Muhlenberg athletes are spending the summer of 2026 enjoying fantastic experiences on campus, in their hometowns, across the country, and even around the world.

Baseball rising senior Spencer Hobson, a double major in political science and business administration, caught a legal internship at Crum & Forster and got a firsthand look at the everyday work of attorneys.

This summer, I have been working as a legal intern at Crum & Forster, a leading property and casualty insurance company, where I have gained firsthand experience with the legal side of corporate operations, particularly contract law. I decided to pursue this internship because I plan to apply to law school this fall, and I wanted practical experience that would expose me to the everyday work of attorneys.

It has been an incredible opportunity to see how the legal concepts I have studied are applied in a business setting while developing skills that I know will stay with me throughout my legal career.

One of the most rewarding projects I worked on was creating a Service Level Agreement (SLA) addendum for cloud-based software agreements. I developed a tiered severity system that defined different levels of service disruptions, from Level 1 critical issues, such as complete production outages, major security breaches, and significant data loss, to Level 2 issues involving major functionality impairments that affect essential business operations, such as payment processing failures or reporting outages.

I also categorized each severity level with appropriate response and resolution targets. It was rewarding to contribute to a project that will continue to be used by the legal department moving forward. In addition, I worked with our legal AI platform, IVO, to help code and review nondisclosure agreements.  This process improved efficiency by reducing turnaround times and providing stronger support during negotiations with outside parties.

Beyond contract review, I had the opportunity to sit in on mediations and observe the strategies used by our in-house attorneys, including bracketing techniques and discussions involving subrogation waivers. Watching experienced attorneys negotiate disputes gave me a new appreciation for the strategic and practical side of the legal profession. It was fascinating to see how much preparation, communication, and problem-solving went into reaching a resolution.

One of the highlights of my internship was attending an off-site meeting where I met members of the company's legal, compliance, and regulatory teams. Taking my first business trip, meeting professionals from across the organization, and getting a firsthand look at corporate life made the experience especially memorable.

Ultimately, this internship has strengthened my interest in pursuing law and confirmed that it is the right path for me. More importantly, it has shown me the importance of communication, analytical thinking, adaptability, and attention to detail in the legal profession.

My professors in Muhlenberg's Political Science Department have played a major role in preparing me for this experience. Dr. Lindsay Burt, Dr. Mohsin Hashim, and Professor Christopher Borick challenged me to become a stronger writer, researcher, and critical thinker while inspiring me to pursue a career in law. Thanks to their guidance and this internship, I feel much more confident and excited as I prepare for the next chapter.