Mosaic Scholars: Career Advising for First-Generation Law Students Targeting Big Law
CAREER ADVISING FOR LAW STUDENTS
Free career advising with Mosaic's founder for first-generation law students pursuing Big Law at the nation's top law schools.
Every inaugural Scholar holds a 2L summer associate offerGibson Dunn · Simpson Thacher · Latham & Watkins · Paul HastingsFounder cited in The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and Politico
Why I started Mosaic Scholars
Big Law recruiting puts a lot of pressure on students, and it starts earlier every year. I built this program so each Scholar has someone to talk things through with. We make a plan around your goals and circumstances, and I stay involved as you work through it.
I started with first-generation professionals and future first-generation attorneys in mind. If you arrive at law school without lawyers in your family or a ready-made professional network, you should still have someone who can explain how this works and help you make decisions. That support should last beyond a single recruiting season.”
Our first cohort: JD Class of 2028
Our first cohort brought together 17 students from these top law schools:
The JD Class of 2029 cohort is now at capacity. New applicants join our waitlist. Apply Now
Where our Scholars received offers after joining
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Mosaic Scholars · JD Class of 2029
Meet our new cohort
20 Scholars · At Capacity for This CycleOur second Mosaic Scholars cohort is set: 20 incoming 1Ls headed to the nation's top law schools this fall. We started recruiting and interviewing in January 2026. After months of conversations, we've brought together students with a wide range of political views, life experiences, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Starting in January gave us months to help students prepare for 0L pre-law internships and SEO summer interviews. Many secured summer 2026 positions before their first day of law school, at firms including Cravath, Latham & Watkins, Covington & Burling, Jones Day, and Debevoise & Plimpton.
The Scholars are also getting to know one another months before orientation, through group sessions, a shared thread, and conversations about what lies ahead. Those early friendships can last a career. We want this community to stay useful from 1L summer through partnership and beyond.
We're waiting to introduce the new Scholars by name. They deserve to start law school without a spotlight on them, and we're focused on helping each one find the firm they want. Once their roles are secured, we'll make introductions as we did with our first cohort. For now, here's where they're headed:
The JD Class of 2029 cohort is full, but you're still welcome to apply! New applicants join our waitlist and will be considered first if we expand the cohort this year.
JD CLASS OF 2028
Meet the Scholars
Our inaugural Scholars have secured their summer positions, and we're glad to introduce them!
Every member of our inaugural cohort, JD Class of 2028, secured and accepted a 2L summer associate offer from an elite firm by early March of 2026, reflecting the fastest timeline the industry has seen to date. Many of these Scholars received their first competitive offers within the first two weeks of the calendar year.
Tziporah Tiller
Harvard Law School · Class of 2028
A summa cum laude graduate of Ohio State in Political Science and Public Management, Tziporah spent three years as a Teach for America corps member in Houston, where she raised student performance from 1% to 60% growth on state assessments. She completed the SEO Law Fellowship at White & Case LLP before entering Harvard Law.
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Sara Bouhamid
Yale Law School · Class of 2028
A magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Florida State University in Psychology, Sara completed the SEO Law Fellowship at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP and spent over a year as a Healthcare Research Associate at Corporate Insight. At Yale Law, she serves as an Editor on the Yale Law Journal on Regulation and as a 1L Representative for the Law and Business Society and First Generation Professionals.
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Haig Simitian, CPA
UC Berkeley School of Law · Class of 2028
A licensed CPA and cum laude graduate of UCLA with a 3.95 in Business-Economics, Haig worked as a Tax Consultant at Deloitte before law school. At Berkeley Law, he holds a Dean's Fellowship and serves as an Associate Editor on the Berkeley Business Law Journal and the 1L Representative for MENALSA.
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Keren Karmiel
University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School · Class of 2028
A summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa graduate from the University of South Carolina in Political Science and Philosophy, Keren has held policy roles in the offices of Senator Tim Scott and Governor Henry McMaster. At Penn Carey Law, she is active in the Business Law Association and the Penn Law Women's Association.
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Sarah Wang
NYU School of Law · Class of 2028
A UCLA graduate and recipient of the Order of the Golden Bruin, the university's highest senior honor, Sarah brings experience from Microsoft, Warner Bros. Discovery, and TikTok. At NYU Law, she is a Women in M&A Scholar with the ABA Business Law Section and a Birnbaum Women's Leadership Fellow.
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Matthew Torres
Stanford Law School · Class of 2028
A magna cum laude USC graduate in Psychology and French, Matthew managed over 400 cases as an immigration paralegal and conducted refugee integration policy research at the French Embassy in Toulouse. He founded USC’s first mentorship program for first-generation students, pairing over 200 students annually. At Stanford Law, he contributes to the Journal of Civil Rights & Civil Liberties and the Election Law Project.
