Summer Job Diaries: Third-Year Gets Taste of Future Career at Paul Hastings

Cicero Aschieris ’27’s summer associateship at Paul Hastings served as a primer to his future career after graduation. Aschieris successfully parlayed his summer job, where he was exposed to a variety of corporate litigation work, into a full-time associate job at the firm after he graduates in spring 2027.

How did you land your summer job?

I received my summer associate position at Paul Hastings by seeking out the resources offered by the LLS Career Development Office (CDO) and networking with attorneys at Paul Hastings. I am the first in my family to go to law school, so I had little knowledge of what law firms were expecting in terms of my resume, cover letter, personal statement, and other application materials. The CDO, specifically my career counselor Ariana Allen, provided guidance on all these aspects and even helped me practice my interviews. In addition, networking with Paul Hastings attorneys was instrumental in communicating more about myself and my interest in Paul Hastings, which bolstered my application.

What is the most interesting part of your job?

The most interesting part of my job is being able to witness the plethora of wide-ranging work that Paul Hastings receives. Throughout the summer, I have updated corporate contractual agreements, conducted research for litigation matters, observed various attorney calls, and observed a mediation as well as a deposition. Furthermore, I have been able to conduct research for a pro bono matter as well as participate in a pro bono legal clinic at Homeboy Industries, which has an ongoing relationship with Paul Hastings. Being exposed to these various assignments was a tremendous educational experience, and participating in the pro bono work allowed me to understand the value Paul Hastings places on helping those in need, which is important to me as I also strive to be a lawyer who can create positive change in service to others.

What has been your most challenging assignment thus far?

The most challenging, but also rewarding, assignment thus far was participating in an all-day mock negotiation workshop with my fellow summer associates and giving a final presentation to Paul Hastings attorneys. This workshop was challenging because the two sides’ initial goals were often in conflict, which meant that negotiating to a compromise that both sides could agree upon was essential to a successful completion of the workshop. Yet even though it was a challenge, it was empowering to be able to come to a deal for your client and then present that deal to a team of Paul Hastings attorneys who provided feedback. My team was very grateful to receive the first-place award for the workshop, and I am happy that Paul Hastings offered such a great learning experience.

What new legal skill have you acquired during your summer job?

The new legal skill that I have acquired during my summer associate position with Paul Hastings is how to draft transactional documents in a way that thoroughly displays the underlying deal. Multiple times this summer I have been asked to revise a transactional agreement by taking a precedent document and applying it to a new set of terms, learning that documents must be edited and reviewed closely so that the terms are accurate. These assignments have allowed me to familiarize myself with using redlines as well as communicating effectively with the attorneys I was working with to input any comments or feedback they gave.

What legal knowledge have you been able to display?

Throughout the summer, I have been able to display my legal knowledge of the structure of corporate entities as well as securities law. I gained this knowledge through courses I took during my second year as part of pursuing the Corporate Concentration, including Business Associations, Securities Regulation, and Business Planning. I have applied this legal knowledge not only when reviewing transactional documents but also when researching corporate case law for litigation assignments, putting the legal research skills I learned during my first-year Legal Research and Writing to use, as well.

How has Loyola helped you map your career path?

Loyola has helped me map my career path by providing me the necessary tools to seek out my summer associate position with Paul Hastings. From the various networking events on and off campus about which the CDO notifies us to the legal skills we learn in the classroom, Loyola helped me understand the steps that needed to be taken to achieve my summer job and how to apply the skills I learned effectively when I got there. Further, by incorporating service into its curriculum and experiential opportunities, Loyola has also taught me how to be that attorney for others that I strive to be in my career. I am very grateful to have accepted an offer to return to Paul Hastings as an incoming associate after graduating from Loyola, and I truly appreciate all that Loyola did to lead me to where I am today. I will be sure to pay it forward during my career as a lawyer to mentor Loyola students in achieving their goals.