

Congratulations to our 2023 Inclusion & Diversity Fellowship Recipient: Catalina Martines-Baenen
Catalina is a rising 2L at the University of California, Davis School of Law. She is on the board of the Latinx Law Student Association and the board of the Humanitarian Legal Aid Organization, she is also a member of the King Hall Negotiations Team. Originally from Burbank, California, Catalina graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a minor in Law & Society. She also worked as a Trust & Estates Litigation Paralegal before attending law school. Influenced by her interest in the Sherman Antitrust Act, as well as her background in mental health research, Catalina is interested in the intersection of health and antitrust and unfair competition law.

Diversity Initiative and Fellowship

The Inclusion & Diversity Fellowship program is a joint program managed by the California Lawyers Foundation and the California Lawyers Association Antitrust and Unfair Competition Law Section. The Foundation and the Antitrust Section are dedicated to increasing the participation and visibility of diverse and underrepresented lawyers in the practice of antitrust law. The goal of the fellowship is to provide career opportunities for students from underrepresented groups in the legal profession, increase interest in antitrust and unfair competition law, and promote the work of the Section.
Eligibility Requirements: Applicants must either: (1) be law students currently enrolled full-time in good standing at an ABA-accredited law school and who have completed at least one semester of law school; or (2) be part-time (four-year program) or joint-degree student currently at least in their second year of law school in good standing at an ABA-accredited law school. Current undergraduate students, students who are not currently enrolled, and LLM students are not eligible to apply. Applicants also must either (i) be a member of a diverse population or group that historically has been underrepresented in the legal profession; or (ii) demonstrate a long-standing commitment to diversity that will be furthered by award of the fellowship. Applicants should have a demonstrated interest in practicing law in California. Selection considerations will include but are not limited to: strong academic performance, writing skills, demonstrated leadership qualities, ability to overcome obstacles, a strong interest in antitrust law, and a desire to contribute to the Section’s publications on antitrust or UCL issues.
Fellowship Information:
(1) Award Amount:The Fellowship awards the selected recipient a total of $10,000. The award can be combined with other tuition-remission programs and is not preclusive of other forms of financial aid that the student may receive for the same school year.
(2) Mentoring: The Fellowship recipient will be assigned to an antitrust practitioner as a mentor. The mentor will be responsible for maintaining year-long regular contact with the student and offering the student support, guidance, and advice as appropriate throughout the year.
(3) Government Internship: The Fellowship provides the student a summer internship with a federal or state governmental antitrust enforcer, such as the California Department of Justice or the U.S. Department of Justice, which student is required to accept and complete as part of receiving the Award. If the recipient does not complete the internship, the total Award will need to be returned.
How to Apply:We are not currently accepting applications. If you are interested in applying, please email antitrust@calawyers.org.
A Focus on Diversity
The Antitrust and Unfair Competition Law Section has adopted diversity and inclusion initiatives as integral components of its mission. The Section’s Executive Committee is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in the Section’s membership and leadership. We actively promote, contribute, and support programs, events, and publications dedicated to creating opportunities in antitrust and unfair competition law for law students and legal professionals from diverse, disadvantaged, and underrepresented backgrounds.
INCLUSION & DIVERSITY FELLOWSHIP
Program Description
The Inclusion & Diversity Fellowship program is a joint program managed by the California Lawyers Foundation (a 501(c)(3) charitable organization) and the California Lawyers Association Antitrust and Unfair Competition Law Section. The Fellowship provides training, mentorship, and career opportunities for students from underrepresented groups in the legal profession, increases interest in antitrust and unfair competition law, and promotes the work of the Section.
To further the Section’s diversity and inclusion goals, the Fellowship is designed for law students who (i) are a member of a diverse population or group that historically has been underrepresented in the legal profession; or (ii) have demonstrated a long-standing commitment to diversity that will be furthered by award of the Fellowship. Applicants should have a demonstrated interest in practicing law in California. In selecting Fellowship recipients, the Committee will consider, among other things: strong academic performance, writing skills, demonstrated leadership qualities, ability to overcome obstacles, a strong interest in antitrust law, and a desire to contribute to the Section’s publications on antitrust or UCL issues.
The Section strongly encourages applications from law students from diverse or underrepresented backgrounds (including but not limited to diversity arising from the applicant’s race, color, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, first generation professional, and veteran status), as well as from law students whose backgrounds may have presented obstacles to accessing the legal profession. The Section will consider this information, as described in the applicant’s personal statement, in selecting Fellowship recipients.
The Fellowship recipient will be the Section’s Inclusion & Diversity Fellow. The program is open to all law students interested in practicing antitrust law in California. Students must be members of the Antitrust and Unfair Competition Law Section to be eligible for the Fellowship. The California Lawyers Association allows all law students up to three one-year Section memberships at no cost. A Fellowship recipient who is not already a Section member will be required to join the Section.
Fellowship Information
The Inclusion & Diversity Fellowship Program offers a pathway for law students who are interested in the practice of antitrust and unfair competition law. In addition to a monetary stipend, the Fellow receives a year-long mentorship from a practicing antitrust lawyer and a summer internship in a government agency working on antitrust and unfair competition law matters. Specific details are below:
- Award Amount: The Fellowship awards the selected recipient a total of $10,000.
- Mentoring: The Fellowship recipient will be assigned to an antitrust practitioner as a mentor. The mentor will be responsible for maintaining year-long regular contact with the student and offering the student support, guidance, and advice as appropriate throughout the year.
- Government Internship: The Fellowship provides the student an unpaid summer internship with a federal or California state governmental antitrust enforcer, such as the California Department of Justice or the U.S. Department of Justice.
- Engagement: The Fellow is expected to attend Section events, including the Section’s annual Golden State Antitrust and Unfair Competition Law Institute with free conference registration. The Fellow is expected to contribute to the Section’s publications related to antitrust and UCL issues.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must either: (1) be law students currently enrolled full-time in good standing at an ABA-accredited law school and who have completed at least one semester of law school; or (2) be part-time (four-year program) or joint-degree student currently at least in their second year of law school in good standing at an ABA-accredited law school. Current undergraduate students, students who are not currently enrolled, and LLM students are not eligible to apply.
Application Package Details
Please include the following materials in your application packet:
- Completed application form.
- Cover letter
- Resume
- Undergraduate official transcripts
- Law school official transcripts
- Legal writing sample
- Two references (only contact information is required, but letters of reference will be considered)
- Personal essay of no more than 750-1000 words (explaining your interest in the Fellowship program, and describing how you meet the eligibility requirements and how your experiences have impacted your personal growth and your vision for the legal practice).
Fellowship selections will be based on the above application materials and may include telephonic interviews by members of the selection committee. Applicants may also be interviewed by prospective employers.
Sponsors

