Gordon recently graduated from the University of Mississippi with a major in Political Science and Government. Previously, he served as a legal assistant at a litigation boutique in New Orleans.

When did you become interested in law?

My dad is a lawyer, and I was always fascinated by the stories he would tell around the dinner table. I found everything about his profession interesting: the arguing, the stakes, the intellectual rigor, even his area of expertise (toxic tort cases in Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley”). In college, I chose to major in poli sci because I thought it would serve me best as preparation for law school.

What are your first impressions of the firm?

Even though I only started last week, I can already tell this experience is going to pay tremendous dividends. I sought out this position because I wanted to get real-world, hands-on legal experience before making the law school commitment, and that’s exactly what I’m getting. I have a front-row seat to every stage of the litigation process, from inception through trial.

Everyone here is clearly at the top of their game; it’s great to learn from such accomplished trial lawyers. But they’re all incredibly helpful, too, and happy to give me a pointer whenever I need it. From day one, I was told, “There are no stupid questions at this firm.”

What’s one thing you hope to get out of your time at SHJ?

I’d like to feel that I’ve developed some expertise and become as autonomous as I can be without actually having a law degree. In other words, I’d like to be able to receive a task from a lawyer and get it done without having to ask any questions. That sense of professional confidence will definitely give me a boost going into law school next year.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I hope to return to my hometown, New Orleans, and work at a litigation firm there. I think the experience with Texas law and Texas courts I’m gaining at SHJ will make me a particularly well-rounded and competitive lawyer.

SHJ’s project assistant initiative is part of an ongoing effort to better serve clients’ needs by optimizing our internal processes. Over the course of a one- or two-year term, project assistants gain hands-on, real-world law firm experience as they assist lawyers with fact research, data analysis, and trial preparation. According to recruiting partner Adam Dinnell, “our goal was to identify candidates with an interest in law school and litigation who recently graduated from some of the country’s top undergraduate schools.”