OXFORD, Miss. – Law students have plenty of worries during final exams, but several law firms have made sure their next meal isn’t one of them.
In partnership with the University of Mississippi School of Law’s Career Services Office, five law firms generously provided lunch for hundreds of law students: Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes, PLLC; Burr & Forman, LLP; Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP; Butler Snow LLP; and Bradley Arant Boult Cumming LLP.
The Snack Breaks program, as it is known around the law school, has been ongoing each semester since final exams in the fall of 2015.
Karen Peairs, assistant director of career services, said the idea originated when a law firm was opening a new office in Mississippi, and the partner of the firm wanted to gain exposure among law students.
“I suggested providing a lunch ‘snack break’ so that students would have something to eat at a time when they may have run out of money, time and energy,” Peairs said.
Since then, the idea has gained traction among many firms, who see it as a way to give back to the law school.
“Every semester since the initial snack break, we have had at least three law firms participate in the program,” she said. “This semester we had our largest number of participants, with five firms providing lunch.”
Each semester, several participating firms send attorneys to snack breaks, allowing students to interact with firm representatives in more relaxed setting than the traditional 10-20 minute on-campus interview.
Students, and the Career Services Office, are grateful participating law firms provide this service to students.
“In the student thank you notes, many students remark that having a real meal provided that they don’t have to plan for helps them concentrate on studying,” Peairs said. “Providing that stress release, even for an hour, is exactly what we hoped to do.”
For more information about career services, visit law.olemiss.edu.