Ariel Diamond is no stranger to Washington, D.C. The South Dakota native first interned in the U.S. capital city with U.S. Sen. Mark Udall before starting her senior year at CMU.
Now eight years later, she lives there full time. She works as an associate attorney in the telecommunications group at DLA Piper, one of the biggest global law firms in the world.
“Most companies I work with are trying to connect the world. My job brings a lot of hope and opportunities for people, which is what I love,” said Diamond.
Her involvement in CMU’s Associated Student Government (ASG) was the driving force behind her budding interest in legal policy. She added political science as a minor to her English literature major, and helped to establish The Women and Gender Studies minor with Associate Professor of English Jennifer Hancock, PhD.
“I had so many opportunities at Mesa,” said Diamond. “There aren’t many universities that are so accommodating and focused on developing students both academically and outside the classroom.”
ASG also introduced her to the power of writing, law and advocacy — all of which steered her in the direction of law school.
“I also met people with law degrees who were doing great things for the university and in the community,” said Diamond. “My real desire was not to practice law in a traditional sense, but to use it as a tool for finding my way into the policy I wanted to work on.”
In law school at CU Boulder, Diamond served as editor in chief for Colorado Technology Law Journal and became active in Silicon Flatirons, a student group that propels the future of law, policy and entrepreneurship in the digital age. She earned a place in the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Attorney Honors Program, which brought her to D.C. full time after graduating in 2017.
DLA Piper recruited her just a year later. In her current role, she advises telecommunications industry members on regulatory, legislative and compliance issues at the state and federal levels. The issues typically involve matters before public utility commissions, the FCC and Congress.
“Mentors and internships are critical to success in any field,” said Diamond. “Mine is one of those success stories that worked out through a series of very guided mentorships — all the way from ASG to where I’m at now.”