PracticePro

Date: Friday, April 5, 2024, 11 – 7:30 PM EST

Location: Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, Robert S. Strauss Tower 2001 K Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20006

Do you want to gain the knowledge and exact formula for securing a great summer associate position or post-graduate career? Master the substantive and soft skills and competencies you will need during your summer internships to deliver stellar work product, build a fantastic brand, and receive a permanent employment offer? Would you like to be part of an exclusive group of students participating in recruiting opportunities with PracticePro’s law firm partners?

TARGET AUDIENCE

The conference is best suited for 1Ls and 2Ls. Incoming 1Ls, 3Ls, and LLMs may also attend.

INSTRUCTORS & SPEAKERS

Niki Khoshzamir, PracticePro 

Niki Khoshzamir is the Chief Executive Officer of PracticePro, an EdTech social enterprise that provides skills training, coaching, and scholarships to empower the next generation of diverse attorneys. In her role, she leads all business and legal aspects of the company, including corporate governance, strategic partnerships, IP portfolio strategy, and product development.

Prior to founding PracticePro, Niki was an attorney at the global firms of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr, LLP, and Kirkland & Ellis, LLP. She focused her practice on intellectual property litigation, complex commercial disputes, and trade sanctions compliance. Niki was the first recipient of the firm’s Pickering Fellowship on the West Coast, through which she spearheaded the Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus’ advocacy and community education project on U.S. sanctions.

Niki currently serves on the national advisory board of the Iranian American Bar Association (IABA), and she is the former president of the Northern California Chapter, which she founded in 2006. She also serves on the Leadership Council of Asian Law Caucus. From 2011 to 2017, Niki was a Lecturer at Law at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law.

Prior to her legal career, Niki researched cancer genomics at the MD Anderson Cancer Center and was a research technician at Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine.

Niki received her B.S. in Biology, summa cum laude, from Texas Southern University, Juris Doctorate from Berkeley Law, and an Advanced Genomics and Genetics certificate from Stanford School of Medicine. She grew up in Tehran, London, and Vienna and immigrated to the United States on her own at 19 to attend college.

Thomas Boley, Wiley Rein

Thomas Boley is an insurance coverage attorney at Wiley Rein in Washington, DC.  He counsels insurers on complex claims and represents insurers in high-stakes litigations and arbitrations under professional liability, general liability, director & officers, employment practice liability, and first-party commercial crime policies.  During law school, Thomas was a summer associate at Wiley and worked at the American Tort Reform Association, where he assessed the impacts of legislative and judicial developments on tort costs to the public and to insurers.  He was also a PracticePro Diversity Scholar.  Prior to studying law and joining Wiley, Thomas was a DC-based independent insurance agent, representing over a dozen insurers and assisting businesses and individuals with navigating the property and casualty insurance market.

Thomas earned his B.S. in International Relations from the London School of Economics and his J.D. from The George Washington University Law School, where he served as co-President of Lambda Law, the school’s LGBT+ affinity group.

Michelle Chen, Sullivan & Cromwell

Michelle Chen is a partner in the Washington, D.C., office of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, and she is a member of the firm’s Financial Services Group, with a broad regulatory and transactional practice. She advises financial institutions on a range of U.S. bank regulatory matters, including permissible activities, investments and regulation of non-U.S. banking organizations in the United States. She also advises financial institutions and trade associations on climate and other ESG and sustainability issues, focusing on disclosure and bank regulatory matters. Ms. Chen’s transactional practice primarily focuses on advising U.S. and non-U.S. banking organizations on mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, and similar transactions.

Ms. Chen received her B.A. and B.S. from Duke University and graduated from Columbia Law School.

Khari Cyrus, Covington

Khari Cyrus is an associate in the Washington, D.C., office of Covington & Burling LLP. His practice focuses on commercial litigation and public policy. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Cyrus clerked for Chief Judge Thomas D. Schroeder of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, and for Judge James A. Wynn, of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Mr. Cyrus received his B.A. from North Carolina State University and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Miranda Dore, Akin Gump

Miranda Dore is an associate in the Washington, D.C., office of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. She is also a member of the firm’s litigation practice, focusing on representing corporate and individual clients in a variety of litigation matters and internal and government-facing investigations, including congressional, criminal, and regulatory proceedings She has defended complex commercial disputes involving consumer protection, class actions, breach of contract, trade secrets, torts, and labor and employment claims. Miranda has trial experience in federal and state court. She has also represented individuals and companies before several Congressional Committees in preparation for briefings and hearings.

