Business Law Fellows

The mission of the Business Law Fellows Committee is to encourage the participation of diverse lawyers in Section activities, provide a springboard to leadership opportunities and develop future leaders of the Section.

About the Program

For over 20 years, the Fellows Program has represented the ABA Business Law Section’s commitment to encouraging the participation of diverse lawyers in Section activities. Through the Fellows Program, young lawyers, lawyers of color, lawyers with disabilities and LGBTQ+ lawyers are provided a springboard to substantive leadership roles within the Section through unique leadership roles, mentorships and subsidized attendance at Business Law Section Meetings.

• Leadership Experience
  Participants in the program are provided a path to Section Leadership though unique leadership positions within their substantive committees and the Business Law Fellows Committee. Additionally, Fellows are introduced to the Section’s structure and opportunities for leadership.
• Mentors
  Current Fellows are assigned program alumni mentors and substantive committee mentors. Mentors are expected to help Fellows navigate the Section and the Business Law Fellows Program and to identify and maximize the opportunities for participation within the Section.
• Meeting Attendance Subsidy
  Meeting attendance is critical to Section Leadership growth. To assist Fellows in attending each meeting, program participants are reimbursed, consistent with the Section policies, for their attendance at the Business Law Section Spring Meeting, Business Law Section Annual Meeting, and one stand-alone meeting per year, for their term.  A total of 6 meetings will be reimbursed for each Business Law Fellow.
• Liaisons to Diverse Bar Organizations
  In addition to the Business Law Fellows Program goal of increasing participation of Diverse Lawyers, the Section also hopes to build stronger relationships with diverse bar organizations. Fellows are expected to enhance knowledge about the Section among members of other diverse bar organizations.

Facts and Figures

• Since the program’s inception, 228 Fellows have participated in the Fellows program.
• To date, 65% of former Fellows are actively involved in the Section.
• 31% of former Fellows currently hold leadership positions within the Section.
• 10% of Section Committee Chairs are Fellow alumni.

Application Process

Applicants must have demonstrated leadership experience in the ABA, the Business Law Section, and/or leadership experience in a bar organization for young lawyers, lawyers of color, LGBTQ+ lawyers, or lawyers with disabilities. Additionally, applicants must fall into one of these categories:

• Young lawyer (under 40 years of age or in practice for less than 10 years)

• Lawyer of color

• LGBTQ+ lawyer

• Lawyer with a disability

Ideal candidates will be in at least their 5^th year of practice or higher.

Applications for the 2024-2026 class are closed. Applications for 2025-2027 will open in March 2025.

Contact Chad Johannes at (312) 988-6027 or [email protected] with any questions.

Leadership

Co-Chairs:

• Tsui Ng
  
• Grace Powers

Current Fellows

2024-2026 Class

• Aisha Smith, Law Office of Aisha N. Smith
• Brielle Bell, Bush Ross, P.A.
• Christina Chelliah, TransPerfect
• Hyunju Park, Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP
• Jae Hyung Ryu, Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University
• Jorge Vasquez, Vasquez Segarra LLP
• Kerry-ann Archer, Wells Fargo
• Lancelle Lipana, Severson & Werson, P.C.
• May Li, Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company
• Naeha Prakash, JPMorgan Chase
• Nathaniel Torres, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group
• Pam Ly, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)

2023-2025 Class

• Adam Maarec, Capital One
• Alina Lee, Your Ad Attorney, Inc.
• Choi Portis, DTE Energy Company
• Christopher Sukhaphadhana, Siemens Healthineers
• Jennifer Cree, Landis Rath & Cobb LLP
• Mallory Craig-Karim, Baker McKenzie
• Michael J. Molina, Flock Safety
• Nancy Maurice, The Nilson Law Group
• Paul Heer, Foster Garvey PC
• Paulette Rodriguez Lopez, Constantine Cannon LLP
• Peter Cockrell, PNC Bank, National Association
• Rene Morency, Prudent Counsel, LLC

Fellows Alum

2022-2024 Class

• Andrea Rodriguez, Build America Mutual
• Callan Jackson, Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP
• Chandra Burns, Erie Insurance
• David Burick, Freddie Mac
• Gonzalo Go, Mayer Brown LLP
• Jennifer Aguilar, Alston & Bird LLP
• Lindsay Powell, Wilson Elser
• Mayme Donohue, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
• Phelan Simpkins, State Farm
• S. Cheryl Lee, Real Property Law Group PLLC
• Sachin Java, Ulmer & Berne LLP
• Stephen Congdon, Capital One

