BOOT CAMP `15 - New York City Bar Association

BASIC TRAINING FOR LAWYERS
Get the Skills You Need to Successfully
Compete in Today’s Challenging Market
BOOT CAMP ‘15
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2015
#NYCBarBC15
PRESENTED BY
COMMITTEE ON CAREER ADVANCEMENT AND MANAGEMENT
COMMITTEE ON LAW STUDENT PERSPECTIVES
TO OUR
THANK YOU
SPONSORS
AGENDA
8:00 am – 8:30 am
Registration
8:30 am – 8:45 am
Welcome from New York City Bar Association President, Debra Raskin
8:45 am – 9:30 am
Keynote: Managing Your Career from the Inside Out: The Creative Lawyer Approach
with Michael Melcher
Michael Melcher is one of America’s leading executive coaches and is the author of the ABA-published
book, The Creative Lawyer: A Practical Guide to Authentic Satisfaction, now in its second edition. Melcher’s
book is a step-to-step guide to creating a more fulfilling and successful career, and is widely considered the
leading resource of its kind.
Melcher is a partner at Next Step Partners, an executive coaching and leadership development firm. He
works with individual leaders and teams in a variety of industries to develop leadership, build team functioning, and balance individual career development with advancing organizational mission. His clients include
Google, Davis Polk & Wardwell, BNP Paribas, Population Services International, National Resources Defense
Council, Pfizer, Rockefeller Foundation, and numerous law firms, business schools and technology firms.
9:30 am – 10:30 am
The Do’s & Don’ts of Looking for a Job with Vivia Chen
Vivia Chen, Chief Blogger of The Careerist, will share some inside tips on how to jump start your search
in the legal field to make sure that you are the strongest job candidate you can be. Vivia will talk about
some of her observations in the legal community and how this can help you position yourself to get the
job you want. There will also be a brief Q&A session.
10:40 am – 11:45 am
Job Search: From Those Who Have Been There
Moderator: Brian Farkas, Goetz Fitzpatrick LLP, 2013 Cardozo Graduate
Speakers: Courtney Roach, Fox Rothschild, LLP, 2014 Rutgers - Newark Graduate; Anetta Sookhdeo,
NYC Administration for Children’s Services, 2014 CUNY Graduate; Andrew Tobel, KPMG, LLP,
2014 Seton Hall Graduate; Krista Yacovone, Zarin & Steinmetz, 2012 Fordham Graduate
Hear from panelists, all of whom have dealt with many of the same challenges you are facing today.
They graduated in the last few years, and all found employment through creative paths that did not
include OCI.
11:45 am – 12:15 pm
A View from the Top: How Hiring Committees See You
Speakers: Bharati Bakshani, Partner, Ladas & Parry LLP; Adrienne Koch, Partner, Katsky Korins LLP;
Todd McElduff, Executive Director, Wealth Management AML Investigations, Morgan Stanley
Do you want to know what you really look like when you step inside that office for the interview?
Hear what recruiters really look for in job applicants and what you can negotiate when you get
started on the career you really want.
12:15 pm – 1:30 pm
Lunch and Practice Area Forum Sponsored by LexisNexis
After you re-fuel with lunch, the Practice Area Forum is your opportunity to learn and network –
move from table to table and meet attorneys from different practice areas. Attorneys from the
following practice areas will be in attendance:
Bankruptcy
Criminal Defense
Commercial Litigation
Criminal Prosecution
Compliance
Family
Corporate
Health
Immigration
IP
Labor & Employment
Personal Injury
Real Estate
Tax
Technology
Trust & Estates
1:45 pm – 2:30 pm
Crafting Your Brand Utilizing Social Media
Presenter: Paula Edgar, Principal, PGE LLP and President-Elect, Metropolitan Black Bar Association
Social media should be a fundamental piece of your personal branding strategy. This session will give
you an overview of how to create and develop your online brand. You will learn the best ways to
market yourself using LinkedIn, Twitter and other online tools. Paula will share proven practical tips on
how to grow your network, connect with referral sources, former classmates, peers, experts and others
in effective ways with an eye on advancing your career. You’ll leave this session knowing how to boost
your professional presence and effectively establish yourself among your network.
2:30 pm – 3:00 pm
How to Structure a Good Resume
Speakers: Brian Burlant, Managing Director, Major, Lindsey & Africa; Robin Edwards, Administrator
of the Legal Hiring Unit, New York County District Attorney’s Office; Desiree Jaeger-Fine, Founder and
Principal, Jaeger-Fine
This session will give you access to the people who review hundreds of resumes and teach you how to get
yours to the top of the pile. Hear from professionals on what stands out to them in making decisions on
whom to interview.
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Resume Review Workshop
A team of career counselors and professionals will break up into smaller groups and review attendee
resumes. This is the perfect opportunity to get your specific concerns and questions answered.
Homework: Be sure to email your resume to [email protected] by
Monday, September 28, 12:00 pm so your resume will be reviewed in time.
Keynote:
Managing Your Career from the Inside Out:
The Creative Lawyer Approach
with Michael Melcher
Boot Camp 2015: Basic Training for Lawyers
October 1st, 2015
8:45 am – 9:30 am
Keynote: Managing Your Career from the Inside Out: The Creative Lawyer
Approach
MICHAEL MELCHER, Next Step Partners
Michael Melcher is one of America’s leading executive coaches and is the author of the ABA-published
book, The Creative Lawyer: A Practical Guide to Authentic Satisfaction, now in its second edition.
