This past summer, three Temple Law students completed the Center for Compliance and Ethics Summer Fellowship. They shared their experiences here:

Zoey Binder LAW ’22

This past summer I was a Compliance, Privacy & Legal intern at Novocure, a medical device company, based out of their Malvern, PA office. My interviews were scheduled in person the week that the Philadelphia area began to shut down but Novocure quickly pivoted and my interviews were seamlessly conducted virtually. Right from these discussions, I felt everyone’s passion for their jobs and collaborative spirit which led me to accepting their offer. My start date was scheduled for May but ultimately had to be pushed back as I was stuck outside of the country but that presented no issues as everyone was very accommodating to my circumstances.

Once I began (remotely), I was immediately introduced to an array of assignments from the compliance, legal and brand departments. Everyone was welcoming and approachable from the start. I was able to use my skill set on the policy work that I was doing and had the flexibility to sit in and observe any and all meetings that seemed interesting to me from 10-Q drafting sessions to grant review committee meetings to monitoring live speaker events. I also was part of Novocure’s company wide intern program where I learned about the various departments through weekly lunch and learn sessions. Throughout this semester I have continued to intern at Novocure. This internship introduced me to an area of the law that I knew nothing about but now feel very excited about!

Kristen Lewis LAW ’21

During my 2L summer, I interned with Tabula Rasa HealthCare Inc. which is a company using various forms of technology to improve, advance, and personalize healthcare. During my internship, I had the pleasure of working with the in-house legal team and the compliance team. My legal responsibilities included developing intellectual property training for current and incoming employees. I also assisted in creating and managing a trademark catalog. In my role as a compliance intern, I worked directly with the Chief of Compliance to draft and revise annual compliance training for the company. Similarly, I drafted internal policies in accordance with HIPAA, protected health information, and patient privacy laws.

My experience interning at TRHC was invaluable and immeasurable. Not only did I work with extremely knowledgeable and incredibly helpful attorneys but also, I learned so much about the ways in which law and compliance intersect. Although this internship was virtual— an accommodation made as a result of the 2020 pandemic—I always felt supported and appropriately guided through the tasks that were required of me. Moreover, I was encouraged to explore all aspects of the business which helped me to further understand the role of in-house counsel. Overall, I am extremely grateful that I had the opportunity to learn from both the legal and compliance teams. I would definitely recommend this internship to any students interested in healthcare and compliance.

Connor McElwee LAW ’21

This past summer I had the opportunity to join pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk, as a participant in the Center for Compliance and Ethics Summer Fellowship Program. Working in a compliance department is not your typical law school internship. I participated in meetings with compliance officers, information technology professionals and investigators who work to build and maintain a cohesive entity, one that is not siloed but is universally focused on a common mission. Issues that arise are solved with a focus on legal and business motivated solutions. Working in a robust compliance department for a major global organization is a unique law school experience.

I was assigned to both the Privacy Office, focusing on the ever-evolving data privacy legislation in the US, as well as in the Investigations section, developing skills in internal investigations and conducting interviews to resolve pharmaceutical compliance issues. A major benefit of the Fellowship Program is the diversity of work assignments. I improved my traditional legal research and writing skills while also developing skills in interviewing, corporate communications and business strategy. The opportunity to participate in this Fellowship allowed me to work with professionals who combine business and legal expertise in creating effective and productive compliance programs.