1. Summer Experience: Rebecca Liu ’25L

Originally from Fishers, Indiana, Rebecca Liu '25L attended Purdue University for her undergraduate degree. The summer before law school, Rebecca was a Legal Intern at Simon Property Group in Indianapolis, Indiana. At W&L, during her 1L and 2L years, Rebecca was a Research Assistant for Professor Fairfield, the VP of Media for WLSO (Women Law Students Organization), and a staff writer for the Journal of Civil Rights and Social Justice (JCRSJ). Currently, she serves as co-Managing Editor for the JCRSJ. During her 1L and 2L summers, Rebecca worked as a Summer Associate at Fox Rothschild, LLP in New York.

How did you find/get this position at Fox?

By the end of 1L fall, I looked into summer internships in New York and found a list of 1L diversity scholar programs on the "Leadership Council on Legal Diversity" website. From that list, I noted the firms that had NY locations and practice groups I had interest in. Then, I combed through those firms' websites to find W&L alumni to chat with about firm culture, mentorship at the firm, practice groups, etc. Following a good bit of networking, I refined my initial list and applied to about 30-40 firms. As for Fox, I got a screener interview in mid-January of 1L, followed by a callback interview during the first week of February. About a week later, I got an offer!

Describe your work experience.

I went into both summers at Fox with different goals. For my 1L summer, I tried anything and everything to gauge my interests, especially because the practice of law and the study of it remain highly distinct from one another. So, I completed assignments with many practice groups (tax, real estate, corporate, litigation, and intellectual property). By the end of my 1L summer, I realized that I preferred transactional work. So, during my 2L summer, I split my time between the corporate and real estate groups. With the corporate group, I assisted with due diligence on deals, drafted closing checklists and disclosure schedules, and drafted and redlined agreements and ancillary documents. With the real estate group, I worked on submitting a street permit application, drafted default notices, drafted date and title review memos, assisted in drafting or redlining purchase and sale agreements, and drafted retail lease forms.

What were some skills you developed this summer?

I took away two things: (1) active communication and (2) managing expectations. First, ensuring that you communicate in real-time is an essential skill I sharpened this summer. Even if attorneys do not initiate meetings, I found that they appreciated me sending updates or setting up check-in meetings. Moreover, I noticed that attorneys thanked me for asking them questions in a timely manner, rather than spinning my own wheels for hours without communicating my struggles. As for managing expectations, something I (and I think many people) struggle with is wanting to say "yes" in professional spaces, even if I may not have adequate capacity to take on new matters. I learned that it is perfectly acceptable to tell an attorney that I was at capacity, rather than taking on new assignments when the work product might suffer.

What surprised you about the work you did this summer?

What pleasantly surprises me about Fox is the attorneys' willingness to foster learning, specifically by encouraging summer associates to take ownership of matters. For example, this summer I worked on a zoning matter with the real estate group. I was surprised when the partner made me the point of contact for the client while letting me manage the bulk of the matter. This amazing opportunity allowed me to conduct client interviews, correspond with city agencies, and sharpen my communication skills.

What was your favorite aspect of this summer work experience?

This probably sounds cheesy because I feel like everyone says this, but the people at Fox were my favorite part. The attorneys went out of their way to teach me about their practices alongside making time in their busy schedules to mentor me. The firm attracts kind people, and I think that makes a huge difference, especially in "big law."

Has this experience helped you figure out post graduate plans, and if so, how?

Yes, absolutely. I plan on returning to Fox!

How do you think this experience will shape the rest of your time at W&L Law?

Many attorneys at Fox told me to be present in enjoying law school events and my time with friends before graduation - so I will definitely cherish my last year with my friends in Lexington! As for course work, I plan to prioritize any corporate or real estate courses to continue bolstering my knowledge while nurturing my interest in these practice areas.

Outside Law School

Hobby/Interest

Antique shopping and trying new coffee shops

Book/Podcast Recommendation

"Down the Drain" by Julia Fox

Favorite thing to do in Lexington

I love walking/jogging on the Chessie Trail and going thrifting at Duke's, Sugar Maple, and Thriftique!

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