Melcher’s book is a step-to-step guide to creating a more fulfilling and successful career, and is widely
considered the leading resource of its kind. (Among other accolades, the book has been described as
“surprisingly funny.”)
Melcher is a partner at Next Step Partners, an executive coaching and leadership development firm. He
works with individual leaders and teams in a variety of industries to develop leadership, build team
functioning, and balance individual career development with advancing organizational mission. His
clients include Google, Davis Polk & Wardwell, BNP Paribas, Population Services International, National
Resources Defense Council, Pfizer, Rockefeller Foundation, and numerous law firms, business schools
and technology firms.
Aside from the U.S., he has performed executive coaching in more than a dozen countries, including
China and Myanmar. He holds a B.A. from Harvard College and a J.D./M.B.A. from Stanford. He started
his legal career at Davis Polk & Wardwell in New York.
“Managing Your Career From the Inside Out” Michael Melcher Useful ideas we’re rarely taught . . . 1. Career as a zigzag, not a straight line. 2. Multiple career identities, not just one. 3. The limits of analytical thinking and the need for experimentation. 4. Working “on” your career, not “in” your career. 5. Identifying and living your own values. 6. Lead with your competencies, not your resume. 7. “The strength of weak ties.” 8. How growth feels in different periods, and the idea of “cocooning.” 9. More incremental steps and less big drama: applying the “20 minutes a day” concept Copyright 2015 Next Step Partners. All rights reserved. www.nextsteppartners.com 1 Managing Your Career: Key Factors
VALUES
VISION
What am I like?
What do I like?
What do I want to
create for myself?
COMPETENCIES
RELATIONSHIPS
What do I bring to
the table?
Whom can I learn from?
Who is on my team?
© 2015 NEXT STEP PARTNERS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
WWW.NEXTSTEPPARTNERS.COM
4
ST
C
N
Use the Networking “Radar Screen” below to map your existing network. Put the
names of individuals in your network into the appropriate ring. Do this for as many
people as come to mind.
D
I S
RT
A
C
S
C
C
A
S
F
TI
F
F
C
F
C
F
ST
RO
N
TI
S
OU
AR
R
©2010–2015 Next Step Partners | www.nextsteppartners.com
D
Write the name of someone you know who:
1. Is incredibly organized ____________________________________________________________________________
2. Knows how to have fun ___________________________________________________________________________
3. Knows everyone __________________________________________________________________________________
4. Can give you encouragement in tough times _________________________________________________________
5. Can talk to you straight about your weaknesses _______________________________________________________
6. Is unfailingly logical ______________________________________________________________________________
7. Is deeply empathetic ______________________________________________________________________________
8. Is open minded __________________________________________________________________________________
9. Can handle a crisis _______________________________________________________________________________
10. Has known you since childhood ____________________________________________________________________
11. Is a good listener _________________________________________________________________________________
12. Is entrepreneurial _________________________________________________________________________________
13. Has a cool job ___________________________________________________________________________________
14. Is good at making decisions ________________________________________________________________________
15. Is not afraid to fail ________________________________________________________________________________
16. Has good work/life balance ________________________________________________________________________
17. Is an expert in the type of work you do ______________________________________________________________
