Business Law Fellowship Director Puts Students on Fast Track to Corporate Law Jobs
Professor Shannon Treviño '06 was a highly regarded Big Law transactional attorney before transitioning to academia, and she puts her extensive network of contacts in Los Angeles and Orange Counties to work for students in the Business Law Fellowship she directs.
The competitively selected fellowship provides its participants with unparalleled access to the upper echelons of L.A.’s business law community. Uniquely qualified first-year students have the opportunity to compete for legal placements at top law firms and Fortune 500 companies during the summer after their first year of law school. They also glean insider advice from seasoned practitioners at regular events held on campus.
“About a quarter of my time is spent on career development and career counseling—it’s very gratifying,” says Treviño.
In addition, participants have the opportunity to partner with one or more faculty members, like Treviño, who serve as a resource for professional development throughout their law school careers. And student-run organizations such as the Law & Entrepreneurship Society give participants a way to put it all together.
As the Patrick J. McDonough Director of the Business Law Practicum, Treviño oversees a number of courses that help students prepare for careers as transactional attorneys. The keystone of the business law program, she notes, is the Business Planning I course. With this course, students go through the entire lifecycle of a company, walking through all the necessary legal steps required to start and grow a business.
“This is something students can apply to everything from mom-and-pop businesses to major tech firms,” she says. “With this course, students can actually add value from day one to their employers once they graduate.”
Treviño works on establishing relationships with local boutique firms. Thanks to Loyola’s strong emphasis on teaching practical, hands-on transactional skills, many firms express an interest in connecting with graduating students. Once these firm owners hear that transactional students take a business-planning course, Treviño notes, their interest peaks. “Their eyebrows go up when they hear that our students have experience analyzing a charter for a new company. Loyola works hard to give students the skills they need to succeed right from the start.”
Treviño also leads the Transactional Negotiation Team, which provides Loyola students the opportunity to flex their competitive skills and negotiate a complex simulated transaction. Experienced attorneys provide real-time feedback and assessments to the students, helping them refine their negotiation skills.
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