Yasmine O. Abdel-Aal
Markah Legal PC
Newport Beach, CA
Yasmine O. Abdel-Aal is the principal of Markah Legal, an intellectual property, entertainment and business law practice. Yasmine serves as of counsel to the Kaufman Entertainment Law Group, and Adjunct Professor at Whittier Law School. She has been selected to the California Super Lawyers Rising Stars lists (2015, 2016), and was awarded the “Outstanding Young Alumni” award by Whittier Law School (2013). Previously, Yasmine was in-house counsel at Qatar Foundation, and General Counsel at the Doha Film Institute. After law school, Yasmine worked at one of the oldest intellectual property law firms in Los Angeles. She holds a J.D. from Whittier Law School with a certificate in intellectual property, and a B.S. in Biological Sciences from UC Irvine. Yasmine serves on the board of New Horizon School, Irvine, and previously served on the board of the Whittier Law School Alumni Association and the Los Angeles Intellectual Property Inns of Court.
Ben Aguilar
Law Offices of Ben Aguilar
San Diego, CA
Ben Aguilar is the owner and founder of the Law Offices of Ben Aguilar in downtown San Diego. His law practice focuses on Family Law and Immigration Law cases. Ben is currently the co-president of the Tom Homann LGBT Law Association. Ben also serves on the board of directors of the San Diego La Raza Lawyers Association and he is also co-chair of the Professional Advancement Committee and the Ethnic Relations & Diversity Committee of the San Diego County Bar Association. Ben was recently named as one of the Best LGBT Lawyers Under 40 (Class of 2016) by the National LGBT Bar Association. He was also named by San Diego Metro Magazine as one of the 40 Under 40 in 2015. Mr. Aguilar recently received the Outstanding Community Service Award from the San Diego County Bar Association for his contributions to the San Diego legal community.
Captain Mika’il Ali
United States Marine Corps
Joshua Tree, CA
Captain Ali is currently assigned to Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC) in Twentynine Palms, California. A graduate of Lewis & Clark Law School in 2011, he was admitted to the Wisconsin bar in 2012. During his tour in Twentynine Palms, Captain Ali’s led a section that was awarded the 2014 ABA office award for excellence in military legal assistance. Captain Ali was also awarded the 2014 ABA individual award for excellence in legal assistance. In 2015, Captain Ali deployed as a legal advisor to the Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where he advised the command on various international and habeas law issues. He was awarded the Joint Commendation Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and the Sea-Service deployment ribbon. Recently, Captain Ali has been selected for the Marine Corps Special Education LLM program. He will attend George Mason University Law School in the fall of 2016, studying Intellectual Property and focusing on cyber security and technology. Captain Ali is enjoys travel, reading, fitness and is a die-hard San Francisco 49ers fan.
Ashley D. Bell
Bell & Washington, LLP
Gainesville, GA
As a co-founder of Bell & Washington LLP based in Atlanta, Georgia, Ashley’s expanding national practice includes civil litigation, public finance, and more recently, labor & employment. Elected at age 27, Ashley was one of the youngest commissioners in the State of Georgia. At age 28, Ashley argued Harold v. Harold before the Georgia Supreme Court, which set out ethical standards that would go on to be cited at continuing legal education seminars across the state. Shortly thereafter, Ashley became the youngest lawyer listed in the “Red Book” of top municipal bond attorneys, and has guided over 750 million dollars in bond transactions that have revitalized impoverished areas across America. In 2015, Ashley founded 20/20 Leaders of America, the nation’s most influential black and bi-partisan coalition of elected officials, legal professionals, civic and business leaders focused on criminal justice reform. 2020 has partnered with Facebook & BET to spread the conversation of justice to millions of Americans.
Jason Bonk
Cozen O’Connor
New York, NY
Jason Bonk is an experienced litigator in the firm's New York office. He represents Fortune 500 companies, small and large private businesses, and individuals, in a variety of high-stakes complex litigation matters involving contract, fiduciary and other equitable claims, class actions, multi-district litigation, sports-related litigation, antitrust litigation, partnership disputes, white collar, regulatory and other governmental investigative matters, internal investigations, labor and employment disputes, intellectual property litigation and bankruptcy litigation. Jason regularly represents clients across a multitude of industries, including sports, real estate, technology, amongst others, at trial, arbitration, mediation and in other dispute resolution forums, and in the course of negotiation and risk management. He is a highly sought after analyst on a variety of sports law-related issues and is regularly featured in domestic and international outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and NBC Sports Radio.
