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

Ryan McAlister is entering his third year at the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at LSU, where he is a Chancellor’s Scholar and has received the CALI award in Energy Law and Regulation. Ryan is also a member of the LSU Trial Advocacy Team and participated in the Energy Law Negotiation Competition in Texas this past March. Ryan was on the Chancellor’s List for the spring of 2015 and on the Paul M. Hebert Scholar’s list for the fall of 2015. Ryan graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree with a concentration in Comparative Politics. Prior to attending law school, Ryan served as an Army Infantry Officer for six years with one deployment to Iraq. Ryan has previously clerked with the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources.

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

Energy and environmental law interest me due to my family’s background and just my enjoyment of the outdoors. Practicing in this area, I will be able to help ensure the responsible use of natural resources and preservation of the great natural benefits Louisiana has to offer.

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

The Taylor Porter summer law clerk program has enabled me to see the practical application of what I am learning in school. I am a firm believer that you learn much more by doing than by simply studying material. Through working on projects during the clerkship, I realize how many legal areas overlap and interplay with one another. The clerk program has also taught me how to interact with clients, set expectations, and manage a heavy workload.

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

My two mentors are John Murrill and Ryan French. John has taught me a lot about professionalism and how to interact with clients. By simply accompanying John to a deposition, I learned invaluable lessons on how to conduct yourself among other attorneys and key witnesses of a case. Ryan has been a great help guiding me on all my projects. He has taught me valuable lessons on drafting memos as well as different ways to approach any problem.

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

The best thing about the TP Summer Associate Program is the work environment and the mentorship you receive from the attorneys and staff. It is not just a program in which you're assigned mentors that assist you, but every attorney you approach or that approaches you - they are all more than willing to help or simply talk with you about whatever is on your mind. Just as rewarding as that, is the ability to work on a wide variety of projects during the program. Since starting a little over three weeks ago, I have worked on projects involving contract disputes, depositions, environmental issues, family law disputes, expert testimony, and wrongful death actions. This opportunity allows for clerks to see a wide array of practices areas that they would not likely see anywhere else.