Azeezat Yussuf
NYU School of Law · Class of 2028
Holder of the Irving H. Jurow Scholarship, awarded to just one NYU undergraduate admitted to NYU Law each year, and the Dean's Award for academic merit. She completed an SEO Law Fellowship at Jones Day in San Francisco working across antitrust, global disputes, and pro bono matters. At NYU Law, she is active in Law Women and BLSA.
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Nicole Bi
University of Chicago Law School · Class of 2028
A magna cum laude graduate of UCLA with dual degrees in Philosophy and Psychology, Nicole completed over 300 hours assisting self-represented litigants through JusticeCorps Los Angeles. At UChicago Law, she serves as the 1L Representative for APALSA, the American Constitution Society, and the Law Women's Caucus.
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Yani Dai
NYU School of Law · Class of 2028
The first official Mosaic Scholar, Yani earned her M.A. in Sociology and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Chicago. Before law school, she gained cross-border legal experience at DeHeng Law Offices in Beijing and completed extensive domestic violence intervention training through The Network/La Red and DOVE, Inc. At NYU Law, she is active in APALSA, Law Women, and OUTLaw.
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Vishal Sivamani
University of Chicago Law School · Class of 2028
A Johns Hopkins graduate in Public Health and Africana Studies, Vishal served as Technical Lead at Treyla Health and conducted classified national security research at Elusys Therapeutics. He also developed AI-driven diagnostic tools in a Bloomberg Distinguished Fellows lab at Johns Hopkins. At UChicago Law, he brings a unique combination of healthcare policy expertise and technical leadership.
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Khadia Okai-Koi
Georgetown University Law Center · Class of 2028
A RISE Scholar at Georgetown Law and graduate of Ashesi University in Ghana, Khadia brings more than two years of litigation experience from Braunhagey & Borden LLP and previously worked on 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund claims at Weisfuse & Weisfuse. At Georgetown, she serves on the BLSA Recruitment and Retention Committee and is a 1L Representative for the American Constitution Society.
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Julia Matias
UCLA School of Law · Class of 2028
A Mitchell Scholar at UCLA Law and NYU Tisch graduate with a BFA in Dramatic Writing, Julia came to law school after a career in entertainment, most recently as Senior Associate in Comedy Touring Operations at United Talent Agency. At UCLA Law, she serves as 1L Representative for both APALSA and the Entertainment Law Association and is a member of the Intellectual Property Law Association.
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Isaiah Dolphin
UC Berkeley School of Law · Class of 2028
A Brown University graduate in Cognitive Neuroscience, Isaiah is a Dean's Fellow and SEO Law Impact Scholar at Berkeley Law. He serves as a Network Supervising Editor on the Berkeley Business Law Journal and a Student Fellow with the Startup Law Initiative. Before law school, he co-founded Ivy Bound LA, helping first-generation students reach top universities.
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Rodney Wells
Yale Law School · Class of 2028
A Rhodes Scholarship finalist and honors graduate of Florida State University, Rodney is a John Lewis Scholar through the Faith and Politics Institute and a Harvard Law School Future Leader in Law Fellow. He completed an SEO Law Fellowship at Williams & Connolly and served as a Voter Protection Coordinator for the DCCC during the 2024 cycle, designing a national poll watcher program across key House races. His democracy work includes a National Democracy Fellowship at the NAACP, where he helped reach more than 650,000 voters, and redistricting litigation support at the ACLU of Florida.
Kwesil Ezeh
University of Michigan Law School · Class of 2028
A magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Tulane University in Political Science and International Relations, Kwesil completed a Legal Fellowship at Alston & Bird working across IP litigation, healthcare transactions, and estate planning. Before law school, she served as a Public Health Policy Administrator at the Delaware Department of Public Health and co-authored two peer-reviewed journal articles on vulnerable populations. At Michigan Law, she is a 1L Representative for the Business Law Association and speaks Spanish, Igbo, and Yoruba.
Andrea Sanchez
Columbia Law School · Class of 2028
A Barnard College graduate in Political Science, Andrea spent nearly two years at Arnold & Porter working across International Arbitration, Appellate & Supreme Court, and Pro Bono practice groups. Her social justice work includes case management with asylum seekers in Baltimore and developing an oral history project documenting family separations under the Trump administration’s zero tolerance policy. A native Spanish speaker fluent in French, she serves as the 1L Representative for the Latinx Law Students Association at Columbia and competes in asylum and refugee law moot court.
