It’s already been a whirlwind time here in Indianapolis. From moving in during the biggest racing weekend known to man (the Indy 500 for those who are not car inclined) to starting my internship with Charitable Allies to learning the logistics of this beautiful, vibrant city, it’s been a challenge. What I was not expecting, though, was the largely impactful beginning to my time in Mooresville, the town that currently houses Charitable Allies. CA is itself a nonprofit law firm that represents nonprofit organizations through not only the formation process but also educational and administrative support, training, and legal services. Charitable Allies works to see nonprofits through various obstacles whether that is simply filing for tax-exempt status, working better with their board of directors, or being present in court for various legal needs.
When I first arrived at my internship, I was tasked with updating the website for not only Charitable Allies but also for my site supervisor’s other firm. This firm in particular focuses on Adoption law, interstate and international. Within the first week of me being in the office, an international adoption case blew up and my supervisor was flying to the east coast to participate in an emergency hearing. It was incredible. I was watching him and our office’s paralegal furiously finish all of the required paperwork in order to help the client.
Through this hectic situation, I realized just how fast paced real time can be. In the working world, things have to get done in an instant and they have to be done correctly. There is no margin of error in the law and Charitable Allies and the work that they are doing has shown this to me. I hear legal jargon thrown around like it’s water cooler talk and I watch the printer spit out hundreds of sheets of paper per one case. Working with a group that splits their time between the nonprofit sector and the adoption law world has shown me just how important it is to be versatile in the world of law. Of course a firm itself tends to focus on one, maybe two different types of law, but as an individual it is imperative to be ready for whatever is thrown at you.
My supervisor woke up that morning not knowing that he would have to file emergency paperwork with a court in a different state; he probably expected to wake up and grab a cup of coffee before heading into the office. This is what I mean by being versatile. Cases can move at the speed of light, similar to the way life can. One second you’re prepared to do one thing and the next second you’re accomplishing something you never thought possible. If CAPS has taught me anything so far, it’s to be completely open minded to anything that an internship may throw at you. Even if you are not directly doing the work, just watching the others in the office tackle a situation far larger than themselves can be a learning experience. Taking the time to truly analyze and pay attention to your surroundings in an office space can change the way you look at the world around you.