Austin Smith, ’27, has been spending his summer as a Peggy Browning Fellow for the country’s largest industrial union, United Steelworkers, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  The prestigious fellowship offers internship opportunities focused on advancing workers' rights and workplace justice. 

How did you connect with this summer opportunity? 

I applied through the Peggy Browning Foundation. 

How does your experience connect with what you currently envision doing with your law degree? 

It is an ideal summer job for me because I hope to work in labor law after graduating, and the Steelworkers have an incredible in-house legal team. 

Please describe a “typical” day at work. 

I typically work 9-5 from an office shared with two other Peggy Browning fellows. We chat about politics and news for the first half hour, drinking coffee, occasionally with the company of an attorney. The work itself consists of writing legal memos, drafting position statements, motions for summary judgment, and other writing/research assignments.  

What is something you learned or experienced that was surprising or particularly compelling during this summer position? 

The happiest attorneys I’ve met are all at the Steelworkers. This was surprising because (a) happy attorneys and (b) they are all at the Steelworkers! I suspect that this good energy is produced by the combination of pleasant work hours and meaningful responsibilities—perhaps along with, relative to the public interest field, good pay. 

What are a couple of your key takeaways from the experience? 

Working in-house at a union involves frequent conversations with staff representatives who are, for example, bargaining a contract, processing a grievance, or planning a pressure campaign. Alongside this work, the attorneys at USW manage a caseload involving novel issues; with low union density nationwide, many unprecedented disputes arise. Together, this work forces a two-step rhythm (quick-quick, slow-slow). 

What advice would you offer another law student contemplating working in a similar position next summer? 

Apply to Peggy Browning jobs soon and ask me for application advice. 

How are you spending your free time this summer? 

Reading and eating ice cream. 

What are you most looking forward to in returning to UChicago Law this fall? 

The lake and my friends.