The main activities of my STEP project included all things related to my internship with Carnahan and Carnahan Law. These activities included helping to schedule new clients, sitting in on mediations, and learning general skills that would help me later down the road in my law career.
My understanding of the legal profession and my future place within it definitely changed during and through this experience. Before this internship, I was unsure of where I wanted to work within law. Not that I am completely certain now, but I feel I have a much better idea of where I would be happy. This internship showed me the different worlds that attorneys live in based on which side of the law they are on. I learned many commonplace techniques lawyers use, as well as learned more about the culture of practicing attorneys. I gained a ton of knowledge of the reputations of law schools, which will help me greatly as I decide which law school I want to attend in the future.
I learned and was transformed in many different ways through this internship. The first of which was simply having an official internship with two respected attorneys. Having this experience allowed me to feel much more confident in myself as I was able to learn what working a nine to five was like. I learned a great deal of what a future job could potentially look like, and I started to learn how to create a work life balance. I learned simple workplace things like what to wear, how to address unknown situations, and how to build relationships with coworkers.
The next way this internship helped to transform me was allowing me to sit in on mediations. This was an incredibly unique and interesting experience. Through this, I was able to see what actually happens in a mediation, which is something I am interested in for the future. I saw how plaintiff lawyers argue and go after more money for their clients. I saw how defense lawyers negotiate and handle losses. This was a very impactful benefit of the internship as it was hands-on experience in a very low stress role, which was perfect for allowing me to grow more confident.
The last way this internship truly transformed me was through the relationships I formed with my bosses, Mike and Nancy Carnahan. I grew very close to these two and they gave me great advice for the future. They really helped me figure out where I wanted to work in the future, and they helped to create a roadmap to get there. They were a wealth of information, something I was desperately looking for. This is a benefit that will not stop after the internship ends. I know I will be keeping in touch with these two for a while to come, and they will always try to help me when I need it.
Like I said before, these changes will help me in the short and long term. In the short term, I will be applying to law school and the information I learned about specific law schools and the lawyers I met will guide me through my decision of where I want to be. In the long term, this experience will help to show me not only where I want to work, but what kind of lawyer I want to be. I also believe this experience has helped me to start building a work life balance that will be necessary in the future with a full time job. This experience will help me in my academic goals of going to a prestigious law school, but also in my professional goals of becoming a lawyer.
(Me and Nancy Carnahan)