Summer Job Diaries: Snap Inc. Summer Associate Discovers Multi-Faceted Nature of In-House Practice
Nat Brown '22 is a third-year evening student employing an opportunity afforded to her through the Law in Tech Diversity Collaborative to learn more about the legal work and practices that go into the brand partnerships and content delivery at Snap Inc. The experience also embedded her in Big Law firm Paul Hastings.
How did you land your summer job?
So much of me landing this opportunity is due to the information and preparation I received from LLS' Career Development Office. Shameless plug: Read your Loyola Law School emails because I learned of the opportunity from an email blast about the Law in Tech Diversity Collaborative. I thought that the LiTD Collaborative offered an amazing summer experience working with a tech company’s in-house and outside counsel and gathered as much information as I could find on the application and recruiting process. The help I received from the Career Development Office ensured that my application materials were polished and I was prepared to interview.
What is the most interesting part of your job?
It’s hard to pick a single aspect of the summer associate experience at Paul Hastings as the most interesting. Forced to choose, I would say that rotating through the firm’s L.A.-based litigation and investment management groups while also having “free agency” opportunities to seek out, among others, mergers & acquisitions and pro bono assignments was most interesting because it provided an opportunity to hone skills singular to various practice areas.
Working with in-house counsel at Snap Inc. is fascinating. And like Paul Hastings, it’s hard to pick just one thing I find interesting. Seeing the legal work that goes into Snap’s noteworthy brand partnerships and seamless content delivery is incredibly fun. It’s been amazing to get an understanding of the distinctively multi-faceted nature of in-house practice at a growing tech company.
What has been your most challenging assignment thus far?
Being assigned funds formation work while rotating through the investment management group at Paul Hastings was a fun challenge. I looked forward to the rotation because of the opportunity to learn a lot in a practice area I’m unfamiliar with. But whenever something is relatively new, there’s just that initial challenge of getting some foundation quickly. I asked as many questions as possible, and every project I completed has been a great learning experience.
What new legal skill have you acquired during your summer job?
My legal research skills have improved tremendously. Working on multiple projects in unfamiliar practice areas, multiple multi-jurisdictional survey projects, and assignments that called for me to identify and summarize on-point authorities all required competent and efficient legal research to answer inquiries with confidence. The experience highlighted the extent to which strong legal research skills are an asset.
What bit of legal knowledge have you been able to display?
Loyola’s curriculum and the legal work I’ve done to date have helped me display proficient legal writing skills and a foundational understanding of principles underlying the range of litigation and transactional work I’ve completed this summer.
How has Loyola helped you map your career path?
Loyola’s Career Development Office has truly been an invaluable resource. I really have to shout out my CDO counselor, Jolene Horn. She is amazing and I’m very grateful for her time and attention. I also feel extremely fortunate to be part of Loyola’s vast alumni network, which includes counsel at both Paul Hastings and Snap. The Loyola community is actively shaping my career trajectory through access to incredible opportunities, valuable advice and an amazing network of support.