Leigh-Ann Buchanan
Venture Café Miami
Miami, FL
Leigh-Ann A. Buchanan, Esq., is the founding Executive Director of Venture Café Miami. In this role, she works to facilitate sustainable growth, increased diversity and inclusion, and greater connectivity in South Florida's innovation and startup community. Leigh-Ann previously served as legal counsel to entrepreneurs, startups and multinational corporations in a wide variety of complex business litigation matters and commercial disputes. Leigh-Ann currently chairs the ABA’s Coalition on Racial & Ethnic Justice and previously, the ABA's National Taskforce on Stand Your Ground Laws. In 2014, she founded the Nyah Project, a leadership fellowship to train diverse youth from underserved communities through transformative experiences abroad. Leigh-Ann also sits on the executive boards of the Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. Bar Association, New Leaders Council Miami and Friends of the New World Symphony. Leigh-Ann holds a J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law and a B.A in International Studies from Bethune-Cookman University.
Craig Bucki
Phillips Lytle LLP
Buffalo, NY
A graduate of Yale University and Columbia Law School, and a Partner in Phillips Lytle LLP in Buffalo, New York, Craig Bucki focuses his practice on litigation involving state and municipal government and public authorities. Having earned more than 48% of the vote in a special election for a seat in the New York State Assembly in 2011, Mr. Bucki serves as a member of the New York State Democratic Committee and its Executive Committee, and is a delegate to the 2016 Democratic National Convention. He also is a co-editor of the Electronic News of the ABA Section of State and Local Government; a member of the Second Circuit Judicial Council Committee on Civic Education and Public Engagement; and the Chair of the New York State Bar Association Law, Youth & Citizenship Committee’s Mock Trial Subcommittee, which prepares the fact pattern for the annual Statewide High School Mock Trial Tournament.
Priya Cariappa
United States Agency for International Development (USAI)
Priya Cariappa is a foreign service attorney with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). She is currently posted to Islamabad, Pakistan, where she counsels USAID on its considerable assistance to Pakistan and engages in negotiations with Government of Pakistan officials and local and international development partners. Prior to joining USAID, Ms. Cariappa was a corporate associate representing sophisticated borrowers in complex transactions at Cohen & Grisgby P.C. in Pittsburgh and Debevoise & Plimpton LLP in New York City. Ms. Cariappa graduated magna cum laude from Brown University, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, in 2005. She was a Fulbright Scholar in Taiwan before joining Columbia Law School’s Class of 2009, where she was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. While at Columbia, she earned a Masters of Law (LLM) with Merit from University College London. Ms. Cariappa is married to Nathan Piper, a law school classmate.
Kiamesha-Sylvia G. Colom
Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff LLP
Indianapolis, IN
Kiamesha-Sylvia G. Colom is a partner with the firm's Real Estate & Environmental Practice Group. She focuses her practice in the areas of real estate transactions, real estate lending and loan documentation and related business transactions. Kiamesha has closed numerous SBA, USDA and conventional commercial loans for commercial lenders. As a closing attorney, Kiamesha reviews, prepares, negotiates, analyzes, drafts agreements and other business documents, and confers with in-house counsel, borrowers and loan processors. Her extensive base of knowledge covers an array of commercial loan types, including government guaranteed lending, asset based line of credits, term loans, real estate transactions and construction loans. Additionally, Kiamesha has assisted banks with recovery of yearly financial documents, past due funds, liquidation and government guaranteed purchasing processes.
Stacy Crabtree
Caterpillar Inc.
Peoria, IL
Kiamesha-Sylvia G. Colom is a partner with the firm's Real Estate & Environmental Practice Group. She focuses her practice in the areas of real estate transactions, real estate lending and loan documentation and related business transactions. Kiamesha has closed numerous SBA, USDA and conventional commercial loans for commercial lenders. As a closing attorney, Kiamesha reviews, prepares, negotiates, analyzes, drafts agreements and other business documents, and confers with in-house counsel, borrowers and loan processors. Her extensive base of knowledge covers an array of commercial loan types, including government guaranteed lending, asset based line of credits, term loans, real estate transactions and construction loans. Additionally, Kiamesha has assisted banks with recovery of yearly financial documents, past due funds, liquidation and government guaranteed purchasing processes.
