Communities In Schools

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The CIS Committee partners with Communities In Schools of Houston (CIS) to provide summer internships in the legal profession for academically outstanding high school students who attend at risk schools. The program provides each student with a paid eight-week internship in a professional legal environment, as well as enrichment programs and mentoring. The committee recruits the firms participating and develops the enrichment programs.

2025-2026 Co-Chairs: 

Chris Agboli, Jackson Lewis P.C.
Anna Archer, Hicks Thomas LLP
James Phillips, BakerHostetler LLP

"We are working together providing enriching environments in which at-risk students can work, learn, and be inspired by legal professionals." - Tanya Urban, Gibbs & Bruns LLP

To sign up as an employer or for more information on this committee, contact HBA Associate Director of Community and Engagement Initiatives Georgina Peña at georginap@hba.org or (346) 471-3310.

"By the end of that first summer, I had a moment, and I remember it clearly, when I looked around the office and thought to myself,

I could see myself here one day.

That was when it clicked for me. What started as something I was doing just for exposure had become something I was genuinely passionate about."

- Yulianna, HBA CIS Summer Legal Internship Program participant (2024 and 2025). Read what she took away from her experience here. 

2026 HBA CIS Summer Legal Internship

Thank you to our 2026 sponsors!

Vinson & Elkins LLP

Thank you to our 2026 participating firms!

BakerHostetler LLP
Blank Rome LLP
Bush & Ramirez PLLC
Daniel, Williams & Associates PLLC
Dobrowski Stafford & Pierce LLP
Gibbs & Bruns LLP
Jones Day
Reynolds Frizzell, LLP
Rivera Law Group
Rymer, Echols & Nelson-Archer P.C.
Schouest, Bamdas, Soshea, BenMaier-Eastham

2025 HBA CIS Summer Legal Internship

Thank you to our committee members, law student mentors, and additional mentors for their support in making the 2025 possible.