, but this year alone, Esq. Apprentice had a Baby Bar pass rate of 33%.
And now, as I look ahead to the next 10 years of life as an organization, I know that Esq. Apprentice is primed and ready to establish a sustainable workforce that centers women of color: a WOCforce.
⭐ Through our innovative approach to workforce development, we will launch The Excelerator, a three-month preparatory program to arm low-income women of color with the knowledge and skills they need to embark on the four-year apprenticeship path.
⭐ We will broaden our reach and build our organization’s partnerships with law firms in our community. Each partner guarantees at least one year of supervision per apprentices and will work closely with Esq. Apprentice to improve outcomes for apprentice fellows, supervising attorneys and firms, and low-income communities.
⭐ We will launch the Esq. Apprentice Paralegal Certification Partnership Program. Did you know that folks who are officially registered in California apprenticeships can attend community college free of charge? With Department of Labor approval, Esq. Apprentice will register our apprenticeship with the state of California and bolster existing partnerships with community colleges to make the paralegal certification pathway a viable one for our fellows.
Together, I know we can build a workforce that centers the experiences of women of color.
Before 2024 comes to a close, will you join us?
