Discover a 3L’s journey to landing her dream externship at the Authors Guild
As a lifelong book lover and writer, third-year Belmont College of Law student Gabrielle Armer’s journey to law school was less conventional than most.
As an honors creative writing and marketing student at the University of Central Arkansas, Armer discovered an unexpected path to law through two influential mentors: Cindy Lea, a female lawyer and professor who taught a course on gay rights in the Constitution, and Erin Wood, a book lawyer who worked at Et Alia Press, where Armer was an intern.
“Between the two of them, it really changed my idea of what being a lawyer looks like," Armer said. “I come from a super creative background, and I saw myself as this artistic type. Through interacting with them, I got to see that an attorney can also look like me.”
Drawn by Belmont’s reputable entertainment law program and its proximity to her home in Arkansas, Armer knew it was the right fit for law school.
Building Her Own Path
Since coming to Belmont Law, Armer has embraced the chance to chart her own course.
“When I began studying law, I realized there was this whole world of book law that combined my passions for creativity and advocacy.”
Through the Entertainment Law Society student organization, she connected with mentors in book publishing and leveraged WriterFest Nashville, an annual Belmont-hosted event, to expand her network.
Her persistence led her to boldly pursue and land her dream externship with the Authors Guild, the nation’s oldest and largest professional organization for writers.
“The mindset of ‘why not?’ has shaped me,” she explained. “What’s the worst that can happen? They say no. But sometimes, they say yes.”
That tenacious mindset led her to cold email Mike Gross, the Guild’s Legal Services Director, whose contact information she had saved after meeting him at a networking event years earlier.
Belmont's Experiential Learning Program also proved crucial in securing the Authors Guild externship. Since New York state requires academic credit for unpaid internships, the program enabled Armer to receive credit for her remote work with the New York-based organization.
“The program is intentionally designed for students to blaze their own trail by letting us go out and find the jobs we want,” she said. “For me, this was very freeing because I have a very niche career interest.”
Though remote, Armer made her first trip to New York City for her off-boarding interview, which turned into a semester-long extension.
Finding Purpose in Practice
For Armer, the externship was more than résumé building; it was confirmation.
“This really is my dream job,” she said. “I was nervous at first — what if I got exactly what I wanted and didn’t love it? But I did love it. It affirmed that this is my purpose: to help creatives and writers.”
In one case, Armer’s contract review uncovered misapplied royalty deductions, ultimately saving an author $1,100.
“Authors don’t make much money,” she said. “Removing even one obstacle can mean the world to them. That moment showed me how much I’d grown through law school, and how much impact this work can have.”
Advice for Future Trailblazers
Now in her final year at Belmont Law, Armer encourages fellow students to be proactive and persistent in pursuing nontraditional paths.
“Don’t be afraid to ask,” she advised. “And remember, no networking is wasted. Even if nothing comes of a meeting today, you’re building connections that may matter years down the road.”
For Armer, those connections — and her willingness to chase them — are paying off. With each step, she is not only shaping her own future but also paving the way for future Belmont students to follow in her footsteps into the world of book law.
Learn more about the program in this story.