This week, we’re highlighting another outstanding Legal Intern at Charlotte Water. I got to have a great conversation with Rose Soltani, who has spent her summer exploring how municipal law plays a direct role in our everyday lives. Her experience has taken her from legal research and compliance review to special tours with the City Attorney’s Office, all while staying rooted in her hometown.

Q1: What school do you go to and what do you study?

Originally from Charlotte, Rose is a rising second-year law student at American University’s Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C. Before law school, she earned her undergraduate degree with a major in Business Administration and a Marketing concentration from NC State. When discussing being in Charlotte again for the internship, Rose commented, “I love Charlotte, and being able to give back to the community while doing an internship is amazing.”

Q2: What has surprised you the most?

One of Rose’s biggest takeaways is realizing how much happens at the local level. “People usually think about the federal government when they think about law,” she shared, “but local government decisions are the ones that impact people’s daily lives the most. I didn’t realize how much goes into municipal law until I saw it up close.” She also added that this experience has shown her that she could work in the public sector right out of law school or later in her career.

Q3: Do you have any mentors or coworkers who have helped shape your experience?

Rose has enjoyed every one of her coworkers, always taking pictures of their adventures and checking in on each other. She credits her colleague Ann Allen with making her experience especially impactful, stating, “Ann has been the best mentor; she has done private sector work in the past, and it’s great to see her perspective shifting to the public sector. She’s smart, kind, and really knows what she’s doing.”

Q4: What has been your favorite Summer Intern Exploration activity so far?

One of Rose’s favorite activities has been touring the Stowe Regional Water Resource Recovery Facility, a massive project currently under construction. “Working in legal, we’ve heard a lot about Stowe behind the scenes, so it was cool to see it in action,” she said. She also loved touring the courthouse with the City Attorney’s Office, where she got a firsthand look at the legal process and even observed a plea deal.

As she heads into her second year of law school, Rose is taking with her a deeper understanding and appreciation of local government’s role in our everyday life, as well as a newfound interest in public sector work. In the future, whether her path leads to business law, real estate, or something entirely unexpected, one thing is clear: she’s leaving this summer with valuable experience, meaningful connections, and a strong connection to the city she calls home!

So far, you’ve met interns from GIS and the Planning department. Let’s go behind the scenes and learn about someone from the team who ensures Charlotte Water operates within legal frameworks and navigates complex regulatory requirements. Today, I talked with Beatriz Romero Santiago, a law student from Houston, Texas, who’s gaining hands-on legal experience through her internship with Charlotte Water.

Q1: What school do you go to and what do you study?

Beatriz is pursuing her Juris Doctor at Regent University after earning her Economics and International Affairs undergraduate degree from Gordon College in Massachusetts. “I’ve been really lucky to have amazing professors at all of my schools,” she shared. Her academic background makes her a great candidate for interning at Charlotte Water due to her strong foundation in policy and law.

Q2: What kind of projects have you worked on during your internship?

During her internship, Beatriz has contributed to writing memos for various cases, assisted with legal research, and even participated in department meetings to help troubleshoot real-world issues. Her team also reviews contracts before they’re signed to ensure they’re up to par. “We get called in when there’s a problem,” she explained. From there, she will help by researching and working with her team to determine the best way forward.  

Q3: What’s something you didn’t expect to learn?

One thing that stood out to Beatriz during her time at Charlotte Water was the sheer scale and complexity of the utility. “I didn’t know how big a water department could be or how it works as a business, and especially how they’re still expanding while helping out smaller cities around us,” she says. She found it particularly interesting to learn how public utilities operate compared to private sector businesses.

Q4: How do you see this internship helping you in your future career?

Beatriz says the hands-on nature of the internship has been a valuable contrast to the theory-heavy approach of law school. “In school, we don’t really see how cases get filed or how lawyers interact with clients and other attorneys,” she noted. “This gave me a glimpse into how everything works.” The experience has helped solidify her goal of becoming a lawyer, though she’s still exploring whether that path will lead her to immigration law or estate planning.

From reviewing contracts to exploring behind-the-scenes legal processes, Beatriz’s summer at Charlotte Water has been both eye-opening and inspiring. Her experience shows how internships can bridge the gap between classroom theory and real-world application, which benefits both the intern and the organization. With her thoughtful approach and strong academic background, there’s no doubt she’ll make a meaningful impact, wherever her law degree takes her!