The Port of Portland’s Internship Program gives college students an opportunity to apply their classroom education to real-life situations and develop the skills and work experience that will enhance their competitiveness for future employment opportunities.
In return, these college students give us lots of new energy and creative ideas.
Are you in college or know someone attending a local university? To give you a preview of what the Port’s internship program entails, we asked our current interns to answer a few questions about their experience. Today, we’re excited to introduce our Legal Intern, Ollie Caron-Noble.
Name: Ollie Caron-Noble (pronouns: they/them)
Title and Department: Intern, Legal Department
School and Studies: Lewis and Clark Law School
Can you share a bit about your background and what drew you to apply for an internship at the Port?
I’m originally from a small town in upstate New York and graduated from State University of New York in 2016 with a degree in political science. I am currently attending Lewis & Clark Law School and will graduate in May 2020. I spent last year working at Portland State University’s Student Legal Services clinic and worked with the litigation group at the Portland office of Perkins Coie LLP prior to law school.
I chose to spend my final year of law school working at the Port because of the Port’s reputation for being a forward-thinking and innovative organization. The Port is involved in so many different arenas that I knew I would be able to learn about a diverse array of issues here. When I was offered the job, I couldn’t turn down the opportunity to have such a unique work experience with the Port’s fantastic legal team.
In a few sentences, describe your work at the Port.
I work with all of the attorneys in the legal department who each specialize in different areas of law. Most of my time is spent on legal research projects, but it’s more exciting than it sounds – there is a lot of complexity to the legal questions our department handles, so I learn a lot every day. When I’m not researching I’m shadowing attorneys in meetings or sitting in on calls with opposing counsel, clients, and others.
What do you find most rewarding about your work?
Getting to work with so many different departments within the Port has been one of the most gratifying aspects of this internship. I wasn’t expecting to be able to work with other departments as much as I have, and it has been a pleasure to work with so many people around the Port and learn about their areas of expertise which are so different from my own.
What do you like to do in your free time?
In my free time, I’m outside – rock climbing, bicycling, and hiking. I plan to summit South Sister (the third tallest peak in Oregon) this summer.
Our careers website plays with the idea that “We’re not what you’d expect.” What can you share about yourself that might surprise people?
This year, I’m celebrating the holiday season unconventionally by going backpacking around Thailand for two weeks in December.
Want to join the Port of Portland Internship Program? Learn more and sign up for our job alerts now to receive email alerts when internships that match your interests become available.
