SWMW Law recently ended another year of its robust Summer Law Intern Program, which gave area law students the experience, skills, and mentorship they need to flourish in the legal field and beyond.
The eight-week, paid internship included a comprehensive and formalized curriculum within three areas of the firm’s asbestos practice: Litigation Case Development; Motion Practice & Discovery & Trial, and Asbestos Trust Claims. During each rotation, interns worked closely with senior partners, associates, and paralegals on current cases and participated in court proceedings, depositions, interviews with clients, legal research, and much more.
New this year, the interns also spent some time shadowing Partner Pat O’Brien and gaining valuable insight from his work and expertise with the Federal Employers’ Liability Act, which protects workers in the railroad industry.
Not only is the firm’s Summer Law Intern Program a valuable recruiting tool, it also plays a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of attorneys.
“Law students are the future of our field, and as a firm, we are deeply invested in doing our part to ensure the future is bright – not only for our interns, but for the future clients they will represent,” said Human Resources Manager Billie Gray, who coordinates the program. “Our program gives interns valuable, hands-on experience to help them decide what area of practice they want to specialize in and what they can expect their role to look like post-graduation.”
For Member Lauren Williams, who helps spearhead the firm’s intern recruitment, the program also gives students a comprehensive look at what it really means to be an attorney and takes their legal education from the textbook to the real world.
“It’s incredibly important for law students to see what they’re learning in class applied in a real-world environment,” she said. “They’re able to see every aspect of a case, how those different pieces fit together, and how our teams collaborate to push a case forward. It’s invaluable experience the interns can’t learn in a classroom setting.”
Partner Sophie Zavaglia said the program is just as beneficial to the attorneys as it is to the interns.
“The four interns we welcomed this year were incredibly smart and eager to learn – you could tell they were really invested in soaking up as much information as they could during their time here,” she said. “As valuable as our program was for them, I feel like having them here was equally valuable to us. They didn’t have any asbestos knowledge prior to their internship, so they really offered us new perspectives and a fresh set of eyes to look at things differently. It was great to have them as part of our team.”
In addition to a comprehensive curriculum, interns were also offered several opportunities to develop camaraderie with firm attorneys. This year’s program kicked off with a firmwide breakfast to welcome the interns, with happy hours, lunches, and after-work outings throughout their internship to ensure they felt part of the team. To Associate Brendan Patterson, who was once an intern at the firm, himself, time spent together outside of the office is deeply important to the intern experience.
“Camaraderie is important for both interns and attorneys alike,” he said. “For the interns, it allows them to develop a comfortability with us that might be more difficult in a professional, office setting. That comfortability makes us more approachable and allows them to ask important questions they might otherwise be too shy to ask. For the attorneys, it’s refreshing to get away from our desks and connect with the interns in a different, more laidback environment.”
This year, the firm welcomed law students Brendan Noble, D’Andre Gaye, Jacob Benshoff, and Gabriella Riskus as its second Summer Law Intern Program class. We’re proud to introduce them and share their experience in the program through their own words below.
Brendan Noble
- Tell us a little about yourself.
I attend Saint Louis University School of Law and will be starting my 3L in August. I was born and raised in the South County area just outside of St. Louis and completed my undergraduate degree in Business Marketing. My future aspiration is to work at a firm on the plaintiffs’ side to advocate on behalf of people who have been hurt by products and wronged by corporations.
- What made you decide you wanted to go to law school?
Throughout undergrad, I developed an interest in research and writing during a marketing internship my junior year. I decided on a legal career because it allows me to research in a broad manner, and it gives me the chance to be creative with the application of what I’ve found.
- What made you choose SWMW Law for your internship?
I was an intern with the firm last year, and my previous experience with SWMW Law from last summer through the entire school year made it an easy decision to return for my 2L summer. Additionally, I have been able to work alongside both the attorneys and staff of the office since my first day and have gained a lot of insight and experience, making it an easy decision for me to come back.
- What has been the best/most valuable part of your internship at SWMW Law?
The most valuable part of my experience at SWMW Law throughout my internship has been the ability to work on different types of projects that touch on various skills in the legal field. It has confirmed for me that I want to practice on the plaintiffs’ side post-law school and help as many people as possible.
D'Andre Gaye
- Tell us a little about yourself.
I’m originally from Thomasville, N.C., I am 22-years-old, and I am a rising 3L at Saint Louis University School of Law. I received my bachelor’s degree with honors in Political Science with minors in Philosophy and Social & Economic Justice from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In my free time, I enjoy exercising, video games, and game nights playing cards with friends and family.
