Xiyuan Lin, COL ’27, Fuzhou, China, & Hartford, CT
As I sat on the Greyhound to Midtown Manhattan, I gazed out my window, trying to imagine what compliance actually entailed. I was first introduced to the idea of compliance as separate from law through LGST 1000 Ethics and Social Responsibility, which featured several corporate ethical violations and failure to comply with domestic and international law. Being an aspiring lawyer, the idea of compliance—especially for individuals with lots of political power and wealth—exemplified the rule of law for me, and I was thrilled by the prospect of actively upholding policies as a Global Compliance intern at Franklin Templeton, a multinational investment management company.
My experience as a Global Compliance intern truly lived up to the name. Reading through Regulatory Data Corporation alerts, I encountered clients from all over the world and took notes on over 300 alerts, determining whether the nature of the event was a valid match for our client and, if valid, whether this constituted a reputational risk. From money laundering to drug trafficking and class action lawsuits, I leveraged the information provided in the alert and the firm’s system to assess whether the person alerted is our client. I especially appreciated seeing how risk management was embedded through our policies, from the onboarding process to consistent tracking of negative news associated with each account per their risk scores. Factors such as the location of the account and the position (especially Politically Exposed Persons) influenced the risk scores; alerts such as promotions to higher government or diplomatic positions would trigger a need for change in the classification of accounts affiliated with an individual and their family. From analyzing risks associated with class action lawsuits and Securities and Exchange Commission sanctions to writing negative news memos, I conducted periodic reviews of over 7,300 basic risk due diligence accounts and familiarized myself with risk management hands-on.
Furthermore, since my Compliance team focused on Fiduciary Trust International, a Specialist Investment Manager for Franklin Templeton, I was able to gain exposure to not only compliance but also the world of wealth management. Through breakfast series and coffee chats, I learned about certificates like CFA and CPA as well as ways to tailor someone’s portfolio by their personal preferences (such as emphasis on ESG or divesting from fossil fuels). During bi-weekly sales calls, stories from Wealth Directors gave me unparalleled insight into the process of finding and securing new business while further emphasizing the importance of fostering relationships over the years and referrals. As someone who dreams of becoming a lawyer, it was extremely exciting to see the far-reaching impact of the law unfold during these calls and learn more about how tax and family law surrounding assets play out in business.
Looking back on my transformative summer, I gained a special appreciation for the interconnectedness of our world, reflected both in my coursework as a Political Science major with a concentration in International Relations and the global alerts I analyzed while consulting our client narratives. The incredibly welcoming community at both Fiduciary Trust International and Franklin Templeton showed me a door into the world of compliance, law, and finance; as I continue my path to becoming a lawyer within and beyond Penn, I will hold this opportunity close to my heart. Thank you to Career Services and donors for your generosity as I deepen my understanding of both compliance and myself.
This is part of a series of posts by recipients of the 2025 Career Services Summer Funding Grant. We’ve asked funding recipients to reflect on their summer experiences and talk about the industries in which they spent their summer. You can read the entire series here
