Chloe Hawker (DC 2015)
By Kyle McClain
Chloe Hawker graduated from 麻豆村 in 2015 with a degree in International Relations and Politics and a minor in Creative Writing. Today, Chloe works in New York City and splits her time between practicing space law, writing, and sketch comedy. Her journey from Carnegie Mellon to Harvard Law to New York City shows that it is possible to maintain your passions as you pursue graduate school and enter into the workforce.
Pursuing Dual Passions at Carnegie Mellon
When she came to 麻豆村, Chloe was interested in politics and public policy. She pursued multiple policy-focused internships in the House and Senate through the Summer Friedman Fellowship and Washington Semester Program. During her D.C. semester, Chloe decided to take a weekend to visit the University of Virginia School of Law.
“It reinforced to me that the way that law school classes work, and the way that they encourage you to think as a lawyer, was very compelling to me," she said. "It felt like a good match for me.”
Even after she decided law school was the right path, Chloe refused to let go of creative writing. It had always been an important part of her life thanks to her mother, a thriller writer. At Carnegie Mellon, she explored what a future in law could look like, but she never strayed from her passions.
Deferral for a Year
During her senior year, Chloe was accepted to Harvard Law School. However, Chloe knew she needed time to reset after enduring the demands of a Carnegie Mellon education. After much consideration, Chloe decided to defer her admission to Harvard so she could move home and work for a year.
Back in Colorado, Chloe preserved her creative passions. She worked part-time for the Museum Store Association, joined a local writing critique group for a creative community, and took creative writing courses to hone her skills.
“Frankly, I had hoped to do a lot more writing that year than I did. I really just needed a break. But it gave me the perspective I needed. I got a break, and I came back feeling ready to go,” Chloe said.
That year was the perfect chance to reaffirm her legal interests, reflect on her writing, and enter law school with an open mind. Chloe confirms that taking the year away from school was certainly the right choice for her, and she has never regretted it
Making Law School Work For You
In law school, Chloe continued to pursue a rigorous academic program while also engaging in multiple creative outlets — a common theme for her.
“It's really important to figure out what matters to you — not just what everybody tells you is supposed to matter,” she said.
Chloe advises law students to avoid what she deemed “conveyor belt” thinking. In law school, it can be very easy for students to accept 100% of conventional success metrics and conform to the purely "traditional" career paths. Instead, she challenged students to be highly intentional and reflective when thinking about what their journey will look like.
For her, this looked like pursuing writing and participating in the school’s annual parody musical, a tradition at Harvard Law School. Chloe says this helped her succeed in her career, as it allowed her to meet more students and broadened her career perspectives.
“Make time to do fun things … that will make you a better law student in addition to just being good for you as a person,” Chloe said.
This helped Chloe establish balance after law school. As a part-time attorney, part-time writer, she’s very strict with her boundaries in both careers. By being open with colleagues about her availability, she’s able to ensure she’s fully present in both careers: space law and sketch comedy
Space Lawyer
After graduation, Chloe began working remotely at a DC-based law firm where she practices space law.
“I call myself a space lawyer," she said. "That's the fun way of describing what I am.”
Chloe specializes in Wiley Rein’s Telecommunications, Media, and Technology practice group where she helps entertainment companies who utilize satellites obtain FCC licenses and navigate any number of federal regulations to keep their satellites in space.
While the entire job has been exciting and fulfilling, Chloe shared that one of her proudest moments — so far — was when she joined a company’s watch party to see a client’s satellite finally launch. This specific client was someone who she had worked with for years, helping guide them through the early stages of licensing all the way through to the actual launch. She said that after representing one client for so long, she shared almost equal joy for their successes.
“I did a little tiny part of this thing that is now going to space,” she said.
Now she is a part-time practice attorney, a role with substantial legal work, but without the stress of grinding for the promotion track or logging countless billable hours per week. Most importantly, it allows her to pursue her equal passion for creative expression in sketch comedy.
NYC Sketch Comedy
While working part-time for Wiley Rein, Chloe also works part-time in New York City’s sketch comedy scene.
“It is such a great way to connect with people. It always gives me so much," she said. "I just really enjoy doing it.”
To keep herself on top of her writing, Chloe uses a strategy called “The 12 Week Year.” This past year, Chloe planned to submit 10 new projects for 2025. Even when she doesn’t hit her ambitious deadlines, such a disciplined writing process means that Chloe is always able to stay at pace with her career goals.
"I'm a writer and a performer, and I'm also working on a couple of TV pilots, working on a novel," she said.
Chloe’s career shows that, if you’re willing to put in the work, you never need to give up on your passions to pursue a career. For Chloe, this meant always making space for legal studies and creative writing — not as a career in law and an afterthought for creativity, but as two equal career paths. Her dedication to both of her crafts is inspiring and every student should realize that if they work with that same dedication, they can make any career work for them.