The LEO Corner: Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon is a 3L LEO student.  She has had two in-house legal experiences, one at Suburban Propane during her 1L summer and one at Reckitt Benckiser LLC during her 2L summer.  Grace has also worked as a judicial intern for The Honorable Stephen L. Petrillo, Superior Court of New Jersey, Essex County, Special Civil Part, and as a Research Fellow for the Center for Policy and Research at Seton Hall Law.

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What made you decide to go to law school? 
I knew I wanted to go to law school since 7th grade. It has been a life goal to be able to graduate law school and work in a profession where you really can make a difference.

What have you enjoyed most about your law school experience thus far? 
I’ve enjoyed the challenge law school has been and the amazing people I have met. Law school is not easy but it’s a privilege to be able to be on this journey and to have people around you who are supporting your success.

Can you talk a little about your work at Suburban Propane in your 1L summer? How did you find that job?
I feel like I had the perfect 1L summer internship that I was able to get through Spring Recruitment. What I loved about interning with Suburban Propane's legal department was working on various areas of the law. It was a great work environment, and all the lawyers were well-experienced. I did a lot of research regarding real estate and contract law and worked on whatever the lawyers needed assistance with. I loved that every week I basically worked on something new.

Can you explain a bit about the work that you did at Reckitt this past summer and what that experience was like? 
Even though this was my second in-house legal department internship, it was completely different and just as beneficial in my legal career. I was able to learn new areas of the law that I would not have learned in law school. My work consisted of doing research for new company product launches, which included new-to-market advertising claims. I also assisted with drafting confidential agreements that included contracts and litigation matters. I got the chance to review Federal Trade Commission Influencer Guidelines that have been updated to provide additional information to companies utilizing influencers for marketing campaigns.

What advice do you have for your fellow 1L/2L LEO Students regarding their job searches? 
Networking really is vital! Go to the events at school and be a part of different Bar Associations. Also, sometimes great job opportunities come up towards the end of the semester so, if you feel like you haven't received a good fit, don't settle.

What do you hope to do when you graduate? 
I hope to be somewhere where I’m constantly being challenged and growing in my legal expertise. My hope is also to be able to give back and be a resource for others who have the opportunity to go to law school.