Currently: A Web Developer UI/UX Intern at Willkie Farr & Gallagher

Sep 11, 2025

In May 2025 I accepted a remote internship offer from Willkie Farr & Gallagher. I joined the UI/UX team in June with the goal of contributing quickly, learning the firm’s systems, and proving I could add value on real work. I chose to extend through the end of 2025 because I am building momentum and the work is directly strengthening my skills in web development, interface design, and quality.

June in New York City

My first two days were on site at the AXA Equitable Center in New York City. I met the other interns, found my temporary desk, and toured the floors where my work would land. I had lunch with a fellow UI/UX intern, our manager, and a teammate. That meeting set expectations and gave me context for how to contribute right away. The building and the people made the scale real. Willkie operates around the world, and you can feel that reach in the pace and precision inside the office.

Onboarding moved quickly. I received training on the firm’s technology and file systems and learned how to handle access and storage correctly. The security requirements stood out. I slowed down where it mattered, confirmed paths and permissions, and built the habit of documenting small decisions. That discipline carried into everything I shipped afterward.

First week remote

I began remote work the same week. My first assignments focused on public facing headshots and attorney profile information. The goal was accuracy, consistency, and clean presentation. The work taught me the content systems and the review path while reinforcing that small details are not small on a global website. I learned the cadence of requests, updates, and approvals and kept communication clear so changes moved forward without friction.

In parallel I learned about the software that legal professionals rely on. Understanding those tools helped me place my work in context and support the team with useful output rather than adding steps for others. I focused on delivering what was asked, on time, with careful attention to layout, naming, and accessibility.

Internal apps with a low code platform

I started building and configuring internal mobile and web apps using an enterprise low code platform. The platform lets teams assemble screens, connect data, manage permissions, and ship internal tools without a full custom stack for every use case. I treated these builds like production work. I followed the design language, kept components consistent, and documented configuration so handoffs stayed smooth.

Quality and careful testing

I was introduced to the QA process and began assisting on demand. I verified behavior, checked layout, and recorded steps and expectations so feedback was specific and useful. This sharpened my own development workflow. Writing down what a change should do before I test it makes the work faster to review and easier to trust.

Growing scope

As my workload grew I moved into building HTML, CSS, and JavaScript pages that will later fit into a larger Angular project. I focused on components that integrate cleanly, follow spacing and typography rules, and preserve accessibility. This kept the velocity up while protecting standards. I also received training on how to handle cross functional requests since a teammate will be on maternity leave. With a lean team, coverage matters, so I learned how to triage requests and keep stakeholders informed as work moves forward.

Design to presentation

I kicked off a new project in Figma from a blank page, refined the designs with teammates, and saw our manager present them to leadership. The response was positive with clear notes for changes. Taking an idea from draft to presentation gave me a better feel for how to shape the next iteration and keep momentum while raising quality.

Where I am now

Today I am building pages for a larger project that attorneys will use across the firm. Some teammates are refining designs while others, including me, are building them. My day to day is a mix of coding, checking against the design system, writing review notes, and tightening the details that make a page reliable. I met with my manager for a touch base to review what is working, what needs attention, and where to focus for the rest of the year. The plan is clear and the path forward is concrete.

Looking ahead

I extended my internship through the end of 2025 because the work is building real skills that I use every day. I started with content accuracy and configuration. I moved into interface builds that will join a larger application. I am combining design, development, testing, and security awareness into a workflow that ships dependable work. I want to keep going and take ownership of a feature from design to production level quality.