What would you recommend to someone coming into this internship?
Elias: To someone who gets the opportunity to participate in this internship, one piece of advice that I would give them is to be outgoing. This is an environment where one might feel shy or doesn’t want to disturb anyone but trust me, ask questions and reach out to people. Willkie Farr & Gallagher prides itself on being welcoming and having an open-door policy. The staff to the chairman are very welcoming, and the only way you get to know people and grow within the firm, or any company, is by doing good work and being available. Be yourself.
What is the biggest lesson you learned in this role?
Elias: The biggest lessons I’ve learned in this internship . . . hmm, there are so many that it’ll be hard to pick. My biggest has been that no matter how busy or stressed you are, people will be there to help you. At Willkie, I have learned that practicing in the Big Law world is a team effort. Willkie has been the best experience ever and I would not trade it for anything. The people that I have met - from supervisors to colleagues - everyone has been amazing.
Jorge: Although this may sound cliché, building relationships is arguably the best and most important aspect of the internship experience. Feeling comfortable around the people you are working with, asking them questions, and getting familiar with the work applies to how you attach yourself to those around you. During the earlier stages of the internship, I found myself shy at times, mainly because I was afraid of approaching others for help. Yet, once they came to me, I felt comfortable asking questions and understanding the work better. It also helped over time; having people you can talk to and share a few laughs here and there with makes the atmosphere less tense and more inviting. I previously heard that being in a job or an environment where you feel comfortable makes it feel like you are not at work at all but instead doing something you love. I had that feeling throughout my summer at CoreVest, which was only possible thanks to the fantastic people I met there.