Courtenay R. Dunn
MERSCORP Holdings, Inc
Reston, VA
Courtenay R. Dunn is Counsel for MERSCORP Holdings, Inc., in Reston, VA. Ms. Dunn is active in the bar and community dedicating her efforts to human rights and legal and social equality. In addition to the Womens’ Bar Association of D.C. and the Villanova Law Alumni Association, Ms. Dunn serves the ABA as Commissioner on the Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, Liaison to the Commission on Disability Rights and with the Commission on Women’s Sexual Harassment and Bullying Committee. Ms. Dunn Co-Chairs the Section for Civil Rights and Social Justice Bullyproof Committee, and is active with the Section’s Womens’ Rights Committee, the Standing Committee on CLE MCLE Review Project, and the Young Lawyers’ Division Strategic Planning Group. Ms. Dunn earned a J.D. from Villanova University School of Law, and graduated summa cum laude from West Chester University of Pennsylvania, where she earned a B.A. in Political Science with minors in English and French.
Jana J. Edmondson-Cooper
Georgia Legal Services Program
Atlanta, GA
Jana J. Edmondson-Cooper provides legal counsel and representation to indigent individuals in civil matters across several areas of law with a focus on language access as an access to justice issue. Jana draws upon her past experience as a professional legal interpreter and current role as a bilingual legal aid attorney to engage in strategic access to justice advocacy including contributing to the development of local, state and federal language access policies. Appointed to the Supreme Court of GA Commission on Interpreters in 2013, Jana is currently spearheading the development of an administrative guide - the first of its kind in GA - which will promote the reliable and efficient provision of language services in state courts throughout GA, both for limited English proficient and deaf or hard of hearing persons. Further details about Jana’s advocacy are available at www.linkedin.com/in/jjecesq/. Jana is a graduate of Spelman College and Mississippi College School of Law.
Alfredo Fernandez
Shipman & Goodwin LLP
Hartford, CT
Alfredo Fernandez focuses his practice on International Trade Compliance and Enforcement. He works with clients on matters involving international trade laws, including export controls and economic sanctions. He also counsels clients on environmental, health and safety laws involving transnational and domestic chemical transactions. With a growing national reputation, he frequently publishes articles on trade compliance issues and speaks on panels and webinars with senior practitioners and federal law enforcement. His experience as an aerospace engineer has kept him in high demand among technology firms, also helping him originate and support several of his own sophisticated clients in the industry. Alfredo is consistently one of his firm’s top pro bono performers with a focus on housing issues. Outside of his practice, Alfredo has thrived in leadership roles including as the Connecticut Hispanic Bar Association President-Elect and as a director within the Connecticut Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section Executive Committee.
Lauren Fine
Youth Sentencing & Reentry Project
Philadelphia, PA
Lauren Fine, Esq., is the co-founder and Co-Director of the Youth Sentencing & Reentry Project (YSRP). Based in Philadelphia, YSRP uses direct service and policy advocacy to transform the experiences of children prosecuted in the adult criminal justice system, and to ensure fair and thoughtful resentencing and reentry for individuals who were sentenced to life without parole as children (“juvenile lifers”). Before YSRP, Lauren was a Zubrow Fellow in Children's Law at Juvenile Law Center, a federal law clerk, and a research assistant/project manager at the Brookings Institution. She is a 2014 Echoing Green Fellow, a 2015 American Express-Ashoka Emerging Innovator, aTEDx speaker and has appeared on NPR. A volunteer with Big Brothers, Big Sisters and the Pennsylvania Coalition for the Fair Sentencing of Youth, Lauren is a graduate of Yale University and Duke University School of Law.
Kevin A. Gooch
Aston & Bird LLP
Atlanta, GA
Kevin Gooch is a Partner in the Finance Group at Alston & Bird LLP. He has advised financial institutions, private equity funds and corporate clients in a variety of financing transactions totaling more than $15 Billion. Kevin is the Immediate Past President of the Emerging 100 of Atlanta where, under his leadership, the organization awarded more than $45,000 in scholarships to local African American males. During his tenure, the organization tripled in size and initiated several programs such as the BEST Academy Character Development Program, Financial Fitness Boot Camp and Emerging Leaders Awards. Kevin continues to mentor and serve his community in a number of roles, including as a board member of the 100 Black Men of Atlanta. Kevin received his B.A. in political science and philosophy from Emory University. He also attended UGA School of Law where he served as Student Bar Association President and graduated cum laude.