Past Recipients
2022 Recipient: Marshall Ferm
Marshall Fern is the 2022 recipient of its Inclusion and Diversity Fellowship. As part of the Fellowship award, Marshall was a summer intern at the California Department of Justice’s Healthcare Rights and Access Section, Competition Unit, and received an award of $10,000. Apart from the internship, Marshall will participate in and contribute to the CLA’s Antitrust and UCL Section’s activities, and enjoy opportunities to develop relationships with antitrust and UCL practitioners throughout California. Read more about Marshall here.

2021 Recipient: LeeAnna Bowman-Carpio
LeeAnna Bowman-Carpio is the 2021 recipient of the Inclusion and Diversity Fellowship. As part of the Fellowship award, LeeAnna was a summer intern at the California Department of Justice’s Antitrust Section and received a$10,000. Apart from the internship, LeeAnna will participate in and contribute to the CLA’s Antitrust and UCL Section’s activities, and enjoy opportunities to develop relationships with antitrust and UCL practitioners throughout California. Read more >>

MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO HELP FUND THE INCLUSION & DIVERSITY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM!
The Inclusion & Diversity Fellowship Program relies on contributions from our generous supporters from within the California antitrust and UCL bar. Please consider making a contribution to help support this valuable program.
Contribute by Check: All contributions should be made by a check payable to the California Lawyers Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Please indicate the CLA Antitrust and CLF Diversity and Inclusion Fellowship Program on the check to ensure it is designated for this purpose. Checks should be mailed to the following address:
CLF Diversity and Inclusion Fellowship Program
400 Capitol Mall, Suite 650,
Sacramento, CA 95814
Contribute Online:
You may also contribute online at https://calawyersfoundation.org/donate/
To contribute online, please select “Custom Amount” and add the payment details. In the “Comment” section, please include a note that says: “CLA Antitrust and CLF Diversity and Inclusion Fellowship Program.”
Questions: If you have questions, please direct them to Abiel Garcia at AGarcia@gibsondunn.com.