Topjor Tsultrim
Columbia Law School · Class of 2028
A Williams College graduate in Political Economy and English with a year of study at Oxford, Topjor served as Communications Director at Students for a Free Tibet, leading advocacy before the U.N. Human Rights Council and securing coverage in The New York Times, BBC, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal. He co-directed Rokpa Mentorship, which has placed 100% of its first-generation Tibetan high school mentees into four-year universities since 2020. At Columbia Law, he serves as 1L Representative for the South Asian Law Students Association, a member of the Human Rights Institute and National Security Law Society, and competes on the Jessup International Law Moot Court team.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
Scholar Testimonials
I feel incredibly fortunate to have been part of the Mosaic Scholars program and to have Bryson as a mentor. Bryson is exceptionally patient, responsive, and generous with his time. No question is ever too small or too silly. He was instrumental in helping me navigate the 1L experience, firm timelines, application materials, interviews, and ultimately the process of evaluating offers.
What stood out most to me was his transparency and the level of care he brings to mentorship. In an industry that moves quickly, having a knowledgeable mentor who was willing to walk me through each step of the process made an enormous difference for me. Beyond the practical guidance, Bryson’s encouragement and steady support helped me stay grounded and confident throughout the process. I am truly grateful for his mentorship and for the Mosaic Scholars community.
For pre-law students, Reddit can be a source of anxiety, valuable insight, or both. After matriculating, I intentionally limited my time on any law-school-related forums, thinking it would only worsen my anxiety when it comes to grades and the ever-accelerating recruitment process. Until I came across the application for Mosaic Scholars.
As a first-generation professional, I found this entire process daunting and intimidating. I found myself with so many questions and little clarity on whom to turn to for help. However, Bryson’s guidance and support throughout this process assuaged any lingering anxiety. Any question I had at any time of day was answered thoroughly and tailored to what he knew I wanted, but also infused with his expertise. I went into the decision process well-informed and confident in my choices because of his knowledge and kindness. He played a critical role in helping me figure out what I wanted out of my career and a firm. For all the future law students who are unsure how to navigate this new process, look no further than this program. I am eternally grateful to the Mosaic Scholars community and Bryson’s support.
I’m very thankful to be part of the inaugural Mosaic Scholars cohort and to have Bryson as a mentor. From the start, he has been generous with his time, knowledge, and network. His passion for mentorship and intentional approach are clear in every interaction. No question feels too small, and no conversation ever feels rushed.
What makes the Mosaic Scholars Program so impactful is the mission behind it. Bryson is deeply committed to breaking down barriers to access in the legal industry and creating real pathways for students who might not otherwise have them. As someone without lawyers in my family who pivoted from a non-legal field, law school felt overwhelming at times, especially with recruiting timelines accelerating just months into 1L. Having structured support, candid advice, and steady encouragement during such a pivotal period made a meaningful difference in my confidence and preparedness. I feel incredibly fortunate to have benefited from Bryson’s mentorship and am excited for future cohorts to join this outstanding community of Mosaic Scholars.
Bryson has been such an incredible mentor for me and the rest of the Mosaic Scholars cohort. As a child of immigrants and someone without any other lawyers in their family, there was a lot I didn’t know about law school and the big law recruiting process. It was difficult to distinguish firms from one another, but having someone with industry experience to give me real insight has truly been invaluable. By reviewing application materials, providing interview assistance, and helping evaluate offers, Bryson made an intimidating and overwhelming process far more manageable and transparent. More than that, Bryson was genuinely invested in our success, and having his support gave me the confidence to navigate law school with greater clarity.
Bryson and the Mosaic Scholars Program were an invaluable resource during my law firm recruiting process. As a first-generation law student, I had no built-in network and no roadmap for how any of it worked, and Bryson filled that gap completely. He connected me with people at every firm I was considering, gave me a real understanding of the internal dynamics at each one, and helped me make sense of a process that would have otherwise felt totally opaque. I ended up with an offer at Fenwick & West, and his guidance was central to making that happen. I can’t recommend the program enough!
The Mosaic Scholars program provided me with access to Bryson’s instant feedback, strategic insight, and genuine care. I was deeply grateful for his individualized guidance at every stage of the process, from advice on how and when to communicate with firms to connections with attorneys at the specific firms I was targeting.
Bryson communicated early and often to craft an application strategy that helped me navigate the accelerated recruiting timeline with intention. His support was integral to both my confidence and my success.