Jessica R. Hertz
Jenner & Block, LLP
Washington, DC
Ms. Hertz is a member of the Complex Commercial Litigation, Government Controversies and Public Policy Litigation, and Communications, Internet & Technology Practices. She represents clients in congressional and federal investigations, corporate compliance, and strategic counseling. Her clients operate in a variety of industries, including financial services, aerospace and defense, energy, government contracting, education, and telecommunications. Ms. Hertz joined Jenner & Block, LLP after nearly six years in senior advisory positions in the Executive Branch. She served as Principal Deputy Counsel to Vice President Joseph R. Biden, as Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General, and as Counselor at the Office of Management and Budget. Ms. Hertz earned her law degree from the University of Chicago and her undergraduate degree from Harvard College. She clerked on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals for then-Judge Sonia Sotomayor, and on the Southern District of New York for Judge Barbara Jones.
Shontavia Johnson
Drake University Law School
Des Moines, IA
Shontavia Johnson serves as the Kern Family Chair in Intellectual Property Law and Director of the Intellectual Property Law Center at Drake University Law School. She has also founded two entrepreneur-centered companies, Johnson International Group and Jackson Johnson LLC. She has been honored as an Inspiring Woman in STEM by INSIGHT Into Diversity Magazine, appointed as a Fulbright Specialist Candidate by the US Department of State, and named a Higginbotham Fellow by the American Arbitration Association. Shontavia’s work focuses on intellectual property, entrepreneurship, and innovation. In addition to teaching in the U.S. and abroad, she has served as a consultant and/or counsel to startups and large corporations. Shontavia is registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office and a trained mediator and arbitrator. Shontavia is a cum laude graduate of the University of Arkansas School of Law and received her B.S. in Biosystems Engineering from Clemson University.
Will Johnson
Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd
Columbia, SC
Will Johnson is a shareholder with Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A. in Columbia, South Carolina. He is the director of the firm’s manufacturing team and a member of the economic development practice group. He concentrates his practice on economic development, corporate law, and tax matters. Mr. Johnson graduated first in his class from the University of South Carolina School of Law, and while at New York University, he was awarded the Harry J. Rudick Memorial Award, the highest academic honor in the graduate tax program. An enthusiastic advocate for Special Olympics, he created a partnership between the South Carolina Bar Young Lawyers Division and Special Olympics South Carolina in 2010. He was named Young Lawyer of the Year by the South Carolina Bar Young Lawyers Division in 2010, Young Professional of the Year by the Columbia Chamber in 2014, and one of The State newspaper’s “20 Under 40” in 2015.
Shamica Kennedy
Doty Law Group, P.C.
Tarzana, CA
Bursting at the seams and energized by passing the California bar, Shamica Kennedy enthusiastically entered the legal profession. Unintimidated, in August 2012, less than two months after passing the bar, Shamica (maiden name Doty) started the entertainment law firm Doty Law Group, P.C. Blessed with several high profile clients, including Grammy Award winning groups and NFL athletes, Shamica zealously represented her clients and obtained outstanding results. Her reputation preceded her and clients began looking to her to handle other legal matters including personal injury and real estate. Shamica who has always had a passion for business also holds an active California real estate license. She has received a Southland Regional Association of Realtors Good Samaritan award for her work in the community. Shamica resides in Los Angeles with her husband Troy Kennedy. They are co-founders and a co-pastors of Fulfillment Church located in Westchester, California.
Bryan Killian
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Washington, DC
Bryan Killian is a broad-ranging appellate lawyer at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. After his clerkship for the late Justice Antonin Scalia, Bryan challenged the constitutionality of California’s low-carbon fuel standard and the lawfulness of EPA’s regulation of stationary-source greenhouse gas emissions. He still represents an array of clients on environmental matters and has become regular outside counsel for the National Biodiesel Board. In the last two years, Bryan has had several successful representations of technology companies defending against class actions, including wins for eBay, PayPal, and Vonage in the Ninth Circuit. Before clerking at the Supreme Court, Bryan clerked for Judge Paul Niemeyer on the Fourth Circuit and served as a Bristow Fellow in the Office of the Solicitor General.
Bassel C. Korkor
Fidelity Investments
Westlake, TX
Bassel Korkor, 35, has been recognized for working closely with clients and government agencies on issues at the intersection of law and policy. His clients have included financial services firms, defense contractors, manufacturers, start-ups, and non-profit organizations. He has represented them on matters involving litigation, government affairs, corporate compliance, and regulatory licensing of critical humanitarian activities and sensitive technologies. Notably, Bassel has served as lead counsel on a range of high-profile matters at the forefront of the spiraling humanitarian crisis in Syria, including seeking legal protections for refugees and asylees, developing international sanctions policies, and advising on UN resolutions and peace negotiations. Fidelity Investments recently tapped Bassel as Vice President to head its Political Law program. He has previously practiced national security, legislative, and public policy law at Arnold & Porter in Washington, DC. He has also worked on political campaigns. Bassel clerked for Hon. David A. Katz (N.D. Ohio).
