Cohen Cleary adds five UMass Law summer clerks

Cohen Cleary P.C. has brought on five third-year students from the University of Massachusetts School of Law for its summer clerkship program in Taunton, Massachusetts. The hires underscore the firm’s pipeline from clerkship to partnership and its work across healthcare, estate planning, family law and civil litigation.

Why it matters: - Cohen Cleary’s summer clerkship gives UMass Law students direct experience on active client matters. - The program also highlights a clear path from clerk to partner inside the firm. - The hires add support across practice areas that affect individuals and businesses in Massachusetts.

What happened: - Cohen Cleary P.C. welcomed five summer law clerks from the University of Massachusetts School of Law. - The clerks are Joshua Reiter, Shy’Kema Haskins, Sarah Jorge, Emily Philbrook and Tasha Berit. - All five are third-year students. - The clerks will work with attorneys across civil litigation, healthcare law, estate planning, family law and other practice areas. - The announcement was made July 28, 2026. - Cohen Cleary is based in Taunton and has an office in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

The details: - Partner Christopher J. Leazott is a UMass Law alumnus. - Leazott started at Cohen Cleary as a law clerk before becoming a partner. - Leazott said the clerkship was where his legal career began and that the firm gives students real work on real cases. - Cohen Cleary serves clients throughout the region in healthcare and elder law, personal injury, business law, estate planning and civil litigation. - The firm also says it represents individuals and businesses in healthcare, family and employment law, litigation, criminal defense and related matters.

Between the lines: - The hiring reinforces Cohen Cleary’s ties to UMass Law. - The clerkship appears designed as both training and recruiting for the firm’s future talent pipeline. - The focus on multiple practice areas suggests the clerks will get broad exposure rather than a narrow rotation.

What's next: - The five clerks will spend the summer working alongside Cohen Cleary attorneys. - Their experience may position them for future roles in the firm or elsewhere in the legal market. - Cohen Cleary’s clerkship program may continue to serve as a recruiting path for UMass Law students.

The bottom line: - Cohen Cleary is using its summer clerkship program to train five UMass Law students while strengthening a long-running connection between the firm and the school.