Cited by publications such as Outside Magazine, U.S. News and World Report, Forbes, and Fortune Magazine for its high quality of living and recreational opportunities, Boise has a lot to offer its residents with economic opportunities as well. Not only does Boise have its share of large law firms, it is also the headquarters of several major companies, including companies in the high-tech industry, such as Micron Technology and Hewlett Packard. Situated along the Boise River with its lengthy Boise River Greenbelt, and 16 miles from Bogus Basin Ski Resort, Boise also offers outdoor enthusiasts many options. Then, of course, there is Boise State University, and its famous blue football turf (although we expect you would continue to wear your Utes red with pride). So if in your career search you have not yet considered the Idaho capital, maybe you should?
This week we feature two S.J. Quinney alums who did just that and have found successful careers in Boise–Daniel Peterson and Damaris Fisher.
Daniel Peterson, 2011 SJQ, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney at Ada County Prosecuting Office
What do you do?
I am a deputy prosecuting attorney at the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office in Boise, Idaho. I manage a criminal case load which consists of traffic infractions, fish and game violations, and general misdemeanors. I represent the county at pre-trial conferences, motion hearings, bench and jury trials, and felony arraignments.
Where are you from and where did you go to law school?
I am originally from Blackfoot, Idaho but I grew up in Willard, Utah. I graduated from the S.J. Qunney College of Law in 2011.
What kind of activities did you do in law school?
During my first year of law school, I did my best to keep my head above water. After getting the hang of things, I participated in the Traynor Moot Court Competition, the Global Justice Think Tank, the Family Law Clinic, the Criminal Law Clinic, and the ABA National Negotiation Competition.
How did you first make contact with your employer and how did you get this job?
Ada County came to On Campus Interviews during my 2L year. I met with a hiring representative, we hit it off during the interview, and I was later invited to participate in a summer internship. I moved to Boise for the summer, fell in love with the work and the town, and pestered the Prosecutor’s Office until they agreed to hire me. I started work shortly after sitting for the bar last summer.
What does your typical day involve for you/your work?
My mornings consist of court appearances. I spend my afternoons in my office preparing for court. Most of my preparation time consists of responding to discovery requests, drafting plea offers, responding to motions, and preparing witnesses for trial.
What are the best parts of your job?
I work with great people! Ada County takes a very collaborative, horizontal approach to prosecution. I prepare cases that are handled in court by other attorneys in my division and I, in turn, handle cases that have been prepared by others. By far, the best part of my job is the relationships I have formed with my fellow attorneys. I also enjoy the fact that I believe in what I’m doing. My office encourages its prosecutors to seek justice and it is satisfying to work, every day, toward that goal.
What tips and advice do you have job-seeking students and/or alum?
Stay positive, be persistent, and build real relationships. We’ve had several interns work their way through the office while I have been here. Those that are favored by the recruiting attorneys are those that seem confident about their future, make friends outside of the office, and regularly check up on the status of hiring. I would also recommend offering free labor and then performing that labor skillfully.
Damaris Fisher, 1999 SJQ, Assistant General Counsel with Micron Technology, Boise’s largest private employer.
What do you do?
I am Assistant General Counsel with Micron Technology, Inc. (“Micron”), a global semiconductor manufacturer. My practice supports Micron’s international operations in a number of disciplines, including: environmental, mergers and acquisitions, and services relationships.
Where are you from and where did you go to law school?
I am originally from the East Coast, having graduated from high school in Westport, Connecticut and Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. Following college, I moved to Washington, D.C. and worked in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate before heading to the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law.
What kind of activities did you do in law school?
I participated in moot court, was a Legal Writing TA and served as a member of the Law Review.
How did you first make contact with your employer and how did you get this job?
Micron reached out to me when I was in private practice at Thompson Hine in Cleveland, Ohio, where I had practiced since the conclusion of my clerkship with Judge Dee V. Benson at the U.S. District Court, District of Utah. I was a sixth year associate at the time. Micron had first attempted to recruit fellow-alumna Teresa Hill (now a partner at Stoel Rives here in Boise) for my position, but when she declined the opportunity, she gave Micron my contact information and a strong recommendation in my favor. The rest, as they say, is history.
What does your typical day involve for you/your work?
No day is typical – which I love. In the same day I may help coordinate the sale of a business unit, counsel a manufacturing site on environmental compliance, negotiate the outsourcing of certain services, and/or work with foreign counsel on the filing of security interests in a foreign jurisdiction.
What are the best (and worst, if you want) parts of your job?
The best part of working at an international high-tech company in Boise, Idaho is that I have a constant stream of cutting-edge, world-class legal work – but enjoy the lifestyle of a small Northwestern city. The downside can be accommodating international time zones, which translates into very late nights or very early mornings on occasion.
What tips and advice do you have job-seeking students and/or alum?
Overall, the best thing to do is to be the type of lawyer and law student that other lawyers, classmates and professors feel confident recommending. Many of my key opportunities came from classmates and colleagues who passed my name on without my prompting or knowledge. My advice to younger lawyers starting out is to stay focused on developing the type of practice you want to enjoy over the long term, even if your initial opportunities lead you slightly off-course from your intended professional development path. At the end of the day, if you need to part ways with your employer, you still have your license and all the expertise you have cultivated and will eventually find opportunities to “get back on track.” As for lawyers seeking to go in-house, I would recommend starting out with a “big” or well-established firm, and then seek in-house opportunities 5-6 years in. I would further advise that anyone seeking to go in-house have patience with the process. From the time I decided I was interested in the in-house path, it took a couple of years to find the right fit. It was worth the wait.