My Summer After 1L Year

When I found out that Forever 21 even had an externship program, I jumped on the opportunity to apply. After all, how could you not take advantage at your chance to work at one of your favorite stores as a teenager? After miraculously making it past my horrific phone interview, I secured the position.

As a multi-billion dollar corporation with over 50,000 employees, Forever 21 had taken the world of fast-fashion by storm since its first store opening in Downtown Los Angeles. Consequently, the abundance of issues that came up within the legal department provided me with great insight into what it really takes to run a successful business.

Over the course of the summer, I received assignments from attorneys who specialized in different practice areas. Although everyone had their specialty, I appreciated the sense of community and camaraderie that existed between everyone working in the best interest of one entity.

Even though I was just an extern, my boss liked to call us “baby attorneys.” With that said, I did everything from redlining contracts to investigating the latest cyber security laws. I was able to interact with outside counsel, attending meetings, and voice my opinion on a variety of different matters. One particularly interesting event was attending an EEOC settlement conference. While I never saw myself in employment law, being at the settlement conference allowed me to see the practice area the law in action.

Not only did I leave Forever 21 with a newfound appreciation for my legal education, but I was also able to develop meaningful connections within the legal community. Naturally, I look forward to my next opportunity to apply my legal skills to a real world setting.