Casner & Edwards announces that it has renamed its externship program to the Renee Inomata Memorial Externship Program, honoring the late partner whose vision and leadership were instrumental in establishing the program and advancing the firm’s longstanding commitment to diversity, inclusion, and mentorship.
Inomata, who was a partner in the firm’s Employment Law Group, co-founded the externship program as part of Casner’s broader Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI). Designed to provide law students from historically underrepresented backgrounds with hands-on exposure to the practice of law at a mid-sized firm, the program reflects Inomata’s deep belief in expanding access, building community, and supporting the next generation of lawyers.
The first law student to be selected for the externship is Tateyauna Wilson, a third year student at New England Law Boston. She earned a B.A. in Politics, Philosophy, & Economics from Northeastern University.
“Renee was a trusted advisor, mentor, and teacher who believed deeply in opening doors and lifting others up,” said Managing Partner Michael F. Zullas. “Renaming the externship program in her honor is a meaningful way to recognize the lasting impact she had on our firm, our profession, and the many students and young lawyers she championed. It is fitting that participants like Tateyauna will learn, grow, and begin their legal careers through a program that bears her name and carries forward her legacy.”
The Renee Inomata Memorial Externship Program offers a comprehensive, semester-long experience in which externs rotate through multiple practice areas, including bankruptcy, corporate, employment, family, litigation, nonprofit, real estate, and trusts & estates law. Externs work closely with partners and associates on active matters, receive mentorship from senior attorneys, and gain exposure to both the legal and business aspects of law firm practice. The program will continue to be managed by Casner’s DEI Committee and will remain a cornerstone of the firm’s efforts to foster inclusive excellence within the legal profession.