2021-2023 Class

• Reena Bajowala
• Emily Bryant Alvarez
• Veronica Canton
• Alex Hess
• Kyla Houge
• Aaron Iovine
• Oderah NwaezeP
• Kuhu Parasrampuria
• Caneel Radinson-Blasucci
• Diana Santos
• Brandon Lee Wolff
• Patrick Yoest

2020-2022 Class

• James Aliaga

• Winda Chan

• Jordan Fischer

• Chazmon Gates

• Garylene Javier

• Joanna Kornafel

• Armeen Mistry

• Fitzann Reid

• Karl Riley

• Carlos Julca

• Josh Oppenheimer

• Glenn Thompson

2019-2021 Class

• D. Arefin

• Rachel Blunk

• Erin Bryan

• Aleida Conners

• Jomaire Crawford

• Emily Cummings

• Cesar Escovar

• Thomas Kim

• Zhao "Ruby" Liu

• Wali Raja

• Dredeir Roberts

• Jasmine Smith

2018-2020 Class

• Josephine Bahn

• Gregory E. Boan

• Lev E. Breydo

• Grant Christensen

• Andre B. Cotten

• Mareesa Frederick

• Miriah Holden

• Stephanie A. Kanan

• Elizabeth Reeder

• Yaneris M. Rosa

• Susan Manship Seaman

• Randall L. Tatem

2017-2019 Class

• Suhuyini Abudulai

• Philip Amoa

• Gabriela Baca

• Jacqueline Brooks

• Alexis Early

• Akili Estrella

• Kate Harmon

• Brian Huber

• Joel Kwan

• Kyle Luebke

• Alexandra Vilarrel O'Rourke

• Raphael Martin Ortega

• Michael Sabella

• Oscar Omar Salazar

• Rachel Schaefer

• Joseph Schuster

• Indira Sharma

• Amy Wan

• Mian Wang

2016-2018 Class

• Shazia Ahmed

• Alyn Beauregard

• Donald Davis

• Jamie Davis

• Raul Escatel

• Kristin Haugen

• Ernie Holtzheimer

• Tom Kierner

• Adam Landy

• Dinesh Melwani

• Jenna Nand

• Tsui Ng

• Anne Steadman

• Jonathan Stemerman

• Peter Sullivan

• Raychelle Tasher

• Aaron Tax

2015-2017 Class

• Jerome Crawford

• Alex Dugan

• Courtney Fong

• Thomas Garcia

• Paige Greenlee

• Eric Klinger-Wilensky

• Daniel Knudsen

• Jeffrey Soh

• Samuel Light

• Rachel Marin

• Ankur Shah

• Sahmra Stevenson

• Michael Vargas

• Keola Whittaker

• Cameron Wilson

2014-2016 Class

• Shenique Moss

• Edward Fitzgerald

• Anat Maytal (Diplomat)

• Collin Cooper (Envoy)

• Evangelos Kostoulas (Envoy)

• Ryan Maerz (Envoy)

• William J. Roberts (Envoy)

• Robert Collier (Ambassador)

• Jolsna John (Ambassador)

• Caroline Pham (Ambassador)

• Jeeva Rajagopal (Ambassador)

• Deborah Reed (Ambassador)

• Richard Rodriguez (Ambassador)

2013-2015 Class

• Francesca Danielle Allison

• Monique D. Hayes

• Kevin R. Johnson

• Amy Kluesner

• David Lee Morrow II

• Manuel Alvarez (Ambassador)

• Matthew Archer-Beck (Ambassador)

• Shara Chang (Ambassador)

• Yolanda Gamboa (Ambassador)

• Ricardo Johnson (Ambassador)

2012-2014 Class

• Julia A. Bahner

• Sankeetha Selvarajah

• Brian T. Sumner

• Natacha Carbajal-Evangelista (Ambassador)

• Anne Gwal (Ambassador)

• Yuna Peng (Ambassador)

• Martha Sandoval (Ambassador)

• Juan M. Sempertegui (Ambassador)

2011-2013 Class

• Phillip Long

• Mac Richard McCoy

• Jeffrey M. Sklarz

• Brian Castro (Ambassador)

• Joanna Garcia (Ambassador)

• Sumbal Mahmud (Ambassador)

• Caroline T. Nguyen (Ambassador)

• Marc A. Rawls (Ambassador)

• Anthony M. Sharett (Ambassador)

• Kenneth E. Sharperson (Ambassador)

2010-2012 Class

• Michelle Allred

• Cara Bradley

• Lacy Durham

• Arielle Harry Bess

• David Wicker

• Jason Jose Goita (Diplomat)

• Erika Brown Lee (Ambassadors)

• Danielle Gipson (Ambassadors)

• Sarita Nair (Ambassadors)