18. In an expert in a type of work you are interested in ___________________________________________________
19. Is successful in your field __________________________________________________________________________
20. Gives good advice about office politics ______________________________________________________________
21. Gives good advice about professional development ____________________________________________________
22. Is someone you trust with your life _________________________________________________________________
23. Thinks you are highly skilled at what you do _________________________________________________________
24. Thinks you have great talents beyond your current job ________________________________________________
25. Thinks you are a great person_______________________________________________________________________
©2010–2015 Next Step Partners | www.nextsteppartners.com
C C
OF R N
A
5IF$ZDMFPG3FOFXBMEFWFMPQFECZQTZDIPMPHJTU'SFESJD)VETPOJTBNPEFMGPSMPPLJOHBUQFSTPOBMBOEDBSFFSHSPXUI"TJO
OBUVSFIVNBOHSPXUIIBTEJGGFSFOUTFBTPOTUIBUDPOGPSNUPUIFQSPDFTTPGMJWJOHFYIBVTUJOHSFOFXJOHBOEFYQMPSJOHPOFT
JEFOUJUZBOEEJSFDUJPO5IFTFTUBHFTBSFOPUOFDFTTBSJMZFRVBMJOUJNF
*O(PJOHGPS*UMJGFJTiJOTZODIw5IFSFJTBIJHIEFHSFFPGDPOOFDUJPOCFUXFFOXIPPOFJTBOEUIFMJGFPOFJTMJWJOH$BSFFST
PSBWPDBUJPOTNBLFTFOTF5IFJOEJWJEVBMFYQFSJFODFTBIJHIEFHSFFPGGPDVTBOETBUJTGBDUJPO*UTBiXPSLIBSEQMBZIBSEw
LJOEPGFYJTUFODF1FPQMFGFFMMJLFUIFZBSFNPWJOHGPSXBSEBOEUIFZBSFQPTJUJWFDPOTUSVDUJWFBOEIPQFGVM"NFSJDBOTPDJFUZ
UFOETUPCFMJFWFUIBUFWFSZPOFTIPVMECFJOUIJTNPEFBMMPGUIFUJNF
*O%PMESVNTMJGFJTiPVUPGTZODIw5IFSFJTEJTTPOBODFCFUXFFOXIPPOFJTBOEUIFMJGFPOFJTMJWJOH*OUIJTQFSJPEQFPQMF
NBZGFFMGSVTUSBUFEUSBQQFEBOHSZBOEDPOGVTFE5IFZNBZSFDPHOJ[FUIBUUIFXBZUIFZSFMJWJOHJTOUXPSLJOHZFUUIFZTUJMM
DMJOHUPJU0OFPGUIFHSFBUFTUGSVTUSBUJPOTPGUIJTQFSJPEJTUIBUPOFJTPGUFOEPJOHUIFTBNFUIJOHTPSJTJOUIFTBNF
SFMBUJPOTIJQTBTEVSJOHUIFi(PJOHGPS*UwQFSJPECVUTPNFUIJOHIBTDIBOHFEFJUIFSFYUFSOBMMZPSNPSFDPNNPOMZJOUFSOBMMZ
*UJTTPNFUJNFTQPTTJCMFUPNBLFBiNJOJUSBOTJUJPOwCBDLUP(PJOHGPS*UGSPNUIF%PMESVNTCZNBLJOHDFSUBJOTQFDJGJD
BEKVTUNFOUTUPPOFTMJGFXJUIPVUDIBOHJOHUIFPWFSBMMTDIFNF‰GPSFYBNQMFTXJUDIJOHKPCTNBOBHJOHTUSFTTNPSFFGGFDUJWFMZ
PSOFHPUJBUJOHDPOGMJDU0GUFOIPXFWFSUIFDIBOHFJTEFFQFSUIBOUIJT
8IFOBQFSTPONPWFTQBTU%PMESVNT‰VTVBMMZCZMFUUJOHHPPGTPNFUIJOH‰IFPSTIFNPWFTJOUP$PDPPOJOH5IJTJTBO
JOUFSOBMMZGPDVTFEQFSJPEPGFOSJDINFOUSFGMFDUJPOBOESFOFXBM%VSJOHUIJTQFSJPEUIFJOEJWJEVBMJTHSPXJOHMJLFBUSFFJO
XJOUFSEFFQFOJOHJUTSPPUTBOEUIJDLFOJOHJUTCBSL5IFHSPXUINBZCFJNQFSDFQUJCMFCVUJUJTPDDVSSJOH&OFSHZMFWFMTBSF
NVDIMPXFSBOEGPDVTJTJOUFSOBMEVSJOHUIJTQFSJPEXIJDIJTXIZJUDBOCFBOFYFSDJTFJOGSVTUSBUJPOUPTJNQMZUSZBOEXIJQ
POFTFMGVQJOUPBKPCIVOUJOHGSFO[ZBUUIJTUJNF
"GUFS$PDPPOJOHDPNFT(FUUJOH3FBEZXIJDIJTBOFYUFSOBMMZPSJFOUFEQSPDFTTPGFYQMPSJOHFYQFSJNFOUJOHBOEUFTUJOH"U
UIJTUJNFUIFJOEJWJEVBMUSJFTUPBOEVTVBMMZEPFTHFUFYDJUFEBCPVUEJGGFSFOUQPTTJCJMJUJFTXJUIPVUOFFEJOHUPDPNNJUUPBOZ
POFJOQBSUJDVMBS*UJTUIFQFSJPEXIFOUIFCVUUFSGMZIBUDIFTGSPNJUTDPDPPOBOEGMJUTGMJFTBOESFHBJOTJUTTFOTFPGQPTTJCJMJUZ
5IJTDZDMJDBMQSPDFTTFWFOUVBMMZMFBETUPBOFXJEFOUJUZXIJDIXFDBOEFGJOFBTUIFTFUPGWBMVFTCFIBWJPSTBOEHPBMTXIJDIXJMM
EFGJOFUIFJOEJWJEVBMTOFYU(PJOHGPS*UQFSJPE
©2010–2015 Next Step Partners
| www.nextsteppartners.com
The Do’s & Don’ts of Looking for a Job
Boot Camp 2015: Basic Training for Lawyers
October 1st, 2015
9:30 am – 10:30 am
Presented By
Vivia Chen, Chief Blogger, The Careerist
The Do’s & Don’ts of Looking for a Job
VIVIA CHEN, The Careerist
About Vivia Chen
Vivia Chen, The Careerist's chief blogger, has been covering the business and culture of law firms for a
decade. A former corporate lawyer, Chen is fascinated by those who thrive (as well as those who don't)
in the legal profession. Her take: Success in the law (and life) doesn't always travel a linear path.
About The Careerist
The Careerist takes an inside look at how lawyers shape their careers and manage their lives. The blog
aims to dissect developments in the profession, provide useful information and advice, and give lawyers
a platform to voice their views. The goal is to provide a fresh, provocative take on the state of lawyering.
