Alexandra Curtin ’19 shadowed Noah Spaulding ’02 at Circle this summer. He works in their Legal Department as a Legal Director.
Describe your shadowing visit:
Within seconds upon arriving, Noah greeted me with some (very yummy) doughnuts. He introduced me to all of his very friendly coworkers and then we went into a conference room to discuss the plan for the day. He also told me more about Circle and his journey to the company. Next, I met Noah’s two attorneys, Saige and Christina, in their meeting about the legal contracts for Circle’s ambassador program in the U.K. While Noah was in his next meeting, Christina and I went over each provision in a draft of a Non-Disclosure Agreement. She then took me to lunch across the street because Noah’s meeting went on longer than expected. We finished going over the NDA after lunch. I also met and spoke with Cherie, Circle’s director of compliance in North America. I accompanied Cherie, Noah, and Saige to their meeting about forms for potential investors of Circle. Finally, Noah gave me a Circle t-shirt and took a picture with me!
Do your skills, interests and values align with your shadowing experience (industry of interest)?
Yes, I have always been interested in law so it was interesting to shadow a legal director. Additionally, my International Studies major and proficiency in French align with how Circle is an international company with numerous locations around the world.
Based on this experience are there any skills that you need to develop? If so, what are they and how do you plan to do so?
I definitely need to become more familiar with legal and financial terms. I plan to do so by taking more Economics classes and going to law school.
How has this experience changed or reinforced your career goals?
This experience has definitely reaffirmed my interest in going to law school and pursuing a career on an international level. It showed me the amazing various opportunities provided by a law degree. My experience at Circle also demonstrated how increasingly connected the world is becoming through technology.
Based on this experience what is next in your career plans?
I plan on talking to my advisor about the Pre-Law program and starting to study for the LSATs!
Would you recommend your shadowing visit to other students? Make sure to explain why or why not?
Yes, I would definitely recommend my shadowing visit at Circle to my classmates! Noah was a very welcoming and accommodating host. He and his colleagues took time out of their day to make sure that I learned a lot about the company and how it operates.