• Grace Powers (Ambassadors)

• Gary Zhao (Ambassadors)

2009-2011 Class

• Leonard Garside

• Eric Koester

• Joseph Manalili

• Dr. Aaron D. Ford (Ambassadors)

• Edd Vasquez (Ambassadors)

• Susan Kim Harris (Ambassadors)

• Wena Poon (Ambassadors)

• Ireneo A. Reus III (Ambassadors)

• Edd Vasquez (Ambassadors)

2008-2010 Class

• Ashley Nicole Wicks

• Carolyn Hann

• Natalie Aghavni Panossian

• William H. Grignon (Diplomats)

• Berna Rhodes-Ford (Ambassadors)

• David A. Chaumette (Ambassadors)

• Robert J. Kayihura (Ambassadors)

• Brigida Benitez (Ambassadors)

• Phong Nguyen (Ambassadors)

• Rafael X Zahralddin-Aravena (Ambassadors)

2007-2009 Class

• Jennifer E. Fisher
  

• Kathleen Warner

• Meredith Blake Martin

• Elizabeth Bleakley

• Robert K. Fergan

• Kelly-Ann Clarke (Ambassadors)

• Sandra L. Geiger (Ambassadors)

• Carroll James Harris (Ambassadors)

• Melissa Katherine Brown (Ambassadors)

• Judith Sun Kim (Ambassadors)

• Nimesh M. Patel (Ambassadors)

2006-2008 Class

• Leland Miller

• Jenny Kim

• Jonathan Jacob Cole

• Terry Fry

• Andres Javier Gallegos (Diplomats)

• Ross I. Romero (Ambassadors)

• Scott E. Sullivan (Ambassadors)

• Angelique Strong Marks (Ambassadors)

• Marlon Quintanilla Paz (Ambassadors)

• Preston Hopson (Ambassadors)

2005-2007 Class

• Kim R. Jessum

• Minh-Duc T. Le

• Kendyl T. Hanks

• Sherwin P. Simmons II

• Stephanie D. Cohen

• Stacey Walker (Ambassadors)

• Myra Coleman (Ambassadors)

• Bryan K. Brown (Ambassadors)

2004-2006 Class

• Heather D. Jefferson

• Matthew T. Reinhard

• Richick Sarkar

• Steven Matthew Mayer

• Suzanne S. Bailey

• David Caplan (Diplomats)

• Gabriel Steven Galanda (Ambassadors)

• Kandace Watson (Ambassadors)

• Maricela Valenzuela (Ambassadors)

• Michael H. Cho (Ambassadors)

• James F. Williams (Ambassadors)

2003-2005 Class

• Jennifer A. Rymell

• Keith D. Burns

• Shawn D. Guse

• Andrea S. Hartley

• Matthew L. Nelson

• Nicole Harris

• Martin R. Castro (Ambassadors)

• Frances Gauthier (Ambassadors)

• Erithe A. Smith (Ambassadors)

• Jay J. Choi (Ambassadors)
  

2002-2004 Class

• Melody M. Wilkinson

• Nancy Ann Kaiser

• S. Kendall Butterworth

• Suzanne E. Gilbert

• Lindsay T. Boyd (Ambassadors)

• Terri Motosue (Ambassadors)

• Deborah H. Telman (Ambassadors)

• Emilie Rajaratnam Ninan (Ambassadors)

• Vanessa A. Scott (Ambassadors)

2001-2003 Class

• Jennifer L. Mallory

• Laura L. Takasumi

• Rick L. Lambert

• Jeffrey Michael Paskert

• Pamela Grinter

• Hugo Chaviano (Ambassadors)

• Lillian G. Apodaca (Ambassadors)

• Willard K. Tom (Ambassadors)

• Patricia Tsubokawa Reeves (Ambassadors)

• Muzette Hill Stallings (Ambassadors)

2000-2002 Class

• La Ronda D. Barnes

• Joseph K. Beach

• Patrick Thomas Clendenen

• Dale Michael Weppner

• David A. Gemunder

• Ellen Kuo (Ambassadors)

• Willie E. Shepherd Jr. (Ambassadors)
  

• Rhonda D. Harjo (Ambassadors)

• Keith M. Harper (Ambassadors)

• Michael W. Sillyman (Ambassadors)
  

1999-2001 Class

• J. Tate London

• Stacie L. Brown

• Melissa Loughridge Savenko

• Cheryl D. S. Walker

• Timothy M. Lupinacci

1998-2000 Class

• Michelle S. Druce

• Brett Fallon

• Heidi McNeil Staudenmaier

• Kathleen J. Hopkins

• William G. Scoggin