Taylor Porter is proud of its annual summer associate program, which hires highly motivated, well-rounded law students to participate in two, six-week sessions. Under the guidance of practicing attorneys, our summer associates gain hands-on experience and interaction that reflect real life as a lawyer. During the first summer session of 2016, Taylor Porter has eight summer associates, and our law firm is proud to profile these eight students and gain their insight from the Taylor Porter summer associate program.

Learn more about the Taylor Porter Summer Associate Program

Margaret Viator, LSU Law, Class of 2018

Margaret Viator will enter her second year at the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at LSU, where she is a Chancellor Scholar and has received the CALI Award in Torts. During her first year, Margaret was the Student Bar Association’s representative for her section, and this past spring, she was elected to the position of 2L Class Secretary, which she will hold during the 2016-17 school year. For her undergraduate education, she received her bachelor of arts degree in Government, and also two minor degrees in English and journalism, from Georgetown University. Margaret formerly clerked at Pelleteri & Weidorn in New Orleans.

What practice area(s) are you most interested in and why?

Since starting the clerkship at Taylor Porter, I have found that I enjoy commercial litigation. The opportunities to get out of the office, attend hearings and courtroom proceedings with my mentor attorneys, have been really beneficial through this program. I am also taking an introductory course in intellectual property this upcoming semester, which is a topic that I have always been interested in, so that might change where my interests lie.

How has the Taylor Porter summer law clerk program helped prepare you for becoming a lawyer?

The program has taught me effective means of communicating, and the program has especially helped to hone my skills of problem solving. A lot of the issues that my projects have focused on do not have a clear answer, and I have learned how to be creative with my research and methods of addressing the problem.

Who are your Taylor Porter attorney mentors and what have you learned from them about the legal field that will stick with you?

Robin Toups and Scott Mansfield are my mentors. Robin is truly a role model for me. She is so successful in her professional career while being extremely down to earth. Although her practice field, environmental law, is something that is highly specialized, Robin has taught me that it is possible to handle all of the pressures of a legal career while balancing a personal life and keeping a level-head. Scott has taught me a lot about what it will be like to be a first-year associate. Scott is always available to take on an issue and doesn’t limit himself to any one practice area, which is very valuable. He is always checking in with me, which has made me realize how in the legal field, particularly at Taylor Porter, the attorneys all support each other and are not only focused on their own workload.

What do you like best about the TP Summer Associate Program?

I know that, going forward, my experience getting to know all of the associates and partners at Taylor Porter will be unparalleled. My greatest takeaway from this program has been the sense of pride it has given me in my own work-product and my individuality. Every single attorney at Taylor Porter shows me respect, and I really appreciate it. I find that this translates to my trust in my own work. The most memorable thing about this experience has been the emphasis that the program has placed on getting to know each of us as individuals and allowing us to learn and grow within this short period of time.