Jessie Kornberg
Bet Tzedek
Los Angeles, CA
Jessie Kornberg is CEO of Bet Tzedek. For 40 years, Bet Tzedek has provided free legal services to the people of Los Angeles, and now serves more than 20,000 people each year. Known for their work in elder law, wage theft, human trafficking, disability rights, and child guardianship, Bet Tzedek is also home to the Holocaust Survivor Justice Network, the nation's largest pro bono initiative. During her tenure - the first by a woman in the organization's history - Jessie has overseen Bet Tzedek's expansion in to low income tax law, HIV/AIDS law and policy, and work on behalf of unaccompanied immigrant children. Previously, Kornberg distinguished herself at litigation boutique Bird Marella and as the first executive director of Ms. JD, which she helped establish as a national voice on issues concerning women in law. She holds degrees from UCLA School of Law and Columbia, and clerked for Judge Jon McCalla.
Amy L. Kramer
Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Denver, CO
Amy L. Kramer focuses her practice on litigation with a specific emphasis on intellectual property disputes relating to patents, trademarks and copyrights. Amy appears regularly in state and federal courts and represents clients in all stages of litigation. Amy’s trial experience includes first-chairing a pro bono trial in the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe – Court of Indian Offenses. Earlier this year, Amy won a motion for attorneys’ fees under Octane Fitness in a patent infringement dispute in the District of Colorado. She also advises clients on the selection and clearance of trademarks and trademark enforcement. As a sixth generation Coloradoan, Amy is active in the local community. She serves on the Engineering Advisory Council for the College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Colorado Boulder and is a member of the Board of Advisors of the Downtown Denver Branch of the YMCA of Metropolitan Denver.
Stephanie McCoy Loquvam
Moyes Sellers & Hendricks
Phoenix, AZ
Stephanie McCoy Loquvam is an advocate dedicated to helping clients achieve resolutions that make “business sense.” Stephanie represents individuals and businesses of all sizes in contract matters, commercial disputes, and on matters related to corporate governance, shareholder rights, constitutional issues, business torts, and insurance coverage. Stephanie also represents individuals and businesses in administrative and regulatory matters, including matters before professional licensing boards. Apart from her work on behalf of clients, Stephanie has established a remarkable record of service to the bar. As a law student, she served as the Vice Chair of the ABA Law Student Division, representing law students nationwide. Since graduating from law school, Stephanie has continued to work on national platforms on issues such as gender equity, women’s rights, preserving the jury system, and access to legal services and regularly speaks and publishes on these issues. She has served in leadership roles throughout the ABA, including on Presidential task forces, operational committees, and in Section leadership.
Anat Maytal
Baker & Hostetler LLP
New York, NY
Anat Maytal is an associate at Baker & Hostetler LLP, and focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation and employment law. She is currently involved in representing Irving H. Picard, Securities Investor Protection Act Trustee for the liquidation of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC (BLMIS), in connection with the Madoff Ponzi scheme. She has been involved in extensive motion practice in a variety of litigation matters related to the liquidation, seeking to recover assets for the benefit of defrauded BLMIS customers. Ms. Maytal has assisted in representing employers in business competition litigation matters and discrimination actions, as well as corporations and commercial lenders in contractual disputes involving former shareholders and borrowers, respectively. Ms. Maytal is also President of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Bar Association, which generated global media coverage for the historic admission of its members to the U.S. Supreme Court and for securing the use of technology to assist in hearing two cases argued before the Court. Ms. Maytal graduated cum laude from Harvard University and obtained her law degree with honors from Boston University School of Law.
G.C. Murray, Jr.
Florida Justice Association
Tallahassee, FL
G.C. Murray, Jr. was born in Key West, FL and was raised in Miami, FL. He attended Florida International University where he graduated cum laude through the University’s Honors College in 2008. He earned his Juris Doctor from The Florida State University College of Law where he was both a Mason Ladd Scholar and a Calvin Patterson Civil Rights Scholar. He was selected as an inaugural Fellow of the Florida Bar Leadership Academy. He was appointed by the Florida Bar to serve on the Code and Rules of Evidence Committee and is the youngest attorney to receive that appointment. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Tallahassee Bar Association and the FSU Law Alumni Association. In 2015, he was installed as the youngest President of the Tallahassee Barristers Association which won Chapter of the Year during his administration. In 2016, he was elected as the first African-American to represent the Second Judicial Circuit on the Florida Bar Young Lawyer Division.