Job Search: From Those Who Have Been There
Boot Camp 2015: Basic Training for Lawyers
October 1st, 2015
10:40 am – 11:45 am
Presented By
Brian Farkas, Goetz Fitzpatrick LLP
2013 Cardozo Graduate
Courtney Roach, Fox Rothschild LLP
2014 Rutgers Graduate
Anetta Sookhedeo, NYC Administration for Children’s Services
2014 CUNY Graduate
Andrew Tobel, KPMG LLP
2014 Seton Hall Graduate
Krista Yacovone, Zarin & Steinmetz
2012 Fordham Graduate
Job Search: From Those Who Have Been There
BRIAN FARKAS, Goetz Fitzpatrick LLP
Brian Farkas is an associate attorney at Goetz Fitzpatrick LLP in New York, focusing his practice on
commercial litigation, arbitration and intellectual property. Brian earned his B.A. from Vassar College
and J.D. from Cardozo School of Law. In law school, he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Cardozo Journal
of Conflict Resolution and won the Andrew S. Zucker Award for Academic Excellence. His writing on
arbitration and mediation has appeared in numerous publications, including the Harvard Negotiation
Law Review, New York County Lawyer, Dispute Resolution Journal, Resolutions Roundtable, Alternatives
to the High Cost of Litigation, and the Northeastern Law Journal. Outside of the firm, he serves as a
volunteer mediator through the New York Peace Institute. He teaches in Brooklyn Law School's
Mediation Clinic, training students in Civil Court and Small Claims Court mediation.
COURTNEY ROACH, Fox Rothschild LLP
Courtney Roach is an Associate at Fox Rothschild where her practice focuses on business and
employment litigation and counseling. She advises and represents clients on a wide range of issues
including: wage and hour law, discrimination and harassment, employee corrective action and
termination, disability accommodation, leaves of absence, personnel policies and handbooks, health and
safety, and union avoidance. Courtney previously served as a summer associate at Fox Rothschild,
researching and drafting memoranda for labor and employment, immigration, family, regulatory and
commercial litigation matters. During this time, Courtney also received a pro bono adoption case and
completed the adoption from intake to submission with minimal assistance.
During her years at Rutgers University School of Law, Newark, Courtney was a legal intern for the New
York County District Attorney’s Office Violent Criminal Enterprises Unit and a judicial intern for the
Honorable Michael J. Obus, Administrative Judge of the Supreme Court, Criminal Term, for New York
County. She was also a legal intern for Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. Courtney also wrote for
the Rutgers Race and The Law Review.
Prior to attending law school, Courtney was a motor transport operator for the Army National Guard for
seven years. In this role, she coordinated missions for the transportation of vital supplies, organized
mission-critical training exercises and requested emergency services during various deployments
ANETTA SOOKHDEO, NYC Administration for Children’s Services
Anetta is a 2014 graduate from the City University of New York School of Law. She currently works for
the New York City Administration for Children Services prosecuting cases of child abuse and neglect in
Kings County Family Court. Her work entails all stages of litigation, including drafting and filing new
petitions, motion practice, preparing cases for trials and conducting trials and monitoring cases until
court ordered supervision has expired. Anetta also received her B.A. in Economics, Political Science from
Hunter College, City University of New York.
ANDREW TOBEL, KPMG LLP
Andrew Tobel is an Associate in the New York, New York office of KPMG LLP’s Healthcare Advisory
Services Practice. Andrew joined KPMG in September 2014 as an Associate. He received his Juris Doctor
from Seton Hall University School of Law with a focus on health law and regulatory compliance in May
2014 and is currently licensed in New Jersey. Prior to coming to KPMG, he worked as an intern in the
legal and compliance department of a large health insurance provider in New Jersey and served as a
student-prosecutor, student-advocate, and judicial intern within city, state and federal entities. Andrew
received a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Arizona’s Eller College of
Management with a focus on team driven projects involving predictive analysis using large scale data
sets. While at KPMG Andrew has worked on HIPAA Privacy and Security Compliance Assessments,
Corporate Compliance Due Diligence Assessments as part of large scale mergers, Financial Services
Companies’ Corporate International Privacy Assessments, and providing advice on general regulatory
compliance matters.
KRISTA YACOVONE, Zarin & Steinmetz
Krista Yacovone is an associate at the boutique environmental law firm Zarin & Steinmetz, where her
practice focuses on litigation, land use and zoning. Prior to joining Zarin & Steinmetz, Ms. Yacovone
served as a Legal Fellow with Riverkeeper, Inc., working primarily with the Watershed Program to help
protect State drinking water supplies. She has held internships at various environmental organizations,
including Earthjustice, the Columbia Center for Climate Change Law, and the Environmental Protection
Bureau of the New York State Attorney General’s Office.
Ms. Yacovone earned her Juris Doctor from Fordham University School of Law in 2012, where she was
the Managing Editor of the Fordham International Law Journal. She received a Bachelor of Arts in
political science, cum laude, from Boston College in 2009.
A View from the Top:
How Hiring Committees See You
Boot Camp 2015: Basic Training for Lawyers
October 1st, 2015
11:45 am – 12:15 pm
Presented By
Bharati Bakshani, Ladas & Parry LLP
Adrienne Koch, Katsky Korins LLP
Todd McElduff, Morgan Stanley
A View from the Top: How Hiring Committees See You
BHARATI BAKSHANI, Ladas & Parry LLP
Bharati Bakshani is a Partner in the New York Office of Ladas & Parry, where she practices in the areas of
international trademark prosecution and enforcement. She works with individuals, corporations and
law firms on a broad range of U.S. and international trademark-related matters including advising on the
clearance and adoption of marks, prosecution of marks, oppositions, cancellation and infringement
actions, and drafting and negotiating worldwide coexistence agreements. Ms. Bakshani regularly
participates in interviews and employment decisions in relation to firm attorneys and staff.
