Alex Findlay, Hannah Nguyen and Hailey Kadivar have all been an invaluable part of the team for the past 4 weeks as our interns! Their unwavering commitment and hard work during their time with us have been truly impressive. As they prepare to embark on the next stage of their journey, we took the opportunity to sit down with them for an interview.
How would you describe this internship?
Alex: I would describe this internship as a great opportunity to experience what life is like at a firm like Cleveland & Co. It was a great experience where I developed both practical skills as well as consolidated my knowledge in a variety of topics. I have been both supported and challenged throughout and would definitely utilise many of the skills I have developed throughout my future career.
Hannah: My internship at Cleveland&Co was an enriching experience that offers a comprehensive introduction to the department of human resources. I was guided by experienced mentors that gave me valuable feedback to improve my work, which has helped me develop professionally. I worked in a collaborative and supportive environment that has equipped me to contribute to the organisation’s client-centric goals.
Hailey: I would describe this internship as an educational and supportive work experience! I was able to learn new skills and knowledge about the legal field through being a part of a collaborative and friendly team.
Tell us about any new skills or knowledge you gained during your internship.
Alex: Throughout my internship, I have had the opportunity to experience areas of law which I hadn’t previously been exposed to in addition to practical experience of how the firm is run and the type of work solicitors at Cleveland & Co deal with on a day to day basis.
Hannah: Through this internship, I have broadened my knowledge of HR initiatives and have been introduced to some legal concepts as well. My task focused on trying to understand the needs of employees from the time they apply to jobs to the time they leave a job to better attract and retain talent. My HR supervisor, Sonica, provided me with further insight into the recruitment process and how employees are chosen amongst the numerous applications for a position. I was also invited to join presentations hosted by employees in other departments and have been exposed to a myriad of topics, such as cryptocurrency and NDAs.
Hailey: I learned a great deal about the financial services industry. Prior to my internship with Cleveland & Co, I had little knowledge related to this sector. I was able to learn from both members of the team and through completing tasks independently. Specifically, I have improved my research and writing skills, become more well-versed in the legal field and its relation to financial services, and gained experience reviewing legal documents such as NDAs and disclaimers.
Can you elaborate on the day to day responsibilities your job entailed?
Alex: My day to day responsibilities varied from researching and writing articles to proofing and rewording short guides. Additionally, I have had the opportunity to prepare a number of case summaries which will help inform my colleagues of any relevant changes in case law.
Hannah: I worked on the HR side of Cleveland&Co. My responsibilities centred around researching different HR initiatives and creating PowerPoints summarising my findings. I read a lot of different articles pertaining to the assigned topic and compiled the important information to report in my presentation. I would occasionally have meetings with my supervisor to check on my progress and see what needs to be revised or added. The other employees would also host presentations about a myriad of topics, such as financing or cryptocurrency, to disseminate their knowledge and inform about current topics in the industry.
Hailey: Every morning, I was responsible for monitoring various news websites and compiling notes on anything significant occurring in the financial services industry. After I finished with this, my responsibilities varied depending on the day. Some of these responsibilities included: drafting articles, conducting research for work that team members were completing, reviewing documents such as NDAs and disclaimers, writing case law summaries, and creating presentation templates and inputting information into said templates.
What was the most rewarding thing about this internship and working at Cleveland & Co?
Alex: Personally, the most rewarding aspect of this internship was seeing the articles I researched and wrote being published onto the firm’s website.
Hannah: The people made my time and internship at Cleveland & Co more valuable. I felt like I was able to learn more due to the Cleveland & Co employees, including my supervisor. They made me feel welcome and invited me and the other interns to lunch and engaged us in conversation. They also took time out of their day to offer support and have meetings to answer our questions and give us feedback. They made me feel more involved in the company.
Hailey: The most rewarding thing about my internship was seeing how my contributions were able to help the team fulfil a larger goal. It was motivating to know that the tasks I was completing were part of a greater team effort, whether it be helping with research for client work or seeing an article that I helped draft be published.
Has this internship provided you with the knowledge and skills required in the next step of your career path and how?
Alex: This internship has provided me with practical experience which will support me in my next steps when pursuing a career in law. Additionally, having experienced corporate and private equity law, I have found them extremely interesting and will definitely work in this area of law when deciding on my next steps.
Hannah: I hope to work in the consulting field, and I do feel like I learned relevant information that enhances my knowledge going into it. For example, my research was related to identifying pain points and ways to optimise the workplace, which are projects that consultants take on. I was also taught what regulations are impacting processes like restructuring, which will help me make recommendations within legal jurisdictions.
Hailey: My internship with Cleveland & Co has provided me with the knowledge and skills needed for the next step of my career path through allowing me to gain exposure to the legal field and what it entails to work within it, specifically as it pertains to the financial services industry. I feel as if I have a better understanding of what it means to be a lawyer and what I specifically want out of a career in law, and this will be helpful as I apply to law schools in the fall.
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