Summer Experiences: Parker Anderson ’25, Summer Intern, US Department of the Treasury, Office of General Counsel (Washington, DC)
Parker Anderson, ’25, is spending the summer interning at Office of General Counsel at the US Department of the Treasury. Anderson says his position has given him the opportunity to use daily the skills and insights gained during his 1L year, including legal research and writing and legislation and statutory interpretation.
How did you connect with this summer opportunity?
I became interested in the Treasury Department’s work before starting law school. As a paralegal in a law firm’s international trade practice, I worked on many international financial regulatory issues that involve the Treasury, such as US economic sanctions and anti-money laundering. I think financial regulatory work is incredibly interesting and I wanted to learn more about what a legal career in this area would look like. For the summer, I sought opportunities in public service to compliment my paralegal experience in the private sector.
How does your experience connect with what you currently envision doing with your law degree?
This internship is a fantastic opportunity for my career aspirations. The breadth of domestic and international financial regulatory work at Treasury all comes into the General Counsel’s orbit as they provide legal advice and insight to the Secretary and the various agencies within the Department. As an intern the exposure across several interesting areas, such as tax, sanctions, anti-money laundering, and congressional oversight are helping me determine where in this area of law I see myself developing an expertise.
Please describe a “typical” day at work.
Every day is different, but generally I spend most of time reading cases and secondary sources in Westlaw and then drafting and revising my findings and analysis in a memo for my supervising attorney. Some days, I may be grabbing coffee with an attorney or attending a brown bag lunch with other Department interns to learn more about careers and interesting work at Treasury.
What is something you learned or experienced that was surprising or particularly compelling during this summer position?
Many of the attorneys with whom I’ve had the pleasure of working this summer have diverse experience across all three branches of the federal government, do incredible work, and have fulfilling public sector careers. Seeing this has opened my eyes to how many fantastic opportunities there are for a legal career in public service.
What is a key takeaway from the experience so far?
My key takeaway from this summer is an overall sense of appreciation for the quality education the Law School provides me. I use the skills and insights I gained during 1L year, particularly from Legal Research and Writing and Legislation and Statutory Interpretation, every day. Because of that great preparation, I’ve been able to tackle interesting and difficult legal questions this summer with confidence and composure.
What advice would you offer another law student contemplating working in a similar position next summer?
If you have the opportunity to work in the federal government, do it! The skills, insights, and relationships you gain will serve you no matter what career path you choose.
How are you spending your free time this summer?
I am using my free time to explore Washington, DC, which I hope to make my home after law school.
What are you most looking forward to in returning to UChicago Law this fall?
I’m looking forward to getting back into the classroom again. I’m excited to see how the practical experience I’ve gained over the summer will enrich my approach to studying and discussing the law in the classroom.