ADRIENNE KOCH, Katsky Korins LLP
Adrienne B. Koch is a partner at Katsky Korins LLP, where she is a member of the Litigation Department.
She received her B.A. with distinction from Cornell University in 1987, and her J.D. cum laude from
Harvard Law School in 1990. From 1990-91, Ms. Koch served as a law clerk to Hon. Mary M. Schroeder
of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Ms. Koch’s practice focuses on business and
commercial disputes, and she has litigated a wide range of matters before federal and state courts in
various jurisdictions and before arbitral tribunals both domestically and internationally. Ms. Koch chairs
the New York City Bar Association’s Committee on State Courts of Superior Jurisdiction, and is a member
of that Association’s Council on Judicial Administration. She has also served on that Association’s
Judiciary Committee, Labor and Employment Committee, and Committee on Civil Rights.
TODD MCELDUFF, Morgan Stanley
Todd is an Executive Director at Morgan Stanley and serves as Head of the Global Financial Crimes
Wealth Management Investigations team. In this role, Todd manages a team of approximately 25
professionals responsible for the monitoring, surveillance and investigation of potentially suspicious
activity. Prior to joining Financial Crimes, Todd was an attorney in the Firm's Special Investigations Unit
(SIU) where he was primarily responsible for investigating employee misconduct, sales practice and
reputational risk related issues. Before joining SIU, Todd served as a Divisional Compliance Officer where
he managed a sales practice surveillance team. Todd was formerly a Senior Examiner with NYSE
Regulation's Sales Practice Review Unit. Todd earned his J.D., cum laude, from Pace University School of
Law, B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and maintains his ACAMS certification and
Series 7, 63 and 3 licenses.
1040 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10018-3738
T 212.708.1800
F 212.246.8959
[email protected]
www.ladas.com
New York City Bar Association Panel:
"A View From the Top: How Hiring Committees See You"
October 1, 2015 – 11:45 am – 12:15 pm
PREPARATION
•
Know the Firm or Company
o Make sure that you spell the name of the firm/company (and the names of the contacts)
correctly in your application and in any correspondence.
o Know the facts about the firm/company and avoid asking any questions about basic
information that can be found through their website. Asking educated questions to
follow-up on information on their website is a great way to show that you did your
homework and deepen the level of conversation during the interview.
•
Know the Position
o Determine the overall structure of the firm/company and identify the department in which
the position is located. If this information is not readily accessible before your interview,
do not be shy about asking the recruiting contact this basic information.
o Know the basic information about the position, such as whether or not the position is
paid/unpaid, if there are school credit requirements, how many hours the position
entails, etc.
•
Know the Interviewers
o Determine who will be interviewing you. If this information is not readily accessible
before your interview, ask the recruiting contact. However, be aware that these plans
can often change, so don’t be rattled if you have researched one interviewer, but
another joins unexpectedly.
o Familiarize yourself with the interviewer’s biography and wider reputation, including work
they have done, articles they have written, whether they are an alumnus of your law
school or college, and whether you have any mutual contacts.
•
Know some of the Information Not on the Firm or Company’s Website
o Know what the starting salary is for similar jobs in similar markets (but never ask about
salary before you have been offered the position).
o Know about recent relevant stories in the news about the firm or company (but only ask
about it if it is appropriate).
o Know what is going on in the practice area, including familiarizing yourself with recent
news topics, recent news-worthy decisions, etc.
•
Know Yourself
o Know everything on your resume, and be prepared to answer specific questions about it;
anything you include (or in some cases, fail to include on your resume) is fair grounds
NEW YORK · CHICAGO · LOS ANGELES · W ASHINGTON D.C. AREA · LONDON · MUNICH
for a discussion.
o Use your resume as a tool to think about specific examples of interesting things that
you’ve worked on. Your resume is a summary; your story can be a snapshot and will
deepen the level of conversation in the interview. It also is a great way to show your
passion and substantive knowledge.
o Have a one minute “elevator pitch” prepared about yourself. This can be used in a variety
of ways, including as an answer to the “tell us about yourself” question. Your “elevator
pitch” should have a basic structure that can be modified and tailored based on your
research about the firm. While you can include small personal details, such as where
you are from, this should be about your professional experience, where your career is
going, and what you enjoy about it. It should not be (1) a biography of your life, (2) a
restatement of your resume, or (3) an opportunity to talk about your passions not related
to your professional life.
o Have honest, positive, concise answers to questions about:
your strengths and weaknesses;
why you went to law school;
why you’re interested in the position;
why you’re interested in the firm/company and the position;
your most challenging assignment(s);
where you see yourself in five years;
what your personal philosophies are;
what you do in your free-time (or your hypothetical free-time).
o Be able to substantiate your interest in the field by being able to discuss recent decisions
or newsworthy items.
o Prepare for the unexpected; an interview is just as much about your personality and
ability to hold a conversation as it is about your qualifications for the position.
List
interests and activities so that the interviewer will have the opportunity to get to know
o
you as a person. These can be great springboards for discussion with the interviewer.
•
What to Bring
o Multiple copies of your resume on quality paper.