Miranda also has an active pro bono practice representing individuals and families in various immigration, family, and criminal law matters. Miranda was a 2016 Akin Gump Pro Bono Scholar. As a scholar, she worked at Children’s Law Center where she handled adoption, custody and related domestic matters in D.C. Superior Court. She received her J.D. from American University, Washington College of Law and an M.A. in Strategic Intelligence Studies from the Institute of World Politics. She graduated cum laude with a B.S. from University of Pittsburgh.

Natalie Fleming Nolen, Morrison & Foerster

Natalie Fleming Nolen is a partner and head of the Litigation Department of Morrison & Foerster’s Washington, D.C., office. She is a trial lawyer and advocate who focuses on complex civil litigation and regulatory proceedings, with a particular emphasis on resolving antitrust issues and class actions that arise in the financial services industry. She has represented clients in trials in state and federal court, as well as administrative proceedings and arbitration forums. Natalie’s recent matters include representing a financial institution in a large multidistrict antitrust class action litigation and related litigation by individual companies that opted out of the class action; a leading telecommunications company in merger litigation and related regulatory proceedings; clients in consumer class actions and complex commercial litigation alleging breaches of contract; clients in complex antitrust arbitrations; clients before federal agencies, such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission; and large companies being investigated by state regulatory authorities. Natalie also advises clients on a variety of commercial real estate issues, including complex contractual matters, foreclosures, and disputes regarding commercial leases.

Natalie also has an active pro bono practice. She led a trial team in a challenge to Title IX rules related to sexual harassment and assault in schools; represented several clients in Immigration Court and successfully obtained asylum and withholding of removal; and helped young clients obtain Special Immigrant Juvenile Status. She also successfully obtained humanitarian parole for Haitian women and children impacted by the devastating earthquake in 2010, and represented clients in housing matters, including defending against a foreclosure action in two separate trials in New York State Supreme Court. In acknowledgment of her dedication to providing quality pro bono representation, Natalie was awarded the 2012 New York State Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award in the young lawyer category, and she was also awarded the Kathi Pugh Award for Pro Bono Service

Natalie has strived to increase diversity in the legal profession, including mentoring young lawyers, being actively involved in recruiting efforts, and being a member of firm committees and affinity groups. For her efforts, she was named a NALP Diversity Champion in 2010.

Natalie received her B.A. from the University of British Columbia. She earned her J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School, where she was an editor of the Human Rights Journal.

Gabriel Khoury, Paul Hastings

Gabriel Khoury is an associate in the Washington, D.C., office of Paul Hastings LLP. Gabriel is first-generation attorney and the child of Palestinian immigrants. Palestinian heritage and passion for social justice drove him to pursue a career in law. Gabriel is the founder of the Palestinian American Bar Association, a voluntary bar association dedicated to fostering legal excellence and community engagement within the Palestinian American legal community.

As a fintech attorney, Gabriel specializes in digital assets and blockchain-related matters. He assists financial technology companies in navigating the complex regulatory landscape surrounding cryptocurrency and other blockchain technologies. His expertise includes advising on corporate matters, money transmission, anti-money laundering, artificial intelligence, esports, and online gambling-related legal issues. Additionally, Gabriel actively participates in immigration pro bono practice.

Gabriel Khoury earned his law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center, where he served as an editor for the Georgetown Technology Law Review and worked as a student attorney in the Communications & Technology Law Clinic. He interned at various institutions, including the Crypto Assets and Cyber Unit at the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Enforcement Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission, a video game law firm, and an intellectual property litigation boutique.

Erin Kuhls, WilmerHale

Erin Kuhls focuses her practice on complex regulatory and government affairs, particularly advising clients involved in high-profile congressional and executive-branch investigations. She has experience with crisis management, strategic counseling, and government and internal investigations.

Ms. Kuhls recently returned to WilmerHale after serving on various U.S. Senate committees, where she led national security investigations.  As Senior Investigative Counsel to Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Ms. Kuhls led the bi-partisan, multi-committee investigation into the January 6 Capitol Attack, as well as other investigations into issues involving China and the border. Ms. Kuhls also served as counsel to Senator Portman during his chairmanship of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, where she led investigations into issues involving China, the opioid epidemic and youth vaping. Ms. Kuhls most recently served as a non-designated investigator for the Select Committee on Intelligence, where she worked on sensitive national security matters.

Bhanu Mathur, Alston & Bird

Bhanu Mathur is a partner in the Corporate & Business Transactions Group in the Washington, D.C., office of Alston & Bird LLP. She focuses her practice on the representation of public companies across industries, including hospitality, payments, automotive, retail, and real estate investment trusts (REITs), in mergers and acquisitions, SEC reporting and compliance, corporate governance, and capital-raising transactions. Preparing SEC filings and counseling during corporate transactions are the foundation of Ms. Mathur’s work with clients.