Alex Oh
Stoel Rives LLP
Seattle, WA
Alex Oh is a partner and registered patent attorney at Stoel Rives LLP. His practice focuses on U.S. and foreign patent strategy, preparation, and prosecution for start-ups, Fortune 500 companies, research institutions, and universities in a wide variety of technologies, including biotechnology, chemistry, pharmaceuticals, clean technology, mechanical devices and medical devices. He also devotes significant time assisting clients with intellectual property counseling, post-grant proceedings, intellectual property litigation, patent opinions, product clearance and freedom-to-operate assessments, and IP due diligence and transactions. Alex is very committed to pro bono and community involvement. He currently serves on the board of the QLaw Association of Washington as its Immediate Past President. Since 2011, Alex has acted as Cooperating Counsel for Legal Voice and Montana Human Rights Network. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Washington School of Law and teaches courses in intellectual property. In addition, Alex was recently awarded the 2016 “Best LGBT Lawyers Under 40” Award by the National LGBT Bar Association, and the Washington LGBT Leadership Award by the Washington Diversity Council.
Elizabeth Overmoe
State Bar of South Dakota
Pierre, SD
Elizabeth (Beth) Overmoe is the Strategic Plan Coordinator for the State Bar of South Dakota. As the Strategic Plan Coordinator she works with state bar staff and volunteers to develop new initiatives and programs to fulfill the purpose of the state bar strategic plan. Prior to this roll, she was an attorney and program director with South Dakota Advocacy Services where she represented clients on disability-related legal issues. She also designed systemic teams to advance the agency’s progress with regard to special education, community integration, and abuse and neglect work. Beth is the 2015-2016 President of the South Dakota Young Lawyers Section and is an active member of the ABA Young Lawyer’s Division. In her spare time, Beth enjoys concert-going, summer days at the lake, and spending time with her family, friends and black lab puppy, Cole.
Michelle A. Philo
Adtile Technologies Inc.
San Diego, CA
Michelle Philo is Corporate Counsel at Adtile Technologies Inc., a company with a focus on motion engagement and virtual reality technology for mobile devices. Michelle joined Adtile as its first in house counsel in March 2015 after working at a mid-size firm doing both business litigation and transactional work. Michelle has been active in the legal community since becoming a lawyer and currently serves as the Chair of the Orange County Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division, Treasurer of the Orange County Women Lawyers Association, and Immediate Past President of the Whittier Law School Alumni Association. She is also active in the ABA as a California State Bar Delegate to the House of Delegates, the YLD Liaison to the Section of Human Rights and Social Justice, and routinely posts content for the Commission on Women’s gender equity social media platforms.
Joni Poitier
Moseley, Prichard, Parrish, Knight & Jones
Jacksonville, FL
Joni Poitier is currently an attorney at the law firm of Moseley Prichard Parrish Knight & Jones. The firm specializes in the preparation and trial of complex and high-risk transportation, personal injury and business litigation in state and federal courts throughout Florida and Georgia. Joni is a graduate of Vanderbilt University School of Law (J.D. 2005) and Spelman College (B.A. 2002, summa cum laude). Prior to joining the firm, Joni worked as an Assistant State Attorney in Florida’s 4th Judicial Circuit. While working as an Assistant State Attorney, Joni was known for her passion and success in the courtroom. During her law school years at Vanderbilt, Joni's contributions to several clubs and organizations earned her the Damali K. Booker Award for legal activism. Joni was recently appointment by the Governor of Florida, Rick Scott, to the Florida Elections Commission. Today, she is active in her church and many local civic and charitable organizations including Wolfson Children’s Hospital and serves on the board of directors for Family Foundations of Northeast Florida, Inc. Joni is a native Floridian who grew up in Miami.
Emily Renzelli
White & Case LLP
Washington, DC
Emily Renzelli is an associate in the Washington, DC office of White & Case LLP. Her practice focuses on antitrust and white collar matters. Emily is also active in pro bono matters and has worked in the U.S. and abroad on defending the rights of individuals with HIV/AIDS. Prior to joining White & Case, Emily clerked for the Honorable Robert B. King at the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and the Honorable Irene M. Keeley at the United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia. She also taught a Criminal Law course at West Virginia University. Emily is a 2012 graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law and a 2008 graduate of West Virginia University. In 2015, Emily was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 in Law and Policy list.
