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Pathways to the Profession: Jonathan Boyer-Dry L’13

August 28, 2012

Jonathan Boyer-Dry at Akin's offices in LA.
Jonathan Boyer-Dry at Akin's offices in LA.
Jonathan Boyer-Dry L’13 worked in Los Angeles as a summer associate at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, where he plans to return in fall 2013 as a first-year associate.

Editor’s Note: Each summer Penn Law students hone their skills through a wide array of private and public sector internships across the country and around the world. Generous financial support and fellowships for international and public interest work enable students to pursue diverse assignments in the U.S. and abroad. This dispatch from Jonathan Boyer-Dry L’13 is one in a series of firsthand accounts by Law School students about how their summer employment opportunities are preparing them for their legal careers.

Boyer-Dry worked in Los Angeles as a summer associate at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, where he plans to return in fall 2013 as a first-year associate.

I had a fantastic experience as a summer associate at Akin Gump. I spent most of my time working with its Global Project Finance team. Before law school, I was a wind energy developer and entered law school with the intention of continuing my career in the renewable energy field. Akin Gump’s Global Project Finance practice focuses primarily on renewable energy project finance, development, and mergers & acquisitions, so it was a perfect fit for my interests. I also had the opportunity to work with the corporate and litigation departments and enjoyed the assignments I did for those groups.

Over the course of the summer, I worked on a diverse array of assignments, which included a healthy mix of deal work and legal research. I was lucky enough to work on a wind farm acquisition and to help prepare for the deal’s closing. It was a great experience and it was fascinating to see all of the moving parts associated with an asset purchase. I also did a number of research assignments that included everything from a memo discussing proposed renewable energy legislation in California and the way it would affect the solar industry to employment law research for a pro bono client.

We also had amazing summer events that highlighted the diverse cultural experiences and attractions in LA. I was new to LA and the events provided a great introduction to the city.

I learned a tremendous amount over the summer and loved working at Akin Gump. Most importantly, the people are wonderful and are a pleasure to work with. I am very excited to be returning as a first-year associate in the fall of 2013.

-          Jonathan Boyer-Dry

 

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