Carling Miller attends University of Illinois Chicago School of Law.
Q: Many of our interns come to us with unique backgrounds in the arts. Do you have any personal background in the arts?
A: No personal background, but I have always enjoyed supporting the arts by attending shows and visiting the Art Institute and other museums.
How did you hear about LCA?
Chris was a guest speaker in my LS2 class in spring of 2022, and he spoke about his work in IP but also about how LCA contributes to the arts. Since then, I had been hearing (what seemed like constantly) about LCA.
What did you expect? Did anything here surprise you?
I honestly don’t know what I expected, I did not realize that I would be having such one on one interactions with clients, or speaking with artists who have (in some cases) endured so much hardship.
Do you have any favorite moments or projects from your time with us?
Every time that a client tells me how much they appreciate my help or the services that they have been provided through LCA.
How has your experience at LCA connected with what you have been learning in law school?
This externship has tied many different things from law school into the real world. In between different clients or even in the middle of a single client intake I constantly have to be switching my brain between topics/designated classes in law school. These interactions with clients have allowed me to take these classroom concepts into real life scenarios.
Did you come into LCA hoping to get experience in a particular area of law? Have your interests changed at all?
I came into this externship wanting to get more experience in the field of IP, and through this experience I still want to pursue that goal.
What’s next for you? Has your time at LCA helped you to narrow your options?
Next semester, I will serve as the Candidacy Editor for UIC’s Review of Intellectual Property Law and I will continue to take IP classes, as well as try to extern at the UIC Trademark Clinic. I will also continue to work at my part-time law clerk job at an IP firm.
Do you hope to volunteer with LCA once you have your degree?
I think it would be an amazing experience to work with LCA once I become licensed. I would enjoy working on the other side of cases, and be able to help clients with not only intake, but also with the rest of their case as well.
What value does an organization like LCA add to the arts community?
LCA is adding exponential value to the arts community. Especially during COVID, when a lot of art exhibits had to close, or shows could not be put on, a lot of arts organizations and artists suffered. During the peak of COVID, it was a time of such isolation, the one thing that would bring joy and connection to the world was the arts. So, organizations like LCA are able to assist these artists in bringing light back into the community and help in bringing people back together.
Which tv-show/movie/song/book have you recently finished that you would recommend?
I recently finished reading The Silent Patient and would highly recommend for anyone interested in a psychological thriller that you cannot put down.
Thank you Carling Miller for all of your hard work as an intern this quarter! Check the website or follow us on social media for future intern profiles and other exciting content.