Your resume must be absolutely perfect. No typos, no errors, no non-conforming
fonts, type size, spacing, alignment, information.
o A writing implement and pad for taking notes.
•
Image
o Attire: Dress professionally and conservatively (even for an informational interview)
o Handshake
o Voice/Body Language/Demeanor
© Ladas & Parry LLP 2015
DURING THE INTERVIEW: Communicate that you are likable, capable, and professional.
•
Do
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Be On Time
Listen
Answer the questions asked, and be concise.
Address all the interviewers in the room and make eye contact.
Ask four or five questions—that you want to know the answers to. You can ask
about the position that you are interviewing for or the type of work.
Ask people who are interviewing you how long they have been at the firm.
Ask about training and assignments.
Consider asking a question that indicates you have a long-term interest in being
a valuable contributor to the team (i.e., does the firm/company support
membership in bar associations and industry organizations?)
Present your best self:
Be confident, but not arrogant.
Be positive.
Do not exaggerate or try to appear perfect.
Get your interviewer’s contact information, if they don’t give you cards or their contact
information, ask.
•
Do Not
o Do not bring up salary. You have not been offered the job yet, and proper etiquette is
for the employer to bring it up at the appropriate time.
If salary requirements are brought up by the interviewer, you can: (1) be
straightforward about what you need; (2) give a ballpark figure; (3) try to get the
interviewer to name an amount first; (4) advise that your motivations are to work
in IP law, and that is more important than the exact amount of your paychecks.
o Do not ask about how to make partner or the partnership track. You haven’t even been
hired yet.
o Do not ask “what kind of person are you looking for”. You were invited for an
interview so there is something about your resume that got you in the door.
o Do not bad mouth your present employer: makes you appear both disloyal and
unprofessional.
o Do not speak in detail about a client's case: respect confidentiality.
•
Keep in mind:
o If you don’t know something about the law, admit it –don’t guess.
o If you make a mistake during the interview, it does not mean that you will not get the
job or another interview.
© Ladas & Parry LLP 2015
FOLLOW-UP
•
•
•
Following the interview, handwrite (emails are more likely to be overlooked or forgotten) and
send a thank you card to each of your interviewers. Consider referring to some aspect of the
interview that the interviewer is likely to remember.
In the absence of further communication, within about 2-4 weeks after the interview, consider
sending a follow up email, perhaps passing along some interesting news about you or an
article in which you believe the interviewer might be interested.
Think long term. You want to get the job today, but in case you do not get it, you want to have
the interviewer remember you if and when another opportunity may arise.
© Ladas & Parry LLP 2015
Knowledge
is power.
Lexis Nexis® is proud to partner with the New York City Bar to assist
in sponsoring Boot Camp 2015.
Stop by our table to see how Lexis Advance® can help you prepare
more thoroughly for your interviews and professional career.
lexisneixs.com/lawschool
LexisNexis, Lexis Advance and the Knowledge Burst logo are registered trademarks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used under license. © 2015 LexisNexis. All Rights Reserved.
Practice Area Forum
Boot Camp 2015: Basic Training for Lawyers
October 1st, 2015
12:15 pm – 1:30 pm
Practice Area Forums
Bankruptcy
ADRIENNE WOODS, Law Offices of Adrienne Woods, PC
Adrienne assists creditors and debtors in resolving their financial concerns through all phases of the
bankruptcy and pre-bankruptcy process. Adrienne offers her clients significant experience in all facets of
bankruptcy law, having represented a wide array of clients including individual debtors and creditors,
official and unofficial creditors' committees, and chapter 7 and 11 trustees.
After completing law school, Adrienne was selected as law clerk to the Honorable Allan L. Gropper, U.S.
Bankruptcy Judge, Southern District of New York. After completing her one-year clerkship, Adrienne
spent several years at large firms in Manhattan where she developed her skills as a bankruptcy
practitioner. Adrienne was hired as a Bankruptcy Legal Analyst by Bloomberg, L.P. where she assisted
the company in developing its suite of products for bankruptcy practitioners before returning to private
practice.
Adrienne is actively involved in the bankruptcy community and currently serves as the Education
Director on the American Bankruptcy Institute's Young and New Members Committee. Adrienne also
founded Turnaround Underground™, the first and only networking group specifically created to provide
networking and marketing opportunities for mid-level restructuring professionals. Founded in 2009,
Turnaround Underground™ offers networking opportunities in New York, NY, Los Angeles, CA, Chicago,
IL, Tampa, FL, Baltimore, MD, and Washington, D.C. Adrienne has also volunteered extensively with the
Civil Legal Advice and Resource Office (CLARO) program through the Feerick Center for Social Justice,
and twice received awards recognizing her contributions to the program which assists lower income
New Yorkers in defending against collection actions. Adrienne also volunteered frequently with the
Credit Abuse Resistance Education (CARE) program, which seeks to educate high school students about
the value of using of credit responsibly.
Adrienne earned her Juris Doctor from Fordham Law School in 2004, where she served as a student
intern with the New York State Commission to Promote Public Confidence in Judicial Elections under its
chair and Fordham Law School Dean John Feerick. Adrienne is admitted to the New York State Bar as
well as the United States Courts for the Southern, Eastern and Northern District of New York.
