Foley's Street Law creating lasting impact on aspiring students.

Byline: Ali Teske

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The next generation of attorneys have already started their work.

Foley & Lardner has been working with the national Street Law program for about 8 years, with the overall seminar lasting only two days. A few years into their participation, Foley partners and program directors, Linda Benfield and Nick Welle, decided to expand their version by inviting in the firm's clients and the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee, turning Foley's Street Law into a semester-long program. Targeting schools around the greater Milwaukee area, the partnership led to about 50 students and 40 lawyer/client volunteers at its highest.

"It is really a fabulous program and has survived all this time because of the impact that it has on kids. The kids are the magic," said Benfield.

This year, 25 students from various Milwaukee schools signed up through the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee to engage in hands-on learning experiences with Foley lawyers and client volunteers. Lasting from February through May, the participants learn various aspects of a legal career like how to negotiate a contract, perform an investigation, argue in front of a court and more.

Between the firm and outside company volunteers, paid internships are available to the Street Law students. With the expansion of Milwaukee's Street Law program, Foley hopes to continue their success stories with one day graduating a Street Law student and welcoming them back as a Foley associate after law school.

"That's the ultimate goal," Welle said. "If these students truly want to pursue a career in the law, that they get this mentor-mentee relationship that can last hopefully for the years to come. That's truly the goal of this thing. It's not just 'come participate in a six-night course.' It's 'stick around. If you want to be a lawyer, we're here to be your advisor and your champion.'"

First year...