My internship with Carlson Law

Name: Josh Goldberg

Hometown: Weston, FL

What degree are you seeking? JD 2022

Where did you intern?
This spring semester I had the opportunity to intern at Carlson Law in Miami Beach. I worked alongside attorney Chase Carlson, who is a 2010 FIU Law alumnus [he also holds a Master of Science in Finance from FIU] and the founder of Carlson Law. The firm specializes in representing investors, many of whom are athletes, against financial advisors, investment advisors, brokerage and wealth management firms. Mr. Carlson has been featured in the Washington Post and is often sought out as counsel as the go-to attorney athletes hire to recover their money. 

What was your role there?
I was a legal intern and was Mr. Carlson’s first-ever intern. I was also able to receive course credit through FIU Law’s Externship program.

Were there particular projects/cases on which you worked?
While the identities of my clients have to remain confidential, I can say that I worked on cases involving former Major League Baseball players, a retired NFL player and a professional boxer. The public often hears the unfortunate stories about athletes going broke and getting taken advantage of by financial advisors. It was very eye-opening to work closely on cases and see the inner dealings of how some bad advisors take advantage of and defraud athletes.

What was the best thing about your experience?
The best part of my internship experience was being able to attend client meetings with Mr. Carlson. Although I was only an intern, having the trust of both Mr. Carlson and our clients made me feel more confident in my legal work.

Working for an FIU Law alumnus was great because Mr. Carlson was aware of my courseload and flexible in allowing me to balance my hours in the classroom and in the office. As president of the Sports, Entertainment, Fashion and Art Law Society, I was able to plan FIU Law’s first-ever symposium on the subject, and I was able to take the week off of work to focus on moderating the week-long event. With the symposium being fully virtual this year, I was able to procure speakers from across the country and have law students from all over attend. I’m looking forward to planning an in-person symposium next spring, and I am hoping to get more FIU Law alumni involved to come back to the campus to speak on various topics throughout the sports and entertainment world.

How did this internship prepare you for your future career?
As an aspiring sports attorney, working in a legal environment where many of the firm’s clients were athletes exposed me to not only the intricacies of law but also the lawyer-client relationship and understanding how to advise and work with athletes through their legal issues. I’m extremely grateful I was able to build a relationship with my boss, Mr. Carlson, and hone my legal skills while also expanding my professional sports industry network.

What advice do you have for those seeking an internship?
I believe the best way to find an internship is through networking. LinkedIn has been a great resource to connect with like-minded professionals. I’ve also been able to utilize Twitter to share my professional thoughts and engage in conversations with people I may have never met in-person. Feel free to add me on LinkedIn or connect with me on Twitter @IamJoshGoldberg.

How do you plan to take your experience forward?
As a rising 3L, I am hoping to cement a legacy at FIU Law and leave behind a well-established Sports, Entertainment, Fashion and Art Law Society that can continue to engage students and provide networking opportunities for law students looking to enter those fields. I hope 10 years from now, SEFA’s annual symposium will still be going and many FIU Law alumni will be involved in coming back to speak on panels.

Aside from being a full-time law student, I also run my own media and marketing company, Light Social Digital, where I create content and help with marketing many professional athletes. Upon graduating law school and taking the bar exam, I also plan on taking the NFLPA agent exam and becoming a licensed agent.