By Michael Coles

My career goal: International attorney

Summer experience: Paid internship at Hastings Law Office, P.C., Penfield, New York

My role: I interact with clients and fellow attorneys and am involved in writing and reading various contracts and terms and conditions to facilitate and broaden my understanding of the world of business law.



What’s cool about this experience?

I never expected to be so interested in reading terms and conditions. Now that I have read and written a plethora of them for various types of companies, it has allowed me to see the importance of even the most minuscule things. Moreover, it has allowed me to appreciate how much time and effort people put into their jobs and careers, no matter how time-consuming it is.

What’s interesting about this organization?

Dave Hastings Law is important to me because of the values that they preach. They treat every client as if they’re one of their own, to the point where it’s not a client meeting, it’s a meeting between friends to determine the best and most beneficial way to facilitate their needs. That resonates strongly with me because of the impact that I want to have in my future when interacting with potential clients as a lawyer. I want to be able to pursue relationships that can last a lifetime, and every client meeting would be exemplary of the values that I have learned here so far.



Has this experience changed your perspective about yourself, or your potential to make a positive impact in your life's work?

I feel like this experience has allowed me to broaden my horizons and divulge an appreciation for all that lawyers do for the community.

This firm particularly focuses on smaller businesses, which is the hallmark of the Rochester community as they make up some of the most important businesses here. This work has shown me how important it is to make a positive impact and impression on customers, even if the customers are at the beginning of starting their own business. It has offered a nearly endless array of opportunities to work alongside any future clients, tackling and quantifying any future ambitions that they may have in the business world. One of my career goals in the future was to find a job where I would be able to help others flourish in a world so riddled with obstacles. My internship experience here has shown me that this can be achieved, and I will forever be grateful for what I have learned here.


How has Naz prepared or helped you to get the most out of this experience?

Naz’s many opportunities enabled me to search for an internship to support my goals, creating this wonderful opportunity for growth. As a political science major, I can intern for different places (political offices, law firms, town offices, etc.). The chance to interact with professionals in my home city has allowed me to appreciate the opportunities and experiences that Rochester has to offer for future careers.



Anything else that stands out about this experience?

To me, the most important part of this internship experience is the fact that I am able to learn on my own, with the support of the staff here. I have researched a lot for their cases and the work that they have been doing with their cases, which has allowed me to excel in a new environment because I learn best when I am able to figure things out on my own. They have a subscription to a company called Practical Law which has allowed me to educate myself further because it offers examples and explanations of what I have been researching. It provides a great supplement to what I have discussed/learned from the people here at Hastings Law Office, P.C.

Learn more about Nazareth's internship program.

Michael Coles '25 is studying history, political science, and French, plus a minor in music at Nazareth University.