Commercial Litigation
JOANNA CHAN, Cohen & Gresser LLP
Joanna Chan is currently an Associate at Cohen & Gresser LLP. Ms. Chan has experience in complex
commercial disputes, securities and antitrust litigation, products liability, class actions, directors and
officers litigation, and investigations. Ms. Chan is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley
School of Law and earned a B.A., summa cum laude, from the University of California, Berkeley. She is a
member of the firm's Diversity Committee. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Chan was a litigation associate
at O'Melveny & Myers LLP. She also previously worked at Oracle Corporation, where she focused on
intellectual property and commercial contract matters. Ms. Chan was named one of New York's Super
Lawyers Rising Stars for Securities Litigation in 2014 and 2015.
Compliance
RAKHI BAHADKAR-RAJPAUL, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
Rakhi Bahadkar-Rajpaul is a Director in the Anti-Money Laundering Investigation Group at Morgan
Stanley Smith Barney where she counsels clients and conducts internal investigations on a wide-range of
compliance and regulatory issues, including, anti-money laundering, Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), Office of
Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), and Suspicious Activity Reports (SAR). Prior to joining Morgan Stanley
Smith Barney, Rakhi was a Manager at NYLIFE Securities leading a team of thirteen in the Cashiering
Department. Rakhi started her compliance career at New York Life Insurance in the Compliant Review
Unit, where she reviewed, investigated, and advised clients on regulatory inquiries.
Rakhi is proactively involved in promoting diversity and inclusion by serving as the Chair of The
Committee on Minorities in the Profession of the New York City Bar Association; by serving on the Legal
and Compliance Diversity Committee of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney; by mentoring college bound
youth in Legal Outreach, a non-profit organization, which exposes youth from underprivileged
communities to the legal profession.
Rakhi received her under-graduate degree from St. John’s University and her Juris Doctorate from
Thomas Cooley Law School.
Corporate
ROBERT J. LA REDDOLA, La Reddola Lester and Associates LLP
Robert J. La Reddola is a 1995 graduate of St. John's University School of Law. He attended law school in
the evenings while working full time as a civil engineer. He is admitted to practice in the State of New
York, State of Connecticut and the United States District Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts of
New York. He received his Bachelor's Degree in Engineering from Manhattan College School of
Engineering, where he graduated valedictorian of his class. Prior to establishing his own firm in 1997, he
was an associate with the New York City law firm Mazur Carp & Rubin. Robert is an active member of
the Bar Association of the City of New York and Nassau County Bar Association. As a dedicated
commercial law attorney with a focus on construction law, his practice includes significant cases in many
aspects of New York City construction, including contractual disputes, liens, bond claims, ECB and LPB
violations, arbitration and mediations. He is a court approved mediator for both general and
commercial mediations. He is also a court approved mediator for bankruptcy court.
The fact patterns of his cases range from international business transactions, balcony repairs, mold
remediation, complex HVAC issues, start-up of a sewage treatment plant, crane accidents, and Federal
Contract work under the Federal Acquisition Rules, among many others. His work includes navigating
the path to the NYC Procurement Policy Board and appeals. He is also well practiced in corporate
disputes and Not For Profit law. He provides pro bono and compensated legal representation to those
involuntarily confined in the Mental Health System, with an aim towards maximum independence. He
has litigated to completion significant 14th Amendment cases involving due process and loss of property
without a hearing.
Criminal Defense
GARY KAUFMAN, Law Office of Gary Kaufman
As a second year law student at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Mr. Kaufman enrolled in the
Innocence Project Clinic where he came to see the pain and suffering inflicted on those convicted of
crimes and their loved ones. He came face to face with the startling reality that people are wrongly
accused and became determined to fight for the rights of the accused regardless of their actual
innocence or guilt.
After completing law school, Mr. Kaufman took a job at the Office of the Public Defender of the Ninth
Judicial Circuit of Florida in Orlando, where in his first year in practice Mr. Kaufman took seven cases to
jury trials, and won the majority of them.
After a year in Orlando, Mr. Kaufman moved home to the New York/New Jersey area and began
practicing as a public defense attorney in Staten Island at Staten Island Legal Defense Services, where
Mr. Kaufman was quickly promoted to a felony attorney and named the office’s point person on Judicial
Diversion for Narcotics Felonies. Mr. Kaufman continued trying cases at a rate outpacing his colleagues
and winning the majority of those trials.
Eventually, Mr. Kaufman moved to the nationally recognized Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem,
where he continued to represent individuals charged with all levels of felonies and misdemeanors and
tried serious cases with positive results. Through NDS’s holistic approach, Mr. Kaufman gained
experience representing juveniles facing suspension before New York City’s Office of School Suspension.
Now in private practice, Mr. Kaufman has taken this experience and used it to apply a thoughtful and
aggressive strategy to provide the best possible results for each and every one of his clients. Mr.
Kaufman is a skilled trial lawyer and an effective negotiator and is constantly honing his craft to best
serve his clients. Mr. Kaufman represents people who have been or may be charged with crimes in the
state and federal courts of New York and New Jersey. His office is in Manhattan.
Mr. Kaufman has been trained by the National Criminal Defense College’s Trial College and Advanced
Cross Examination Courses. Mr. Kaufman has taught Continuing Legal Education Classes to other
criminal defense attorneys in the areas of Drunk Driving Defense, Grand Jury Practice, and Judicial
Diversion for Narcotics Felonies.
