A legal intern shares his thoughts

 Walking into Schad & Schad for my internship for the first time, I wasn't too sure what to expect. 

-By Elias Bartlett-Kane

I asked Elias to share some of his thoughts about his internship with me. 

     Although a future law student, I had little experience and had never before stepped foot in a law firm.  Preconceived notions creeping into my head caused me to picture a drab office with stuffy attorneys and staff, with not much more to look at than tan walls and uninspired generic artwork.  Needless to say, I found Schad & Schad to be nothing like the presuppositions floating around in my head.  While the actual building was surprisingly modern and the décor was inspired, the people within the building were the big difference.  Far from stuffy, everyone I interacted with was extremely pleasant and welcoming, making me feel like an asset rather than a burden.  Starting with the receptionist Shelly greeting me at the door every morning, each member of the Schad & Schad team helped make my internship experience very pleasant.

     My internship with Schad & Schad wasn't most beneficial to me because it taught me the law.  I have the next three years of my life to be provided with that kind of education.  What was beneficial is that my experience gave me real life insight into a small corner of law where I was able to learn how lawyers, clients, and other players in the judicial process conduct themselves.  I found all the legal research and case reading interesting.  However I found it more interesting studying things such as how each lawyer or judge approached their work and also everyone’s attitudes about working in the legal field in general.  This type of observation allowed me a better picture of what might be in store for me in my future career and also gave me a better idea of how I should prepare to achieve my goals.

     Overall, I found my internship at Schad & Schad to be a great experience.  I wish I had more time to invest in the internship, but the time I did get to spend with the office was quite valuable.  I am happy to say after my internship’s completion, I am even more excited to attend the UofL Brandeis School of Law this fall than when I started!