As a people business, politics allows us to do everything from crossing paths with, to having long professional relationships with, very interesting and outstanding individuals. At MLC we’re extremely fortunate to have that opportunity with our clients, some of whom we’ve represented for over 50 years.

The same can be said for so many others we’ve worked with starting within the walls of our firm to legislators and staff. Some are still in town, others have moved on, either of their own choosing, term limits, or on occasion, the voters.

But there is another group of outstanding people MLC has come into contact with, albeit only for months at a time.  Our talented interns.

We mainly hire from Albion College, Hillsdale College, and Michigan State University, though a couple other schools are also represented. We have a skills and academic profile on which we hire, and it has served the firm and interns well.

MLC receives a professional level work product for our investment – yes, we pay our interns – and the intern receives an excellent work experience. They cover committee hearings, conduct issue research, draft memorandum, and are assigned long-term projects to manage and complete.

But the most valuable part of having these fine men and women as interns, is they become a member of our team, even only for awhile.  We develop a bond with them and are invested in their futures.  Because the quality of our government will be reflected by the quality of the people who constitute it in, we invest our time in their education and understanding of government.  In addition to the skills and academic profile, we hire interns with a passion for government, policy, and politics.  It’s our hope that we are helping to build the pipeline of quality people who will one day make up a part of our government, either here in Lansing, DC, or some other location in the United States.

A quick look shows our graduates include 3 practicing attorneys, 3 in law school, 4 legislative staffers in the Michigan House, 1 manager at an international consulting firm, 1 works for a city manager, 1 went to serve in the Peace Corp and 1 is in corporate sales preparing for a career in cyber security.

I think we’ve done our part to help them gain a solid, early footing.  But the future is in good hands because of who these interns are as individuals!

Michigan Legislative Consultants is a bipartisan lobbying firm based in Lansing, Michigan. Our team of lobbyists and procurement specialists provide a wide range of services for some of the most respected companies in America. For more on MLC, visit www.mlcmi.com or connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.