Antonia Roybal-Mack
Roybal-Mack & Cordova, PC
Albuquerque, NM
Antonia Roybal-Mack is an experienced litigation attorney, wife and mother. She has been honored by the New Mexico Business Weekly as Best of the Bar. She has also received the prestigious Outstanding Young Attorney Award from the New Mexico Hispanic Bar Association. She has been honored by the Albuquerque Business First as 40 under 40, Class of 2014. In 2016, she received the Henrietta Pettijohn Award from the Women’s Bar Association, which is the highest honor bestowed by the organization. Antonia Roybal-Mack was born and raised in Mora, New Mexico. She received her undergraduate degree from New Mexico State University in Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management, where she served as the student regent. She graduated from the University of New Mexico School of Law where she was honored as the Outstanding Clinical Law Student for her zealous advocacy of clients. Ms. Roybal-Mack has extensive experience in litigation and operates her law firm as Concierge Counsel.
Antonia is a Past-President of the New Mexico Hispanic Bar Association and has served as the Vice-President of the New Mexico Women’s Bar Association. Ms. Roybal-Mack volunteers with the Rio Grande Down Syndrome Network and is committed to helping people with disabilities achieve full and active lives. In 2016, Ms. Roybal-Mack is on a committee launching Haley’s Closet, which provides basic living necessities to juveniles in the criminal justice system. She is a mentor for the Program for the Empowerment of Girls, which works to improve the lives of girls in the criminal justice system. She founded Law Day at Children’s Court, which allows kids in the system to see a positive side of the law. Antonia is active in the ABA Law Practice Division, the Women Rainmaker’s Committee and Chairs the ABA Law Practice Division Fellowship Committee. In 2016, Antonia has grown her practice to a state wide practice and will be launching the New Mexico Family Law Resource Center to assist families that cannot afford counsel in the divorce and custody process.
Sandra San Emeterio
Statewide Legal Services of Connecticut, Inc.
Wethersfield, CT
Sandra L. San Emeterio is the Project Manager Attorney for Statewide Legal Services of Connecticut, Inc. (SLS), where she manages several grants enabling access to justice for the low-income community in Connecticut. Prior to joining SLS in 2015, Ms. San Emeterio was an associate at the law firm of Hunt Leibert Jacobson, P.C. and a Temporary Assistant Clerk at the Hartford Superior Court. Ms. San Emeterio is a graduate of the State University of New York at Oswego, where she received her B.A. in Public Justice in 2005. She received her J.D. with a concentration in Real Estate in 2010 from Western New England University, where she was a member of the ABA Negotiation Team. Ms. San Emeterio is a member of the American Bar Association, Hartford County Bar Association, and the Connecticut Hispanic Bar Association, where she serves as Secretary and Pro Bono Committee Chairperson.
Sankeetha Selvarajah
Selvarajah Law PC
Boston, MA
Sankeetha Selvarajah is a civil transactional attorney in the private sector, who leads a practice which counsels small businesses and startups in the retail, technology and manufacturing sectors. She provides outside general counsel services to over 60 companies where corporate governance and Advisory Board Services are also part of her full-service firm. Sankeetha is a frequent speaker and writer on corporate formation, business growth and risk management topics. She has served as a panelist for the Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Boston Bar Association, Lawyers Weekly, Real Estate Bar Association, Connecticut Bar Association and the American Bar Association. She is a frequent lecturer at the Center for Women & Enterprise where she teaches Women Entrepreneurs the Legal Considerations for New Business. She is the current 2015-16 Vice-Chair of the ABA YLD Business Law Committee. She was the 2012-2014 Business Law Fellow for the American Bar Association and a 2014-16 New York State Bar Association YLD Delegate to the American Bar Association. She was the recent recipient of the 2015 National Law Journal’s 40 under 40 award. Sankeetha is licensed to practice law in New York and Massachusetts.
Matthew Stubenberg
CLUE program
Matthew Stubenberg graduated from the University of Maryland Baltimore County in 2009, and graduated cum laude from Maryland Law School in 2013. Interested in using technology to change how the law is practiced, he set out to develop his first legal based app. The app named, Not Guilty App was a directory of Court resources and Judges in Maryland. The app was downloaded several hundred times and was a finalist for the Legaltech Innovation Awards in 2015. Matthew then moved on to create MDExpungement.com, a website that automates the expungement process and has been used to expunge more than 14,000 cases since launching in 2015. Matthew is currently the IT Director at the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS). Currently he is working on building the CLUE program which will automatically search public databases to find potential legal issues for clients of MVLS.
