Our annual Student Summer Series presents first-person reflections from Berkeley Law students who are involved in an array of compelling summer work experiences. These snapshots of students’ career-enhancing work and skill development — across the legal spectrum — highlight the meaningful opportunities they gain, often in partnership with the school’s Career Development Office.
Just a bit more than three years removed from college, Hannah Pigg ’26 has already developed an intriguing resume. While an undergrad at UC Santa Barbara, she worked on campus as an academic advisor and off campus as a runway and commercial model for the Scout Model & Talent Agency. After graduating, she spent a year in Taiwan teaching English as a second language. A self-described history junkie pursuing a corporate law career, Pigg was one of 10 students on this year’s Berkeley Law Alternative Service Trip to Alaska, offering vital pro bono legal services to underserved and overburdened communities there.
Below, she unpacks her varied responsibilities as a summer legal intern at Albertsons Companies, Inc., the second largest supermarket chain in North America.
I often find myself reflecting on the unique experiences that have shaped my approach to business law. My career path thus far has been anything but conventional; I’ve worked as an academic advisor in sunny Santa Barbara, modeled for fashion giants like Tory Burch, and taught English in Taiwan during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although law school was a goal of mine, I didn’t understand in undergrad that these experiences would eventually equip me with the tools that successful business lawyers possess: interpersonal skills, adaptability, and the ability to problem-solve. Law school and my 1L summer internship at Albertsons Companies, Inc. has been a platform to apply these diverse skills in a legal context.
At Berkeley Law, I’ve been able to study contract law, international business transactions, and the ever-changing legal policies that are unique to the State of California. Both Contracts and International Business Transactions required extensive practice in drafting, interpreting, and reviewing contracts.
This hands-on experience matches my role as a legal intern within the Albertsons and Safeway legal department. My duties involve contract review, responding to discrimination complaints filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and ensuring compliance with labor and employment laws across various jurisdictions.
This internship has been invaluable because I have the opportunity to observe the intersection of law and people’s everyday lives. Albertsons Companies has over 2,250 stores across 34 states, serving 30 million customers weekly. It employs over 285,000 people, highlighting the direct impact of its policies and operations on both customers and employees.
At Albertsons, I’ve enjoyed working with litigators and transactional attorneys. I’m not only working on contract-related assignments, but I’ve gotten to dip my toes in litigation, real estate law, pharmaceutical law, and privacy law. I’ve even gotten the chance to sit in on a seven-hour mediation and respond to a customer complaint filed with an attorney general.
It has been challenging, but fascinating learning how laws and regulations vary state-by-state. For example, Oklahoma’s laws regulating the sale of drugs and alcohol are much different from California’s.
As a rising 2L, it is clear now how my work experience has prepared me for a career in business law. As an academic advisor, I honed my ability to provide guidance on compliance, making sure that students followed institutional policies, much like advising businesses on regulatory compliance and employment standards.
In the fashion industry, every detail matters, and this attention to detail is crucial in contract law. Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating contracts requires precision and a keen eye to ensure that all terms are clear and enforceable.
Through teaching, I developed advocacy skills and learned about workplace dynamics. Advocating for students’ needs and managing classroom conflicts translate into advocating for employees’ rights and resolving workplace disputes in the legal context.
As I advance through law school, I am confident that these experiences will continue to inform and enrich my approach to business law. My goal is to serve my clients in a well-informed and ethical manner and make a lasting impact in the corporate world.