Suzanne McGrath
Law School: Brooklyn Law School
Bio: Suzanne is a J.D. candidate at Brooklyn Law School, where she will soon begin her 2L year. Prior to law school, she graduated from Vanderbilt University with a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in Spanish. After graduating, she moved to New York, where she worked as a paralegal for the Capital Markets Group at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, assisting attorneys with transactional work in the CMBS space. She is a junior member of the Board of Directors at Adam J. Lewis Academy, an independent co-educational day school dedicated to providing an enriched and nurturing education to underserved families in the greater Bridgeport, CT community. She grew up in Fairfield, Connecticut, and enjoys music, tennis, and spending time with friends and family.
Favorite part of working at the Mass Tort Institute:
My favorite part of working at the Mass Tort Institute is how open and receptive the team was in sourcing meaningful and productive assignments for me as a legal intern. I was pleasantly surprised to learn how thoughtful my managers were in assigning work that (a) bolstered my understanding of the aim and scope of MTI’s work, but also (b) enabled me to put my skills to work towards tasks that interested me, as an intern, as well.
Most valuable lesson learned while working at the Mass Tort Institute:
One of the most valuable lessons I have learned while working at the Mass Tort Institute is the importance of asking questions when you need to, and trusting your ability to put your skills (from your education, professional experience, etc.) to work on assignments and projects for the MTI team. While some work I’ve assisted with has been familiar, other tasks have been new or foreign to me; trusting my own abilities and performance as an intern, and trusting the MTI team to provide honest and constructive feedback has made my work feel meaningful and productive.
Advice to future Mass Tort Institute interns:
To future Mass Tort Institute interns, I recommend keeping an open mind about what work or types of assignments you are hoping to complete. I entered the role with the hope of contributing to some kind of research but otherwise communicated my openness and willingness to try my hand in other areas where the MTI team could use an extra. With an open mind and flexible approach to the internship role, I fulfilled my goal of completing research on various topics, but also gained experience in new areas of work I hadn’t expected, such as writing, completing and giving feedback on MTI courses, and attending company conversations about MTI’s mission and how each staff member works to further serve that mission. In sum, MTI provides an extremely supportive environment where your interests as an intern are factored into the work you do — approaching the internship with openness and enthusiasm to learn is, in my opinion, one of the best ways to ensure your growth and success in the role, for the betterment of both your experience and MTI’s.
Where you’d like to be in 5 years:
In five years, I would like to be a licensed attorney practicing in a space that is interesting and meaningful to me and beneficial to others. I would like to be in New York City, but would also like to remain in contact (and creating new connections) with people outside of New York and across the country. (Ideally, across the globe!) Lastly, while my specific practice area remains to be decided, I hope I am in a role that values work-life balance and mental and physical wellness as much as the Mass Tort Institute does.
Antoinette Muimi
Law School: Strathmore University
Bio: Antoinette is a committed law school graduate from Strathmore University in Nairobi, Kenya. Her passion for law primarily cultivated from witnessing her uncle, a judge in the Court of Appeal in Kenya, navigate the murky waters of a young democratic nation plagued by impunity, with ambitious goals to strengthen its accountability. She is currently a legal intern at the Mass Tort Institute and also at Bashasha and Company Advocates, a law firm based in Kenya and Uganda. In 2020 she had the pleasant opportunity of being the Programs Lead at the United Nations Sustainable Development Network (Youth) as well as being the Under-Secretary General at the Strathmore Law Clinic. She aspires to be a well-known lawyer and knows the journey to reach that goal is not just a bed of roses and it will take hard work and dedication.
Favorite part of working at the Mass Tort Institute:
My favorite part about working at the Mass Tort Institute is the fact that I can work remotely, which has given me international exposure. I also like the fact that I am able to choose my working hours and my bosses are lovely people who are always ready to assist me in any way.
Most valuable lesson learned while working at the Mass Tort Institute:
Don’t be scared to ask questions. Majority of the time I am doing something that is absolutely new to me. It is okay not to know how to do something. What is not acceptable is if you make a mistake because you were too afraid to ask for help. You can’t learn unless you ask questions.
Advice to future Mass Tort Institute interns:
What you put in is what you get out. You are ultimately responsible for determining if your internship was a waste of time or a worthwhile experience. What you learn during an internship can be very valuable and enlightening if you put in the effort and step out of your comfort zone.
Where you’d like to be in 5 years:
In 5 years, time I would like to work with companies in the sustainability sector or international organizations such as the World Bank or World Food Programme.
The Mass Tort Institute is a consortium of industry leaders dedicated to providing education, training, and networking opportunities for those advocating on behalf of mass tort victims.
