Ivan Allen College Students Explore the World of Law

Posted June 14, 2019

Ivan Allen College Students Explore the World of Law

The summer semester is in full swing, and many students are starting to settle into their internships for the season. This year, several Tech students, including students from the School of Public Policy and the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, have decided to take this time to pursue their interest in law, working across the legal spectrum — from patent and intellectual property law to the nonprofit sector to working as paralegal assistant.

Edouard Goguillon, a rising third-year international affairs major, already has a history with law, having been interested in it since he joined his high school’s mock trial team in ninth grade. He currently works as a paralegal assistant for Martenson, Hasbrouck & Simon LLP, where he also interned last summer.

“In general, I think my passion for law comes from a drive to seek justice,” Goguillon said. “I believe everyone should be treated equally, should be held accountable for their actions, and has a right to be heard.”

Some students have found internships that let them explore their interest in law but aren’t centered entirely around legal work. Shekinah Hall, a rising fifth-year public policy major, is spending her summer with The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights in Washington, D.C.

“Given my background in public policy and interest in constitutional and civil rights law, I wanted to explore the overlap between the two and work on policy initiatives that addressed civil rights issues,” she said.

Hall works on various projects with two issue teams — education and justice reform. She also works with other departments, including communications and special topics.

Though their summers are just getting started, the interns see huge rewards from these experiences on the horizon.

“Just being in the environment has allowed me to learn so much about what being a lawyer really is,” Goguillon said. “I have been working [here] for a year and a half now, but I remember that in the beginning I learned the most simply by listening to conversations between two lawyers, or a lawyer on the phone with a client.”

While Georgia Tech doesn’t have a pre-law major, there are still several ways for those interested in the field to get involved. The School of Public Policy offers both a law, science, and technology minor and a pre-law certificate. There are also several pre-professional advising programs through the Center for Career Discovery and Development.

The School of Public Policy and Sam Nunn School of International Affairs are units of the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts. 

This story was repurposed from Institute Communication's original article, written by Grace Wyner, which can be found here.