The paid fellowships were designed in part to help support the recruitment of people of color, which major law firms have struggled for years to add to their partnership ranks. The fellowship consists of a paid summer-associate position, which in law firms often lead to full-time jobs that pay in the six figures after graduation, and a $50,000 stipend. Legal challenges against corporate diversity programs have increased in the wake of the Supreme Court's affirmative action ruling. The other law firm in Blum's crosshairs is Seattle-founded Perkins Coie, a more than 1,200-lawyer global law firm. It has a similar fellowship and has said it plans to defend itself, saying its commitment to diversity is "steadfast."

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Persons: Edward Blum, Perkins, Morrison, Foerster, Blum, Keith Wetmore, Blum's, Perkins Coie, Nate Raymond, Alexia Garamfalvi, Richard Chang Organizations: U.S, Supreme, Harvard University, University of North, San, American Alliance for Equal Rights, Excellence, Harvard, Thomson Locations: University of North Carolina, Washington , U.S, San Francisco, Miami, Blum's crosshairs, Seattle, Boston