Carson McGurk

Mint Dentistry — Dallas, TX

How did you get your job?

A family friend connected me with my boss, who is general counsel for MINT Dentistry. I reached out to her towards the end of my 1L year and had an interview after finals. After my interview, I received an offer.

What was the most surprising thing you learned at your job?

The most surprising thing I learned at my job would be the day-to-day life of a corporate counsel attorney. My boss handles a wide variety of legal issues daily while also fulfilling an executive role in the company. It was surprising to me how many legal areas my boss deals with daily

What do/did you like most about your job? 

What I like the most about my job is the wide variety of projects I get to work on. Because my boss is general counsel, I can work on projects covering a wide variety of legal areas. I have done projects ranging from Intellectual Property Law to Employment Law. Once I complete a project in one area of law, I can almost expect the next project will involve a different area of law and legal issues. Another thing I like about my job is coming into the office every day. The office is located on the top floor of the tallest building in Texas, so it makes coming to work every day something I look forward to.

How do you think this experience has helped you in your career path? 

Because I have been exposed to so many different areas of law, I believe that I am constantly expanding my legal knowledge. Rather than focusing on one specific area of law, I can gain exposure to many different areas all at once. My boss has also done a great job in making sure that I am gaining practical experience along the way. The idea of becoming corporate general counsel one day is something that excites me so this role is an experience that will certainly prepare me for that.  

What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned at this job? 

The most valuable thing I have learned at my job would be learning just how far a JD degree can take you in your career. Before this job, I had the mindset that being a lawyer meant being in a law firm or practicing on your own. After interning for corporate general counsel, I have learned that counseling and advocating can be done in a variety of ways that go beyond working in a law firm setting. 

Did your job change in a virtual workplace?  How did you interact with your co-workers? 

My role has been in-person since I started last May. My boss and co-workers are all in-office and have been welcoming since my first day. Even in a corporate office setting, everyone is so friendly and hard-working.  My boss and coworkers have allowed me to expand my legal knowledge and become a better coworker/peer simultaneously.