Jacob Bourgault ’25 was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, and attended the University of Nevada, Reno for his undergraduate degree. He spent most of his life in the western United States and wanted to go somewhere different for law school. He said, “The University of Minnesota ended up being a perfect fit!” For the first part of the summer, he worked as a summer associate for White & Case in Houston, Texas. For the second part of the summer, he worked as a judicial extern for Judge William J. Fisher of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Minnesota.
Throughout law school Jacob says he knew he wanted to work at a large, international law firm. He also recognized the benefits of working for a judge, particularly at the federal level. The opportunity to gain both experiences in one summer is something he feels extraordinarily grateful and excited for.
How did you find this summer opportunity?
White & Case, Houston was my target market, so I did quite a bit of research on large firms in the area. I directly applied to firms that I could see myself working at as a practicing attorney, and White & Case was one of my top choices.
For my judicial externship, Judge Fisher came and spoke to the Bankruptcy Clinic at the Law School. I met with him after he presented, and that led to the externship!
How does your experience connect with what you currently envision doing with your law degree?
Throughout the summer, I had the opportunity to work with several different practice groups at White & Case and am currently interested in Restructuring & Insolvency. Being able to practice in a firm setting is a good introduction to what my day-to-day will look like in the future, and I hope that working in a bankruptcy court will lead to me being a better future attorney.
Please describe a “typical” workday on the job.
I normally get to the office at about 8:00 AM. This allows me to get a start on the day and review emails or outstanding tasks before things get busy. I then work on assignments received through White & Case’s work allocation portal, which gives me a veritable plethora of interesting assignments from different practice areas that I am interested in. I also dedicate some time to assigned pro bono matters. Throughout the day I would get lunch and afternoon coffee with different attorneys to learn more about their journey and practice areas or attend one of the lunch trainings. I normally leave the office around 5:30, and there are plenty of after-hours social events the firm plans for summer associates!
What is something you learned or experienced that was surprising or particularly compelling during this summer position?
I was impressed with how seamlessly different White & Case offices collaborate on matters. I had the opportunity to work with attorneys across the United States and around the world. The firm’s dedication to being a truly global law firm is exemplified by the amount of travel I have already had the opportunity to do. This includes the “Launch Your Career” program, where the firm flew all the U.S. summer associates to New York for the first week, and then to a three-week international rotation in the Sydney, Australia office.
What are some key takeaways from the experience so far?
The biggest takeaway is likely the importance of forming positive relationships! The people you meet in law school, in a summer program, or through networking events, are all people that could be great connections in the future. It is critical to both make these connections and sustain them.
How has your summer experience compared with your expectations?
I did quite a bit of research on summer associate programs, and my expectations have mostly been met. There are a few things that stand out. I have received more substantive and important work than I thought I was going to, which is great! I have also been pleasantly surprised with how friendly and amicable everyone is, and I never thought I would have been able to spend three weeks in Sydney as a summer associate.
What advice would you offer another law student thinking about working in a similar position next summer?
Be proactive in reaching out and meeting people. Attorneys, especially in large firms, generally have a lot on their plate. Still, they want to meet you and learn more about you. It is unlikely you will have the knowledge to provide ground-breaking legal work, but you can still show everyone you are a good fit for the culture and would be a pleasant person to have in the office.
How are you spending your free time this summer?
Houston has some of the best food I have ever experienced, so I have enjoyed exploring and trying to find the cities best food. In Sydney, I wanted to see as much as possible in the three weeks I had. I did quite a bit of exploring, and as a former college rugby player, even got to play in an NSW Suburban Rugby Union game with the Maccabi Rugby Club.
What are you most looking forward to in returning to Minnesota Law this fall?
I am looking forward to seeing everyone in person again and hearing about their summer adventures!