Summer Job at Getty Images Fuses Art & the Law
Elizabeth Wang ’18 is spending her summer as a legal intern at Getty Images, a top worldwide provider of stock and other photography. From licensing to employment policies, she has already found herself confronting a wide array of legal issues in a real-world setting. Wang’s prior legal positions include clerking for the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office and externing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Before law school, she worked as a contracts specialist for Boeing.
How did you land your summer job?
My boss, a Loyola Law School alumnus, was looking to fill an opening and contacted Assistant Dean for Employer Engagement Graham Sherr in Loyola’s Career Development Office. Graham had a copy of my resume and, based on my background, thought I would be a good fit. Graham recommended me and made the introduction.
What is the most interesting part of your job?
I like working with the in-house photographers and sales team. Combining law in an artistic-oriented industry is really fun.
What have been your most challenging assignments thus far?
I have both long- and short-term assignments. Long term, I am updating the company's document-retention policy and guidelines regarding employee investigation. Short-term projects include a variety of legal research assignments, such as reviewing copyright law issues surrounding the publication and reproduction of sculptures. I also review our premium access license agreements the sales team creates when a customer would like to establish a subscription with Getty Images.
How has your Loyola education helped you make a difference in your placement?
The legal education at Loyola focuses on practical experience. I feel more prepared to handle the assignments given to me because of my experience externing in bankruptcy court and working on law review. These experiences allowed me to test my new legal knowledge in a controlled environment before joining the workforce and provided me a smooth transition from full-time student to full-time employee.
What LLS courses have you found most helpful to your position?
Trademark Law has been the most beneficial class in helping me understand the business at Getty Images. Often, photographers capture images that have trademarks in them. Assessing the rights associated with those photos can hinge on the treatment of the trademarks depicted.
In what additional ways has Loyola helped you map your career path?
The professors at Loyola have been great. Many have open-door policies and are happy for students to simply stop by. They are eager to talk about anything from the class that day to their own career paths, providing guidance to help students structure make their own plans.