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 second summer session of 2017, Taylor Porter has eight summer associates, and our law firm is proud to profile these students and gain their insight from the Taylor Porter summer associate program. In this article, Taylor Porter features Southern University Law Student Claire Caillier.

Learn more about the Taylor Porter summer associate program

Claire Caillier, Southern University Law Center, Class of 2019

Claire Caillier is entering her second year at Southern University Law Center. She graduated from LSU with a B.A. in Mass Communication, with a concentration in Political Communication and a minor in Spanish. Immediately upon graduating from LSU, Claire moved to Spain, where she taught English for two years. Claire has clerked for Balfour Emonet Law Firm. She is clerking under the mentorship of Taylor Porter attorneys Katia Bowman and Scott Mansfield.

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

“I worked for an architect during high school and undergrad, so I am interested in construction and design law. However, I am open to gaining experience in all other areas as well. Because Taylor Porter encompasses almost every practice area, I have been exposed to many different areas here.” 

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

“My mentors are Katia Desrouleaux Bowman and Scott Mansfield. Both Katia and Scott are helping me transition from the classroom to the real world. They made me realize how important it is to familiarize yourself with a firm’s culture, and they both embody Taylor Porter’s culture by combining hard work, professionalism and respect for their colleagues.”    

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

“From sitting in on depositions to attending hearings, I learned practical skills that I will need in the future. I am grateful that the partners at Taylor Porter taught me valuable lessons that can only be gained from hands-on experience.”

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

“The best part of the program is that clerks are given projects involving real cases the partners are handling. The best days I had at Taylor Porter were the ones in which the partners told me how they used my projects during meetings with their clients. Being able to apply what I learned in the classroom to actual cases was invaluable.”