Gioia Fisk JD’24 spent the fall semester of her final academic year externing for U.S. District Court Judge Michael Simon. This coveted externship gave her more than just legal experience and “behind the curtain” access to judicial decision-making — it helped to set her on a path toward her current career.
For decades, Willamette Law’s externship program has opened doors to hands-on legal opportunities and crucial professional connections. In a field where networking matters as much as knowledge, Willamette Law’s vast network helped Fisk secure an associate position at Portland’s prestigious Hart Wagner LLP, where she leverages the judicial insight she gained during her externship while representing employers in high-stakes employment and civil rights litigation.
Learning at Willamette Law
When Fisk began her law school journey in 2021, she experienced the rare luxury of being able to fully immerse herself in her studies after juggling three jobs throughout her undergraduate studies. Fisk says that having the time to focus and delve into her studies was, “absolutely a privilege.” Her first-year professors challenged her and were excited to share their knowledge.
Under their guidance, she discovered that law school was transforming her thinking. “The frame of mind that law school teaches you and the meticulous way of approaching problems and being able to spot , diagnose , and break down legal issues into a likely outcome — it’s such a cool way to think,” she explains. “Everyone talks about how law school rewires your brain and I do feel that way. It puts a lot of the ways I already thought into a structure, which is a perfect fit for my personality.”
Fisk became involved in the Willamette University Public Interest Law Project during her first year, held the managing editor position for the Willamette Law Review, and was a teacher’s assistant for Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives and Associate Professor of Law Kelly Gamble’s first-year Lawyering Class as a 3L.
Finding a career through Willamette connections
During her first year, Fisk worked for the Oregon Department of Justice doing civil litigation. She knew she wanted experience doing something similar work outside of the government. A pivotal moment came through a Willamette connection — a friend’s mother, herself a Willamette alum, introduced Fisk to Karen O’Kasey, one of Oregon’s premier litigators and a partner at Hart Wagner.
That introduction led to a summer clerkship and ultimately a full-time offer — a rarity at a firm not known for hiring recent law graduates. “My work spoke for itself, but a lot of connections reinforced the opportunity.”
Willamette Law faculty leverage their professional relationships to champion students, like Fisk. Her success exemplifies the tight-knit legal community in Oregon where Willamette’s position and reputation helps students secure employment often before graduation. “I credit a lot of the opportunities I’ve gotten both during law school and post-grad because of those people advocating for me and me asking for their help,” she says.
Looking ahead, Fisk envisions eventually transitioning to legal academia, but for now, she is embracing the opportunity to build practical experience. “I’m so grateful for where I am at right now,” she says. “At each stage, it’s helpful to remember how hard you worked to get where you are at.”
