A week in the life of Jude D’Alesio, Brown Rudnick Intern

Jude D’Alesio (winner of the International Law Book Facility (ILBF) Law Undergraduate Essay Competition) joined us this week as an intern at our offices in Mayfair. I was delighted to spend some time getting to know Jude and introduce our Litigation department with the opportunity to shadow some of the team.

In this interview, we asked Jude about his time and experiences with us at Brown Rudnick over the last week.

Interview

Jane: 

Jude, please tell us a little bit about yourself.

Jude:

Jane: Tell us about your week at Brown Rudnick – who did you get the opportunity to meet?

I have just finished my Law degree at the University of Bristol and am preparing to study the LPC before beginning a training contract with a US commercial law firm. I have always wanted to be a lawyer and cannot wait to enter the profession, especially after this week’s experiences. In my spare time, I take a keen interest in politics by serving as a local councillor, school governor, and holding a public appointment.

Jude:

Jane: What did you find most interesting about your time at Brown Rudnick?

The week has been utterly invaluable. From the first day, I have been immersed in the firm’s work and met a variety of the firm’s fantastic personnel. For example, I have had lengthy chats with trainees and paralegals about their experiences starting with the firm and what advice they have for a legal career. From the partners and associates, I have also received great introductions to their practice areas and the type of work they undertake. Introductions to the IP and Distressed Debt practices were certainly highlights, as well as learning about the range of pro bono work which Brown Rudnick conducts, all providing valuable food for thought as to what I wish to practise as a lawyer.

Jude:

It was definitely being able to sample a wide range of practice areas, hearing from the different levels of lawyer within them, and simply soaking up advice like a sponge!

Jane: 

What is the best piece of advice you have been given on this internship?

Jude: 

Jane: You won this internship as a prize from the ILBF essay competition which had a focus on machine learning. What are your thoughts on how the legal profession could be impacted by new technologies in the future?

One thing which certainly struck me was how much the little things matter in law. Everyone in the profession is clever, determined, and ambitious, so this naturally means that even small things which can make you stand out go a long way. For example, being polite, kind, and willing to throw yourself into a team are all characteristics which can complement a lawyer’s traditional skillset and make the lives of everyone around you far easier. Life is not always about who is the cleverest or loudest; sometimes, just being a nice person goes a long way.

Jude:

Take AI as an example. I think that we are a long way from most legal tasks being automated by AI; however, I think it likely that we will see a proliferation of what is known as ‘narrow AI’, essentially AI which is only capable of very specific tasks like drafting a contract. So, I think that lawyers will gradually be doing a smaller amount of routine and easily automatable tasks; however, things like negotiation, research, and client meetings will still require ‘walking talking’ lawyers, and I think that this applies to most technologies. It will make the lives of lawyers easier, but the crux of the job remains the same.

Jane:

What has been your biggest achievement? 

Jude:

Aside from wining this internship, I became one of Britain’s youngest councillors at 19 when I was elected to Long Ashton Parish Council in North Somerset. I am heavily involved in politics in my spare time, and love nothing more than solving problems for residents and finding ways to make positive change on a local level. I was also the youngest chairman of a council planning committee and this policy area is heavy on regulation, which is probably some people’s worst nightmare but not for someone like me who enjoys the legal aspect.

Jane: 

And finally Jude, where would you like to be in five years?

Jude:

In five years I will have two years PQE, and ideally be an Associate in the firm at which I did my training contract. Although I have long been set on commercial law, I have not yet decided which area specifically I wish to practise, whether it’s corporate, finance, litigation, or any other for that matter. Whichever practice area I choose, I simply hope to apply myself fully and learn all I can about it by building an expert knowledge in the field. I am also keen on pro bono work, so I would hope to be fully engaged in such activities and continuing to make a positive difference in non-commercial practice areas.

Click here to read Jude's winning article: Thought Leaders Fire magazine issue 9