Ms. Mathur received her B.A. from Boston University and graduated from The George Washington University Law School.

Cedric Powell, Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton

Cedric Powell is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group in the Washington, D.C. office of Sheppard Mullin.

He is a seasoned private equity, M&A attorney with extensive experience in middle market M&A transactions, representing private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies, strategic acquirers, and founders in both buy-side and sell-side transactions. Cedric’s experience spans various industries, including aerospace and defense, manufacturing, food and beverage, national security, government services, retail, technology, chemical distribution, consumer packaged goods, grocery, third-party logistics, and healthcare to name a few. Additionally, Cedric regularly represents clients in various other corporate and transactional matters, including equity financings, strategic investments, joint ventures, and corporate governance.

Cedric co-chairs the DC Office’s Diversity and Inclusion Office Working Group, the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Attorney Network (DIAN) and the firm’s Black Lawyers Network. He also co-chairs the DC Office’s Recruiting Committee.

Cedric received his B.B.A., magna cum laude, from Howard University and graduated cum laude from Southern Methodist University, Dedman School of Law.

Derrick Rowe, Wilson Sonsini

Dr. Derrick Rowe is a partner in the Washington, D.C., office of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where his practice focuses on patent prosecution and counseling designed to help clients protect their intellectual property rights both domestically and internationally in the life sciences, biotechnology, molecular biology, pharmaceutical, diagnostic, and medical device fields. Dr. Rowe has extensive experience and has developed his practice in view of his experience in private practice as well as an in-house counsel at a large pharmaceutical company, where he provided patent, contract, regulatory, and strategic counseling for pharmaceuticals and vaccines (including for multiple marketed products and related strategic partnerships). Dr. Rowe is the author or co-author of eight peer-reviewed scientific articles and several published legal articles. He has also served as speaker/panelist/moderator in multiple life science settings and has guest lectured at a U.S. law school on the topic of Intellectual Property Licensing Law.

Dr. Rowe received his B.S. from the University of Florida, his M.S. and Ph.D. in Medical Sciences from the University of South Florida, and his J.D. from The George Washington University Law School.

Daniel Vatanaviggun, Allen & Overy

Daniel Vatanaviggun is the U.S. Senior Manager of Law Student Recruitment at Allen & Overy LLP. Dan does direct outreach in collaboration with law schools’ student organizations & career services offices, as well as individualized counseling and mentoring.  Dan lends firm-side hiring and professional development insights, in the advisement of prospective associates during the early stages of their careers.

A self-described “ESL, third culture kid,” Dan’s personal emphasis lies in working with FirstGen attorneys and students of color. Dan previously practiced as an IP litigation associate in the San Francisco office of the global firm Coudert Brothers, having summered in their Bangkok and New York offices. Dan has also served as Recruiting Attorney and Global Director for firms on both the East and West coasts. 

Dan received his B.A. from Stanford University and his J.D. from Boston College Law School.

Whitney Williams, Rule Garza Howley

Whitney Williams is an associate at Rule Garza Howley LLP, where she counsels clients on a variety of antitrust matters, including obtaining U.S. regulatory approval of mergers and acquisitions and coordinating with international counsel, conducting antitrust risk assessments for proposed transactions, as well as representing clients in complex antitrust investigations and litigation proceedings.

Ms. Williams has represented clients across a broad range of industries, including private equity, emerging technologies, life sciences, financial industries, natural gas and electricity, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare.  In her pro bono practice, Ms. Williams has also worked alongside local and national non-profit organizations to handle matters related to immigration, housing rights, wrongful convictions, and international death penalty laws. She is also certified to represent individuals before the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Ms. Williams received a J.D. from American University, Washington College of Law and an undergraduate degree in Sociology from the University of Houston.

Kwabena Yeboah, McDermott

Kwabena Yeboah is an associate in the Washington, D.C., office of McDermott Will & Emery LLP. Mr. Yeboah focuses his practice on tax planning and tax structuring for domestic and cross-border transactions. He also advises clients on the structuring of renewable energy, new markets, and other tax equity transactions. Mr. Yeboah also maintains an active pro bono practice. Prior to joining the Firm, he represented a minor child in a Special Immigrant Juvenile Status case before the Arlington Immigration Court. The proceeding included successfully obtaining the predicate order in a hearing before the Virginia Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court in a case of first impression for the court.

Mr. Yeboah received his B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis, his J.D. from American University, Washington College of Law, and his LL.M. in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Ola Adekunle, Google