Insight From the Intern

By Mike Swanson

Mike Swanson, an undergraduate at Tulane University, interned at Gavin/Solmonese this summer. He shares his experiences learning about corporate restructuring and getting a firsthand look into the inner workings of the firm.

I’ve never learned so much in one summer. The opportunity to intern at Gavin/Solmonese was an overwhelmingly positive one. From my first day to my last, everyone was welcoming and helpful.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first started. I knew relatively little about corporate restructuring or even working in an office. My two months at Gavin/Solmonese were filled with new experiences— every day I came to work was a new adventure. I got the chance to go to court on existing cases, and saw how the firm scouts and gets new business. I was part of the preparation for marketing to potential new clients and even travelled to Chicago to participate in a § 363 auction and sale hearing. There was always a patient Gavin/Solmonese team member there to explain all of these issues. They understood my limited knowledge of the topics and never failed to make a complex subject understandable.

I quickly learned the basics of a very complex field. Coming into this internship, I knew it would be challenging, but all the projects I did helped familiarize myself with the firm and its clients. Even routine filing projects gave me opportunities to look at many documents and better understand the information, correspondence and time necessary to get a company turned around.

Something that really impressed me was the weekly Monday team meetings. It was interesting to see how a firm with locations all over the country stays on the same page and seamlessly works together. The weekly meetings give everyone a chance to connect. These meetings boost teamwork and maintain the firm’s efficient and coherent identity.

I had the opportunity to learn about a sector of the business world I knew little about. It’s virtually impossible as an undergraduate student to take courses directly related to bankruptcy and turnaround work, so I feel I got a truly unique experience. I thank everyone at Gavin/Solmonese for helping me and making my summer a great one!