Experience Spotlight: Rex Laird ’26L Rex Laird spent a semester working for the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations in Washington, D.C.

Rex Laird ’26L

Rex Laird ‘26L is from New Orleans, Louisiana. He attended St. Olaf College, where he received a B.A. in Russian and philosophy. He went on to receive an M.A. in philosophy from Central European University. At W&L, Rex is a Lead Articles Editor for the Journal of Civil Rights and Social Justice, a research assistant, and has served as an advisor to the law school’s Phillip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court team.

Why did you choose to work at the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) for your externship?

One of the features of the Working in Law Full Time (WILF) program I was most interested in was the opportunity to get hands-on experience in a new area of the law. This seemed like a great opportunity to satisfy my curiosity about a type of practice I had no prior exposure to.  Additionally, since I’ll be moving to D.C. post-graduation, a semester working on the Hill felt like a great way to understand an important D.C. institution.

How did you secure this externship?

I applied directly to a posting on the Senate Employment Bulletin. For the interview, I found it was very helpful to have read up on the Senator’s policy priorities and the subcommittee’s recent investigations.

Describe your work experience and daily schedule.

Most days I would be working from 9 A.M. to 6 P.M. While most mornings would start with coffee from Cups, one of the Senate coffee shops, the rest of my day’s tasks would often vary. I was able to work with a number of attorneys on a few different investigations. Some days I would be focused on document review, other days would involve substantive document drafting. Some of the busiest times at PSI were preparing for Senate hearings. Before hearings, there would be a lot of additional background research to do and logistical work to make sure everything went smoothly.

What are some skills you developed?

One of my main goals over the semester was to become more skilled and confident at presenting my finished work product and findings. I had many opportunities over the course of the semester to hone these professional communications skills. In addition, I got a lot more experience with document review, which will be a useful and transferable skill for practice. Finally, I think I gained insight into the procedures and operations of the legislative branch.

What surprised you about the work you did during your externship?

Given the gravity of the government oversight and investigatory work PSI is responsible for, I was surprised how everyone made me feel like part of the team. The attorneys were always helpful, from helping the law clerks figure out how to navigate the Senate office buildings in the beginning, to getting the clerks integrated into the office’s workflows as the semester went on.

What was your favorite aspect of your experience?

The networking opportunities on Capitol Hill are second to none. It was great getting to meet people from so many offices, and it gave me a lot more insight into how the Hill operates. I’m hoping to maintain some of those relationships as I return to D.C.

Has this experience helped you figure out your post graduate plans, and if so how?

Getting to work on investigations helped cement my interest in dispute resolution practice after graduation. Even if my future work is broader than just investigations, I believe the fact-finding and issue spotting components of this experience will help me in the future. In law school, I found that I could really get immersed in the facts of a case, and taking documents and testimony and turning them into a compelling story are part of what I find most interesting about the work lawyers do.