A Summer at Sanford: Law Student Will Penisten Reflects on Legal Internship Experience
During the internship, Penisten undertook a range of responsibilities, including conducting ad hoc research for the contracts, employment and risk management teams. He also observed and took notes during mediations and candor meetings, contributing valuable insights to these processes.
Alongside his work in risk management and mediations, Penisten authored a report on a state medical insurance program for the executive mergers and acquisitions counsel, processed patient admission agreements and prepared a brief on a resident eviction action.
Penisten’s connection to the internship stemmed from personal familiarity with Sanford Health, having grown up in Sioux Falls. His prior work experience at a midsized agriculture corporation fueled his interest in pursuing a corporate legal counsel internship. He secured this position through on campus interviews organized by the law school’s director of career services.
An internship at Sanford marked a significant step in Penisten’s professional development, providing him with practical experience and a deeper understanding of the legal field.
Reflecting on his summer at Sanford, here is what Penisten had to say.
What did you most enjoy about your summer internship?
I really appreciated all the people I worked with; everyone was very supportive and helpful with me coming on board and taking on my new responsibilities. It was a great experience to see professionals work at such a complex and far-reaching level, and it was rewarding to learn about the different structures and departments that compose one the largest health care systems in the Midwest.
What did you learn from the experience?
I learned to use specific tools like contract database software, and that Excel can be an incredibly useful tool for legal research. One assignment in particular had me check nine different health care facility standards in 15 different states categorized by facility type. Excel was extremely helpful in organizing this research, which can be used as a reference tool by Sanford employees in the future.
Are there any skills or tips you learned that will help for the remainder of your law school career?
I ended the summer with a greater sense of work ethic and an idea of what I want to do as an attorney post-graduation. With such great, hardworking examples to learn from on the job, the internship left me motivated to approach my own studies in a more intentional and methodical way. I have only grown in my desire to work for corporations and help companies and employees be their best.
Was there a course or professor that helped you best prepare for this internship?
Working for four years before law school was tremendously helpful in feeling at home with the work environment, seeking out new assignments and learning opportunities when on the job and in narrowing my interests when applying for internships in the first place. I also think the rigor of law school in general was helpful. There were times when the internship was challenging, but by and large, that was analogous to law classes in general. The classes that overlapped most in terms of content were probably contracts, employment law, business organizations and legal analysis and writing.
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