https://monumentadvocacy.com/

Monument Advocacy

Legislative Fellow

May - August 2021 • Washington, DC

What I liked

I had the opportunity to have a first-hand view of how government affairs workers interface with clients and the government and to play a direct role in those interactions by covering Congressional hearings and researching legislative positions. What I liked most was the immense variety of the topics I would cover in hearings and general research, ranging from international trade to cybersecurity to environmental sustainability and so much more. I also liked the collaborative aspects of the work, how often my tasks would involve teaming up with other fellows as well as having a helpful back-and-forth with superiors in the firm.

What I wish was different

The only thing I wish had been different was the inconveniences of the COVID-19 pandemic. I was lucky enough to be able to go into the office most days so that I could interact with the other fellows and my superiors. Unfortunately, all Congressional hearings were still covered online rather than in person, and not many clients were coming into the office due to the public health situation.

Advice

My biggest piece of advice is to ask your superior about opportunities in your given field of interest. Specifically, I indicated my personal interests in international trade and legal issues, so my boss gave me more tasks relating to those topics and introduced me to partners in the firm who specialize more in those issue areas.
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