Legal Studies and Political Science Grad Hired by Pittsburgh Law Firm KM&A Alumni Profile

How did you land your full-time position soon after graduating? 

After graduation, I knew I wanted to work in law and expand the knowledge that I gained through Point Park University. I had two internships in college working at different law firms where I had the best experiences so I knew that’s where I wanted to be.

I researched legal positions in Pittsburgh and came across a lot of opportunities, but something about Kraemer, Manes & Associates stood out to me. I researched the firm, read about the attorneys and was lucky enough to land an interview. As soon as I met the staff at KM&A, I instantly felt at home. I was given a job description and it was so unique from anything I’ve ever done before so I was excited and hopeful to start with this firm. I was offered the job on the same day I interviewed and was ecstatic to receive an offer that night to start the next morning. Everyone was so welcoming and professional, I knew it would be a great fit for me.

Within my first two weeks there, our firm participated in a 5K to raise money for St. Jude’s Hospital and childhood cancer, which was a great way for us to give back to charity and bond with my co-workers.

Tell us about the work you do.

I work on the 48th floor of the U.S. Steel Tower, the tallest skyscraper in Pittsburgh, so that’s really fun. I am on KM&A’s legal team which involves a lot of case evaluation. I take the facts of a case, research laws pertaining to that specific issue, brainstorm what kind of legal action we can take and give a final determination whether our firm can ultimately win this case. Doing this job requires extensive knowledge about different areas of law, knowing federal and state laws, accessing what argument we can pursue, briefing our attorneys on the case, writing up a case summary and providing answers to our clients.

What career-related experiences did you have as a Point Park student? 

As a double major in legal studies and political science, I had three educational internships. My first one was at a local law firm in the Pittsburgh area which I found through Angela Scaramucci in Point Park’s Career Development Center. This was a great first step for me to be slowly introduced to the environment of working in a law firm. I also received class credit for working there the entire summer.

My first paid internship was working for the Pennsylvania Senate as a senate intern. I worked directly with Senator Jay Costa, the brother of Point Park Professor and State Representative Paul Costa. This internship directly related to what I was learning in class. I had the opportunity to attend a trip to Harrisburg with Senator Costa, his chief of staff and my fellow interns. We experienced round-table discussions, senate floor meetings and were introduced on the senate floor.

A year before this, I had the opportunity to attend Lobby Day in Harrisburg with the United Student Government of Point Park University. United Student Government members traveled to Harrisburg to attend scheduled meetings with state senators and representatives to express our thoughts on higher education. This was a great experience for me, and ironically the following year, I was the one working for the Senate attending these meetings.

During the time I was interning at the Senate, I was also interning with a downtown Pittsburgh law firm specializing in criminal defense. I enjoyed working both of these internships at the same time because I was pursuing degrees in both political science and legal studies so I gained experience in both fields.

What are your favorite Point Park memories?

I had some of my best memories at Point Park as a student athlete. I was a year-round student athlete competing in cross country and both indoor and outdoor track & field.

I have such great memories with my teammates that I will always cherish. On average I spent six to seven days a week with them. They were more than my teammates, they were my family. We practiced together, we traveled together, we competed together; it was basically impossible to not be best friends with my teammates.

One of my favorite memories was traveling to Kentucky with my team three years in a row to race in the Greater Louisville Classic. This is a huge cross country invitational where we competed against many Division I schools. I had so much fun on this trip — from the actual racing to meeting some of my favorite professional runners to going out to eat with my team and exploring Kentucky together.

My teammates and I always tried to have fun on our distance runs and during our track workouts. I loved running through Pittsburgh and practicing at Schenley Park. I got through some of my hardest workouts with the help of my teammates. I ran some of my best races while being coached at Point Park and met some of my lifelong friends.

How have your legal studies and political science classes helped you professionally?

My legal studies and political science classes have helped me so much in my current job. When I’m faced with a case that requires me to know the ins and outs of the law, I bring myself back to sitting in my Introduction to Legal Studies class. In my classes at Point Park, I learned about the statute of limitations for certain laws, the burden of proof, when a state law trumps a federal law and so much more, all which I use every day at work when evaluating a case. 

My political science classes specifically helped me during my internship in the Senate. It was an internship where I had to dive right into the hard areas of politics. My political science classes involved looking at a lot of legislation which is something I dealt a lot with in the Senate. It was beneficial going into this internship with a great deal of knowledge about politics and made it much easier for me to handle my responsibilities. 

What advice do you have for our students pursuing careers in the legal field?  

My best advice is to get as much experience as you can outside of the classroom. Law is a field that requires an extensive amount of knowledge and research. The best way to learn law is by working in law. Look for legal internships, get references from your professors and don’t get discouraged.

Professor Nathan Firestone was a great resource for me throughout college. As a former judge, he challenged me in the classroom and really tested my knowledge.

My education from Point Park University is something in which I'm so grateful. I have an amazing job now working in my field with a great group of attorneys. I’m able to use what I learned from Point Park at work every day and continue to expand my legal knowledge. 

Thank you, Point Park University, for all that you have done for me!

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More About: legal studies, Bishop Canevin High School, School of Arts and Sciences, Downtown Pittsburgh, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Career Development Center, success story, political science, alumni