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Ryan C. Swift, a staff attorney for UPS Inc., has a resume that looks like no other in-house lawyer.

His first assignment upon passing the bar last year and going to UPS was to spend three months working full time for the Atlanta Legal Aid Society. While corporate lawyers are showing a trend toward doing more pro bono work, it's rare for a corporation to lend an in-house lawyer out for full-time pro bono work.

"I got to do things that probably in this job I would never get to do," said Swift. "That was great coming right out of law school. Even young attorneys who work in law firms don't get to go to court and represent people in the same way."

Now he's back at UPS working closely with the board of directors and general counsel and corporate secretary Teri P. McClure. UPS has a significant number of in-house lawyers who have worked in other parts of the company and gone to law school at night, as Swift did at Georgia State University while he worked as a paralegal. And he is encouraging others to take advantage of the opportunity if UPS sponsors another fellowship to Legal Aid. He said the experience was invaluable. "I worked hard, but I felt like I got back a lot more than I gave," he said. "It was a good experience for me."

Swift grew up in Wilmington, Del., where his father was a machinist in a General Motors plant and his mother was a receptionist at a flight training school. He worked as a restaurant cook to help with expenses in college. Swift shared his story in a conversation.

On working at Legal Aid: They have screening days where you interview clients to find out what their legal issues are. ... I worked on landlord-tenant issues, evictions. I did some domestic relations, a few divorce cases. I worked with a young gentleman, 19, who had a daughter with his girlfriend. She was living with her parents and refusing to let him spend time with his daughter. We helped him legitimize his daughter and get visits with her. He had pictures of her on his cell phone, and he just wanted to see her. We got protection orders for women whose spouses or boyfriends were abusing them. At the magistrate's office one day every week, there would be 30 to 50 people there to apply for protective orders. Then, I worked on some benefits-type issues. There were people entitled to Section 8 housing assistance who just couldn't figure out what they need to do. Or unemployment compensation. I was surprised to find out that some of those people who were entitled to these benefits weren't going to get them just for the fact that they didn't have any type of legal help.

Day-to-day concerns: Right now, gathering materials for the board of directors meeting -- starting tomorrow. I'm working with the GC to put the information together, making sure that we're doing what we need to do working with the board. It's putting a lot of demands on the administrative person. We're looking for a paralegal. Right now we have a temp.

Management style: Easygoing for the most part. Friendly. I like face-to-face communication rather than e-mail. I'm definitely not a micromanager. Give the person the information and let them run with it.

On going to law school at night while working full time: It was challenging. I went to Georgia State because it was the only night program. It was that or nothing. It was especially tough for my wife, Heather. Our kids are young. On the days I had school, I would leave home at 7 a.m. and wouldn't get back until 10 p.m. On Saturdays, I'd spend the day in the library. I couldn't have done it without her support. One day, my wife was asking our older son do you know where Daddy works? He said I work at the library.

After hours: We go to the YMCA in East Cobb. I run and lift weights. The kids swim in the pool and take swimming lessons. They have parties and events for the kids. We hike on trails at Red Top Mountain State Park or Roswell.

Greatest success: I don't know yet. I haven't reached that. I guess now it's making my way up the ranks. When I moved to Atlanta and started out here, I worked at a law firm (Holland & Knight) just making sure the coffee machine was filled and ordering sandwiches for lunch. I had no experience. They hired me for that. I told them I had a paralegal certification. After three months, they came to me and said UPS was a client that needed assistance. A paralegal was on maternity leave. Holland & Knight loaned me to UPS. Then UPS hired me as a paralegal. My mother kept telling me you just need to get your foot in the door. Turned out, she was right.

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