- What made you decide you wanted to go to law school?
I developed my interest in the legal profession at a young age. Coming from a family of migrants, I witnessed how much law and policy have an impact on a person’s livelihood. Seeing their struggles with this sparked my interest and made me wonder if this was a profession in which I could be impactful.
- What made you choose SWMW Law for your internship?
My goal for this summer was to broaden my exposure to the law and develop more litigation-related skills. While I had favorable experiences and learned a lot from my past transactional work in-house, I knew that trying something new and different was going to challenge me and set me up to become a more versatile attorney. Among all the places I interviewed, SWMW Law was the most genuine and supportive of this mission, making the choice clear.
- What has been the best/most valuable part of your internship at SWMW Law?
The best part of the experience has been the culture of the office. The sense of alignment in the purpose and mission of the firm among all the employees to support clients, open communication, and willingness to help one another has been both impressive and valuable to my adjustment. My time here has been very helpful in allowing me to gain the confidence to challenge myself to try new things and quickly adapt to new and unfamiliar subject matter.
Jacob Benshoff
- Tell us a little about yourself.
I am 23-years-old, and I was born and raised in St. Louis. I went to undergrad at Mizzou in Columbia, MO where I studied Political Science and Sociology. After that, I moved home, and I just finished my first year at Saint Louis University School of Law. Only two more years left! Outside of school and work, I like to watch movies, spend time with family and friends, and go to the gym.
- What made you decide you wanted to go to law school?
When I was a kid, I got in trouble at school very often. All of my teachers told me I would be a good lawyer since I liked to argue with them so much. Since then, I always had it in the back of my mind, and I later realized I wanted to have a career where I could use that gift to stick up for other people. At some point in high school, I made a concrete decision that I wanted to go to law school and started working toward that goal when I went to college.
- What made you choose SWMW Law for your internship?
I think my favorite thing about SWMW Law and why I chose it was the firm’s motto: Because People Matter. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who think people don’t matter very much. I chose this career path because I wanted to become someone who could stick up for people who have been wronged by those who didn’t care about them. I chose this firm because I wanted to work somewhere where everyone felt the same way that I did, and that motto let me know that SWMW Law was that place.
- What has been the best/most valuable part of your internship at SWMW Law?
I think it has been very valuable to learn how wronged some of the clients have been by just doing their jobs and how seriously their lives have been impacted by asbestos-related diseases as a result. Learning about their lives and then seeing the attorneys at SWMW Law help get them some relief really cemented my career choice for me. Before I started working at the firm, I was somewhat sure that I wanted to become a plaintiffs’ attorney, but after spending time here, I know for sure that’s what I want to do.
Gabriella Riskus
- Tell us a little about yourself.
I am originally from San Antonio, TX where I graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. I am 23-years-old and am going into my second year at Washington University School of Law. My hobbies include cooking, traveling (this summer, I will be going on my honeymoon to Greece!), reading, and watching movies. One day, I hope to open my own plaintiffs’ firm.
- What made you decide you wanted to go to law school?
I’ve always had a keen interest in research and writing, so I decided to pursue a career as a lawyer because it allows me to put those interests to use while helping others.
When it comes to the practice of law, I am particularly interested in accessibility. I find that low-income and marginalized populations tend to struggle with access to legal aid. Before my internship at SWMW Law, I spent a significant amount of time working for nonprofits and volunteering around the city of San Antonio. This work made me realize that becoming a lawyer would allow me to use my legal knowledge and skills to advocate for those who do not have the means to advocate for themselves. During my internship at SWMW Law, I got to witness firsthand the effect that highly accessible legal aid has on others, and it has further motivated me to continue my journey as an aspiring lawyer.
- What made you choose SWMW Law for your internship?
I chose SWMW Law for my internship because I had a great interview experience with Lauren and Sophie. They were extremely welcoming, kind, and open about their personal experiences at the firm. Their candor regarding the firm’s work environment and passion for the practice of law made it obvious to me that SWMW Law would be a great place to learn and grow.
- What has been the best/most valuable part of your internship at SWMW Law?
During our numerous lunches with Member Ben Schmickle, we had the opportunity to hear about his career path and how SWMW Law came to be. I greatly valued learning about what it takes to open and run your own firm, because that is a personal aspiration of mine. I have also enjoyed building relationships with the attorneys and working closely with them to enhance my research and writing skills. Before my internship at SWMW Law, I was unsure of what side of the law I was interested in. Now, I feel more inclined to work on the plaintiffs’ side as it seems to be a place where I can do work that aligns with my principles and personal goals