The program also created opportunities to build community with other scholars, and these relationships strengthened my confidence and professional network in a way that feels truly unique to Mosaic Scholars. Any 1L seeking high-quality, concrete guidance on how to secure a 2L BigLaw position would benefit from the Mosaic Scholars program. I am deeply grateful for Bryson’s mentorship and for the Mosaic Scholars program!
Bryson’s mentorship and the Mosaic Scholars network were invaluable to me as I navigated the recruiting process. Whenever I had a question about a firm, Bryson immediately connected me with someone in his network who could answer it or talk me through the interview process, even on less than a day’s notice. Bryson is incredibly helpful, supportive, and, most of all, 100% committed to seeing you succeed. Although I’ve secured my 2L summer associate position, Bryson and I keep in touch often, which I see as a testament to the network he is building.
Being a part of the Mosaic Scholars inaugural class was one of the best decisions I made in my 1L recruiting cycle. Having someone like Bryson coach, mentor, and guide me through interview brainstorming, email correspondence with firms, and summer associate job decision-making was invaluable and very comforting during what felt like a rollercoaster ride of a cycle.
If I ever needed clear, honest advice about any issue that came up in my recruiting process, Bryson would always try to make himself available either through text or a call. He had an impressive pulse on the way law firms recruit and prioritize talent, and he would always try to empower our class of scholars with relevant firm information related to culture, business trends, employment patterns, and diversity. He is incredibly well-informed through his past experience working in BigLaw and now helping attorneys lateral between firms. He will take every opportunity to plug you into his network if the opportunity presents itself, and the resource aids he made available to us were incredibly helpful. I am deeply grateful to be part of the Mosaic Scholars community and encourage anyone looking to make their 1L recruiting experience more seamless to join the Mosaic Scholars community and work directly with Bryson.
Bryson’s mentorship and the Mosaic Scholars program overall have helped fill critical gaps in my understanding of Big Law and the legal profession that many law school career resources simply cannot provide. As a first-generation law student, I came into law school without the built-in roadmap that peers seemed to have. Bryson helped me navigate every step of the way, answering my questions without judgment and proactively creating connections to help me feel confident and informed about my career decisions.
He demystified everything around firm hiring timelines and interview strategies; later providing me with close mentorship and all of the information I needed to navigate firm offers. He is genuinely committed to his mentees’ success and went above and beyond to ensure that the firm I chose fit with my long-term professional development goals and overall happiness. For students who are trying to break into Big Law without a traditional support system, Mosaic Scholars provides an unparalleled entry point into the profession.
Bryson has been an incredible resource through the Mosaic Scholars program. He’s patient, responsive, and consistently available for check-ins. Nothing falls through the cracks with him. He knows the recruiting landscape inside and out, and he doesn’t just answer the questions you bring to him; he proactively shares insights about firms, timelines, and the field that he thinks you should know.
Unfortunately for us, the legal industry is constantly evolving, and most career services offices, upperclassmen, and even well-meaning friends in BigLaw can’t keep up. Bryson, however, is the most well-connected, up-to-date resource I’ve had access to (and believe me, I’ve talked to anyone and everyone willing to help me out). His interview prep alone helped me crush a callback I might have gone into underprepared for otherwise. Beyond all of that, he genuinely cares about opening doors for students of color and students who don’t have the socioeconomic access to figure this out on their own. Mosaic Scholars is an incredible professional development program, and I’d recommend it to any incoming law student looking for guidance from someone who genuinely knows what they’re talking about and cares about your success.
TLDR; As a law student, and especially one from an underrepresented background, you will encounter many people who want to help you. Bryson will actually do that because he has the insight and actually cares. I am so thankful to be a part of the program. The Mosaic Scholars community has truly inspired me to pay it forward myself!
I’m incredibly grateful to be part of the Mosaic Scholars program and to have Bryson as a mentor during what can be an uncertain Big Law application and interview journey. From the start, he made everything feel far less overwhelming by offering candid guidance on everything from firm selection and application strategy to interview prep.
I especially appreciate Bryson’s willingness to go beyond general mentorship. He proactively connected me with an attorney in his network so I could gain firsthand insight into different firms and practice groups. That conversation helped me evaluate my offers with confidence. Having someone who not only understands the landscape but is genuinely invested in your success makes a tremendous difference. I’m very thankful for Bryson’s mentorship and for the Mosaic Scholars community.
Bryson’s support was instrumental throughout my recruiting process. During an unprecedented cycle, having individualized and transparent guidance made a huge difference. He helped me navigate applications and evaluate decisions to ensure they aligned with my long-term career goals.
Bryson utilized industry insights and his connections to stay ahead of trends, giving me a clearer perspective on where the market was heading. Beyond strategy, he was a sounding board for all of my questions and concerns. I’m grateful for his mentorship and happy to be part of this cohort!
