Looking back at my time in Washington DC, I am so relieved that I made the extra effort to secure an amazing internship. Everyone at K&L Gates ensured that my experience was a positive one and that I learned about Capitol Hill and the legislative process.

Back in the summer, I asked each organization I interviewed with about how the election would impact the legislative season. Many organizations hired fewer interns in what was expected to be a slow pre-election and lame duck session. The economic crisis changed all of that. I watched so many committee hearings that Barney Frank seemed like the third candidate running for the presidency.

Covering the election was also a fun task. On election night, I partied with the Virginia Democrats. The next morning I worked on compiling a massive election guide encompassing every congressional election. This guide posted on the K&L Gates website on the day after the election and included possible committee changes and all election losses. (It’s available for download here, in case anyone is interested.)