Riker Danzig and its long-time client Crum & Forster partnered to launch a Joint Diversity Summer Internship Program in June of 2022. The program was designed to provide an in-depth internship experience for a select law student who is a member of an underrepresented group in the legal profession. The program provides the selected law student with the opportunity to work with lawyers in Crum & Forster’s legal department as well as with various practice areas in Riker Danzig as part of its comprehensive annual Summer Associate Program for second year law students.
The inaugural program was rolled out successfully this summer with Rutgers Law School student Farwa Tahir. Farwa completed her second year at Rutgers Law School in May, and was selected for the Riker/Crum & Forster program through the Rutgers Minority Student Program (MSP). The MSP is a nationally-acclaimed and highly successful post-admissions program that serves students of any race or ethnicity who are members of groups that are underrepresented in the legal profession, and who have faced discrimination or overcome social and economic hardships.
Farwa split her time during the summer between Riker Danzig’s Morristown office at Headquarters Plaza and Crum & Forster’s legal department on Madison Avenue in Morristown. After completing the program, Farwa accepted an offer for a permanent position at Riker Danzig commencing in Fall 2023.
Jason D. Navarino, head of the Firm’s Corporate Practice, served as the Riker Danzig partner liaison for the initiative. “We were delighted to have Farwa participate in our summer program. She was a very positive addition to our general Summer Associate Program, bringing great talent and drive to her assignments. Farwa was able to collaborate with a number of our attorneys on diverse types of legal projects, benefiting from exposure to various areas of law. And it was especially gratifying that we were able to work with our friends at Crum & Forster, providing her with a full experience of practicing law.”
Michael McTigue, Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary of Crum & Forster, oversaw Farwa's shared internship with his legal team. “We were very excited and honored to partner with Riker Danzig in supporting the Rutgers MSP. Farwa was an immediate contributor, working closely with our attorneys on a wide array of legal matters facing a corporate law department. Her exposure to Crum & Forster’s corporate environment, combined with her experience at Riker Danzig, will serve as a great foundation for her future legal career and we wish Farwa tremendous success. We also applaud Riker Danzig for creating this exciting opportunity for a law student to experience the practice of law at a top-tier firm and are grateful they included C&F to represent a corporate law department and look forward to the continuation of this valuable partnership.”