PROGRAM BENEFITS
What Scholars receive
Advising around your goals
Every Scholar gets a plan shaped around their background, goals, target firms, preferred market, practice interests, and circumstances. The program includes five guaranteed 30-minute sessions over the year, plus guidance by text and phone, including when something comes up on short notice:
- Big Law prep call to outline the market and develop your personalized strategy
- Interview preparation and strategic coaching
- Offer comparison and firm-fit decision-making
- Offer leverage and negotiation strategy for competing offers, scholarships, and stipends
- Post-offer guidance on navigating your firm before day one
- Floating session at your discretion
When recruiting moves quickly, you need someone you can ask. Scholars can get timely answers from someone who knows the industry firsthand.
Tools for your search
Resources and data to help you prepare:
- Premium Legal Scout membership (1-month, full access)
- Help with your LinkedIn headline and summary, and how you explain your background
- Enterprise attorney contact data across Big Law
- Law firm and industry-level headcount shifts, growth, and decline reports
- Financial performance data including profits per partner, law firm rankings, and financial trends
Monthly small group calls
Monthly small group calls for:
- Live Q&A sessions
- Detailed conversations about recruiting, firm culture, and career decisions
- Answers to questions you can submit anonymously
Bring the questions you might hesitate to ask in a firm presentation.
Get to know other Scholars
You'll get to know Scholars at other schools, with different backgrounds and plans for where to practice. Those relationships can stay with you throughout your career:
- Private Discord for real-time discussion and peer support
- Private LinkedIn group connecting current Scholars with alumni
- Future cohorts gain access to prior Scholars, and the community grows with every class
You'll start getting to know these people before your first day at a firm.
Firm research you can use
A closer look at the firms you might join:
- Attorney rosters and proprietary demographic and attrition data
- Aggregated, anonymized reporting on attorney experiences at major firms
- Patterns in retention, firm culture, and long-term career outcomes
Use this information to weigh where you could do good work and build a career.
BEYOND THE OFFER
After you get an offer
The program continues after an offer, with guidance that changes as each Scholar moves forward.
Help before you start
The Executive Director stays involved after the offer. Before you start, he'll help you understand how your firm makes money and decisions, which practice groups might suit you, and how to begin getting to know people there.
Know what to expect on day one
You'll begin your summer with a clearer sense of the firm's culture, what it expects, and who you can turn to. That preparation helps you make the most of the time there.
Through the summer and return offer
A summer associate position is an audition. We stay in touch as you handle assignments and feedback, and help you understand where you stand with the group before the return-offer conversation.
IDEAL CANDIDATES
Who the program is for
Mosaic Scholars is designed for first-generation professionals and future first-generation attorneys, especially 0L and 1L JD students at the nation's top law schools who:
These are the students we most often work with, but they aren't strict eligibility requirements. All incoming and current law students are welcome to apply. We consider every application.
OUR EDGE
How we run Mosaic Scholars
Free, with the founder involved
The program is free, with no hidden costs. The Executive Director personally oversees every Scholar's experience.
Conversations with attorneys
Scholars can speak directly with attorneys across 130+ firms and hear their candid views, beyond the conversations arranged and managed by a firm's recruiting team.
Independent advice
No firm controls who we admit or the advice we give. Scholars can ask candid questions through the network our founder has built, and we can give them an independent view.
Research cited in the press
Our Executive Director's work on Big Law demographics and retention has been cited by The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and Politico.
A cohort that gets to know one another
Scholars join a specific cohort, then take the lead on getting to know one another. They organize optional dinners, coffees, campus tours, and other get-togethers, often before 1L begins. We pay as much attention to how the group will work together as we do to credentials.
JOIN THE PROGRAM
How to apply
Prepare your materials
Have your current resume and LinkedIn profile URL ready. You don't need a cover letter.
Send your application
Email your resume and LinkedIn hyperlink to Admin@MosaicSearchPartners.com
Subject line: "Mosaic Scholars - [Your Law School] - [Your First and Last Name]"
A short conversation
We'll contact selected students for a short call and make offers on a rolling basis.
Please wait to apply until you have an official acceptance letter from your law school.
To help move your application along, you can also message our Executive Director, Bryson Malcolm, on LinkedIn after emailing your materials.
Interested in applying?
We'd be glad to hear what you're hoping to do after law school.
Apply NowPublic resources
Student Resources
Any law student can use our interview guide and weekly tracker of 3L and entry-level openings and fellowships at 50 top firms. You can find both on our student resources page.
See Student Resources ›