Adam’s experience in the MPWC supported him in his journey to law.
Where he is now | Adam Orr, ’12, is a federal attorney for the U.S. Department of Energy. He acts as a principle legal advisor by negotiating, composing, and reviewing federal contracts and financial assistance documents. His work often involves researching specific laws and writing documents to show how the laws apply to specific legal issues. Some of Adam’s current projects include working on a settlement agreement with the Assistant U.S. Attorney and a services agreement with the Department of Commerce. His work earned him an award from the DOE Office of Science Fields Operations Organization.
How he got there | After receiving his B.A. Adam worked as a technical writer for Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). There he interacted with government attorneys, which sparked his interest in federal environmental law. He said, “After speaking with numerous attorneys at both LANL and in other practice areas about becoming an attorney, I noticed they all had one piece of advice in common: being a good lawyer means being a good writer—focus on becoming the best writer you can. So I did.”
That’s when Adam enrolled in UMass Dartmouth’s Master in Professional Writing program, where he focused on the “juxtaposition of legal and technical writing”. Technical writing as a process of conveying complex information to a wide audience helped him frame the work he would do as an attorney. He then spent three years in law school and worked for the DOE in Chicago on the Illinois Pollution Control Board. Adam reached his goal of working for the federal government, and opened many doors for future opportunities. His skills can be adapted to any agency that engages in federal contracting, and he regularly receives messages from law schools seeking legal professors. “The teaching fellowship opportunity through the MAPW program is a great way to break into teaching at the collegiate level” he said.
Adam’s advice for aspiring writers | The final thesis project gave Adam the opportunity to bridge the gap between his previous technical writing experience and his future goals of becoming a federal attorney. His experience as a teaching fellow and coursework in grant writing helped prepare Adam for his long-term goals. Adam recommends that students in the MPWC use their time in the program to build their brand, tell their story, and network. “UMD has some of the most qualified and talented communication professionals I’ve had the opportunity to work with” he said.
