Friday, June 26, 2015
Willard Intercontinental, 1401 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C., 20004
For detailed seminar topics and other dates/cities, click here.
Instructor
Niki Khoshzamir is the founder and CEO of PracticePro, and a lecturer at UC Berkeley School of Law. She oversees the development of training programs at PracticePro and teaches transition-to-practice skills to law students and attorneys. She also consults with law firms to strengthen training and diversity programs, including workshops and coaching programs to help diverse and first-generation associates to succeed as attorneys. Niki also leads the development of various PracticePro diversity initiatives, including the Diversity Scholarship Sponsorship Program and social media projects to raise awareness on the importance of diversity. She also provides individual coaching to attorneys and law students to excel in different phases of their career.
In 2011, Niki developed a skills course – The Junior Attorney: Expectations, Responsibilities, and Realities – for Berkeley Law, which she has been co-teaching since. Prior to founding PracticePro, she was a senior associate at WilmerHale where she focused her practice on intellectual property litigation and trade sanctions compliance. Niki has been recognized by the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal as one of the top “40 under 40″ professionals. She is also the founder and former president of the Northern California Chapter of the Iranian American Bar Association. She received her B.S. in Biology, summa cum laude, from Texas Southern University, and J.D. from Berkeley Law.
Speakers & Co-instructors
Babak Akhlaghi, McDermott Will & Emery
Babak Akhlaghi is a partner in the law firm of McDermott Will & Emery LLP where he focuses his practice on patent prosecution, reexamination, freedom-to-operate investigation, opinion work, and licensing. In addition to preparing and prosecuting patent applications in the field of electrical and mechanical arts, and patent reexaminations for patent owners and third party requesters, Babak has also counseled clients in patent licensing negotiations and drafted patent licensing agreements. Additionally, Babak has counseled clients on patent validity, enforceability, and infringement studies.
Babak is a frequent contributor to McDermott’s IP Update and has written numerous articles on patent-related issues. He also incorporates pro bono in his practice by routinely working at Landlord-Tenant Resource Center.
Babak’s previous legal experience includes serving as an in-house counsel at Panasonic Corporation. He is also a certified mediator and has mediated lawsuits in the local courts of Houston, Texas.
Babak earned his B.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Maryland, where he ranked first in the graduating class. He received his J.D. from University of Houston Law Center, cum laude, and served as an article editor for the Houston Business & Tax Law Journal while in law school.
We will be updating the speaker list shortly. So please check back soon …
Diversity Reception Keynote Speaker
Kenneth Imo is the Director of Diversity for Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr (WilmerHale) and works closely with the firm’s leadership on linking diversity to client engagement and the recruitment, retention and advancement of minority and LGBT lawyers. In his capacity as Diversity Director, Mr. Imo coaches, mentors and advises lawyers of all seniority levels.
Under his leadership, WilmerHale has received several accolades that include winning the Minority Corporate Counsel Association’s Thomas L. Sager Award, being named a diversity legal industry leader by Morgan Stanley, making the Boston Business Journal’s “Leaders in Diversity” list; and ranking consistently among the top law firms for diversity by The American Lawyer, the Multicultural Law magazine, and Vault. In 2013, Mr. Imo was included among On Being A Black Lawyer’s Power 100 List of “The Ten to Watch.” Mr. Imo has written articles on diversity and inclusion and is often asked to speak on these issues.
Prior to joining WilmerHale, Mr. Imo practiced law at Davis Wright Tremaine in the Corporate Diversity Counseling and Crisis Management Group and represented clients on matters related to diversity and inclusion. Before that, he was a captain in the United State Air Force Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps, where he was a prosecutor and defended the Air Force against Title VII discrimination complaints.
Mr. Imo received his JD from Wake Forest University School of Law, and a B.A. in Economics and History from Southern Methodist University, where he attended on a four-year football scholarship.
Thanks to our scholarship sponsors!