"This is a dream come true. I have to work here.” These were Fatimata Diallo’s first words when she walked into Silverman, Sclar, Shin, & Byrne, PLLC in Manhattan for her internship interview.

Mrs. Diallo enrolled in Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow‘s (OBT) Young Adult Internship Program (YAIP) in October 2008. Her goal was to become something more than a cashier at a retail store by finishing her paralegal studies at the NYC College of Technology.

“I have the ambition, and with OBT’s help I knew I could reach my goals. They are all wonderful people, and I learned a lot from the classes”, Mrs. Diallo, originally from Mauritania, Africa, remarked. Mrs. Diallo moved to Brooklyn with her family in 1999.

After completing her internship, Fatima was hired by the law firm as an Administrative Assistant, and has since enrolled back in college. She is scheduled to graduate as a Paralegal in December 2009.

Vincent Chirico, a Partner at Silverman, Sclar, Shin, & Byrne, PLLC, and OBT Board Member, confirmed that programs like YAIP that serve disconnected young adults provide a real opportunity to obtain work experience while also providing businesses with much needed support.

“As an OBT board member, I am constantly amazed by the professionalism of the graduates that come from the organization,” remarked Mr. Chirico. This is the first time the law firm served as an internship site, and it has been a great experience,” he went on to say.

Mrs. Diallo joined the law firm at a very important time. The Firm, which was founded in 1986, has 26 attorneys in New York, New Jersey, and recently opened an office in Los Angeles. They are continuing to grow and expand their services and are in the process of opening new offices in Atlanta and Florida.

“All the people here have been very supportive. They constantly provide me advice and guidance, and I am grateful to have become part of such a great team” said Mrs. Diallo.