Daniel Suvor
California Department of Justice
Los Angeles, CA
Daniel Suvor serves as Chief of Policy for Attorney General Kamala D. Harris at the California Department of Justice. As her primary legal policy advisor, he is responsible for developing and executing the Attorney General’s policy initiatives and supervises some of the department’s most difficult and high profile matters. He previously served for five years in the Obama Administration, including at the White House as Senior Director of the Office of Cabinet Affairs, where he coordinated logistics, communications and policy between the President and his domestic cabinet agencies. He has also served as Assistant General Counsel of the White House Office of Management and Budget, and as Special Assistant to the General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where he defended dozens of constitutional challenges to the Affordable Care Act. Daniel holds a B.A. from the University of Southern California and a J.D. from George Washington University Law School.
Jessica Therkelsen
Asylum Access
Oakland, CA
Jessica Therkelsen is an international lawyer who advocates for the dignity and rights of immigrants, minorities, women and children. In her role as Director of Advocacy and Communications at Asylum Access, an international refugee rights nonprofit, Jessica works closely with local human rights leaders in the US, Ecuador, Mexico, Tanzania, Thailand and Malaysia to advocate for systems, laws and policies that help refugees build a new life. Her work has focused on access to jobs and labor protections for refugees around the world. Jessica is an Adjunct Professor at the University of San Francisco, School of Law (USF Law), and a Guest Tutor at the University of London. She received her JD and Honors Certificate in International Law from USF Law, where she published “DR-CAFTA: The Siren Song for Improved Labor Standards for Haitians in the Dominican Republic” in the USF Law Review. Jessica received her BA from the University of California, Irvine.
Brett Walker
Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office
Boston, MA
Brett Walker is a father, a husband and a prosecutor in the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office – Boston, Massachusetts. As a District Court prosecutor, Walker carried one of the largest caseloads in New England’s busiest court and also founded/manages the first-of-its kind Boston Veterans Treatment Court (a pre-dispositional therapeutic court for service-afflicted veterans). His most noteworthy trial victory of 2015 involved the stabbing of a homeless woman with whom it was difficult to maintain contact. Walker was recently promoted to the Superior Court Juvenile Unit. Outside his formal practice, Walker leverages his legal skills as a church lay-leader, Major in the National Guard, baseball coach and candidate for State Representative. Prior to attending law school, Walker was a Ranger-qualified Army infantry officer. He fought in Afghanistan and Iraq. Walker extends gratitude to District Attorney Daniel Conley for providing him the tools to succeed and Boston College for inspiring in him.
Brendan Winslow-Nason
Cozen O’Connor
Seattle, WA
Brendan Winslow-Nason is a member of Cozen O’Connor. He focuses primarily on construction law, insurance law, and commercial litigation matters. Brendan is also the former president of the Washington State chapter of the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (the CLM). He is a current member of the CLM's national construction committee. He has been published by Litigation Management, Construction Today, and Business Insurance magazines. He was a contributing author to the Washington Real Property Deskbook series on environmental regulation. Brendan regularly speaks at regional and national conferences on topics involving construction, environmental pollution, complex insurance claims, and ethics. Brendan also dedicates a significant amount of time to the representation of refugees, pro bono, in administrative proceedings. Brendan attended the University of Washington and Gonzaga University School of Law, where he graduated cum laude. Brendan is a current member of the Washington and Oregon bars.
Brandon Woodard
Montgomery Rennie & Jonson
Cincinnati, OH
Brandon devotes his practice full time to cases involving traumatic brain injuries and complex psychological injuries. Leveraging his background in neuroscience and mental health, Brandon has consulted with insurers, corporations, and other counsel on brain injury cases in 27 states. He has a particular professional and research interest in the admissibility of neuropsychological and advanced neuroimaging evidence. Brandon has authored several articles, including most recently, Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation: An Overview of Neuroimaging Techniques, Traumatic Brain Injury: A Primer for In-House Counsel and Claims Professionals, and Pitfalls of Oversimplified Headache Diagnosis in TBI Litigation. Brandon also presents at conferences nationwide on the medical and legal aspects of these complex matters and provides TBI workshops to attorneys and clients. Brandon volunteers with Volunteer Lawyers for the Poor. He also serves on the Board of Directors as President of the Ida Spence United Methodist Mission in Covington, KY.