Student Spotlight: Jessica Kloss
Jessica Kloss
Jessica Kloss loves Fayetteville, the state of Arkansas and the Razorbacks. The 3L from Beebe embodies the “Home on the Hill” sentiment of many to describe their time in Fayetteville. She was an active undergraduate at the University of Arkansas, which continued in her three years of law school. This past year she completed her law coursework, continued an internship with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, and worked as a member of the editorial board of Arkansas Law Review.
“I attended my first Razorback football game before I was a year old,” Kloss said. “I immediately felt at home after visiting with the admissions office in high school and when it was time to choose a law school, I knew staying at the U of A was the right choice for me.”
Kloss, a Phi Beta Kappa, earned a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and political science,
with honors, from the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences in 2018. In addition
to the rigorous requirements of her core programs, she minored in music and was a
member of the Razorback Marching Band, basketball’s Hogwild Band and the University
of Arkansas Wind Symphony. Her undergraduate career was packed with activities and
accolades: secretary of the College Republicans, senator and caucus chair for the
Associated Student Government, 2016 Patrick Calhoun Leadership Scholar, “South Africa,
Past and Present” program participant, intern for Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin and U.S. Sen.
Tom Cotton and 2018 Arkansas Alumni Association Senior of Significance. She received
an Honors College grant to present her honors thesis, “The Partisan Shift in Arkansas:
An Analysis of Interparty Competition,” at the 2018 Midwest Political Science Association
conference.
Kloss was inspired by the lawyers she worked with during her undergraduate internships, and law school was a natural next step.
“I believed a law degree would best prepare me for a career in public service,” Kloss said.
Now, with law school and several fellowships, internships and externships under her belt, Kloss still believes she is most interested public service law. She has developed a focus on regulation law and attributes the interest to her favorite law school course, to date, “Regulation of Cryptocurrency Transactions,” taught by University Professor and Clayton N. Little Professor of Law Carol Goforth.
“Regulation of cryptocurrency transactions is a fascinating and evolving area of the law,” Kloss said. “Professor Goforth is a leading expert on crypto. After taking the course, I asked professor Goforth to be my law review advisor. She oversaw my research for my note, which is over state securities regulation of cryptoassets. My research wouldn’t have been possible without her guidance, expertise and patience.”
“Every now and again, a student with a passion for learning shows up in class,” Goforth said. “Jessica is such an individual. She is so polite and considerate of those around her that it might make her seem unimposing, but she is profoundly intelligent and has a backbone of steel when called upon to defend her perspectives and positions. It would be a huge mistake, and a missed opportunity, to underestimate her.”
The interest sparked by the course, and the research for and writing of the Arkansas Law Notes article, led Kloss to apply for and be accepted as a legal intern in the Student Honors Program at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission during the summer of 2020. The opportunity was funded through the School of Law’s Summer Public Service Fellowship program.
“I was in the Office of Trading Practices, in the Division of Trading and Markets,”
Kloss said. “I had the chance to work with attorneys at the SEC who are subject matter
experts in securities regulations. Having the chance to do research for, and work
with, attorneys who have a deep technical knowledge of the law was an extremely enriching
experience. I learned so much over the summer about securities regulation, specifically
those related to market manipulation, or conduct that artificially affects the market
for a security. I have a much better understanding of the kinds of roles attorneys
can have within the federal government, and I know that this is the career path I
want to pursue.”
The Office of Trading Practices asked Kloss to extend her internship through the fall 2020 semester. Since the COVID-19 pandemic forced Kloss to work remotely, continuing the internship was a natural progression.
Kloss gained additional regulatory experience as a legal extern for Walmart Global Regulatory Monitoring and Enforcement team during the spring 2020 semester. She assisted staff with the creation of a new program for monitoring pending laws and regulatory changes internationally.