Criminal Prosecution
PETER ZANOLIN, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Peter Zanolin is a director in PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP's Advisory Forensic Services Practice based in
New York City. Peter specializes in internal investigations, risk assessments and the design and
implementation of internal compliance programs. Peter has experience in the investigation of financial
fraud, potential violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, compliance with export controls laws,
global sanctions regimes and anti-money laundering controls, as well as investigations and risk
management in the construction & engineering and sports industries.
A former frauds, public integrity and organized crime prosecutor, Peter was most recently the New York
City Inspector General charged with oversight of seven of the City’s largest construction, environmental
and economic development agencies comprising over 16,000 employees and contracting over $9 billion
in capital commitments. Peter worked closely with the leadership of these agencies to guard against
waste, fraud and abuse, and collaborated with federal and state prosecutors’ offices as well as multiple
other law enforcement agencies. Peter was also responsible for the appointment and oversight of
integrity monitors and the negotiation and implementation of responsibility certifications and
monitoring agreements.
As a prosecutor, Peter investigated and prosecuted a wide array of criminal activity including financial
crimes, real estate fraud , bribery, embezzlement, labor crimes, subprime mortgage fraud enterprises
operating throughout New York State, misconduct by public officials and traditional organized crime (La
Cosa Nostra). Peter tried multiple felony and misdemeanor cases to verdict, presented over 100 cases to
grand juries, interviewed and managed cooperating witnesses, examined or cross examined hundreds of
witnesses under oath, led complex long- term investigations, and interrogated numerous suspects and
defendants in pre-arrest and proffer settings.
Peter is an attorney admitted to the New York State Bar.
Family
ANGELA BARKER, Law Office of Angela Barker LLC
Angela Barker is the principal attorney at the Law Office of Angela Barker LLC, a family, elder law and
real estate law boutique. She is a graduate of Columbia Law School (J.D.), Baruch College (M.A.,
Education; B.A., Psychology) and the American Bar Association Family Law Trial Advocacy Institute (May
18 - 24, 2008) and was a Student of The Justice Morris Pashman American Inn of Court for the 20082010 term. She has spoken at a wide variety of conferences and CLE seminars, including the National Bar
Association (NBA) Small Firms/Solo Practitioners Division’s 12th Annual Convention (2007), Legal
Services NYC - Legal Support Unit (2009) and Institute of New Dimensions, Teaneck, NJ (2009). She is
admitted in New York, New Jersey, the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York and the U.S.
District Court, Eastern District of New York.
CHARLOTTE C. LEE, Attorney at Law
For more than 25 years Charlotte C. Lee has served clients in the five boroughs of New York City and
nearby suburban counties from her office near City Hall in lower Manhattan. Before entering into
private practice, she was an Assistant Attorney General of the State of New York. She also operated the
lower Manhattan office of Jacoby & Myers in general practice. Altogether she has practiced law for
more than 30 years. Charlotte’s practice is concentrated in matrimonial and family law as well as wills,
trusts, and estates. Ms. Lee has argued before Federal courts as well as before New York State’s
Supreme Court, Family Court, and Appellate Division. She received her J.D. from New York Law School
and has an M.A. History from New York University.
Health
MIRA WEISS, Weiss Law Group PLLC
Mira B. Weiss, Esq. is the founding partner of the Weiss Law Group. PLLC, a health law and elder law
firm based in mid-town Manhattan. She has over 30 years’ experience in hospital and health law, elder
law and special needs practice. During her active career in the United States and Asia, she held the
position of General Counsel, Vice President, and Deputy Executive Director of a world recognized
hospital and is one of the few New York attorneys certified by the NYSBA in elder law/ family mediation.
Mira is a frequent speaker on Elder Law and on Law Practice Management and is a published author of
legal articles. Currently, she is Chair of the NYCBA Small Law Firm Committee, a member of the
American Health Lawyers Association, the NYCBA Legal Problems of the Aging Committee and an active
member of senior advocacy and special needs organizations including the Orion Group, ECAD (Educated
Canines Assisting the Disabled) and The Caregivers Project.
Mira holds a B.A. from Temple University and a J.D. from The George Washington University School of
Law and health administrative experience from the school of hands on training she received on the job.
Intellectual Property
CHERYL DAVIS, Menaker & Herrmann LLP
Cheryl is a litigator who concentrates in intellectual property matters (particularly copyright and
trademark cases), employment, and real estate/construction related matters. She has counseled clients
on how to protect their intellectual property and has also represented theater clients in connection with
a variety of contract and corporate issues. She received her JD from Columbia University School of Law.
JED MULLENS, Jed Mullens Law
Jed Mullens, the owner of Jed Mullens Law, received a B.A. in English from Connecticut College, a J.D.
from the University of Arizona College of Law, and an LL.M. in Trade Regulation from the New York
University School of Law.
Before starting his own law firm, Jed worked for over 5 years as in-house counsel for 4Kids
Entertainment, Inc. — a media/entertainment company headquartered in New York. Jed’s work at 4Kids
primarily focused on brand and content licensing, merchandise and promotional licensing, broadcast
licensing, new media transactions, technology licensing and Internet-related transactions.
Before working at 4Kids, Jed worked for law firms in New York and Silicon Valley where he specialized in
intellectual property law, technology transactions and counseling, and commercial transactions and
counseling. Jed’s work prior to 4Kids was performed on behalf of clients of all sizes (from technology
start-up to Fortune 100 investment bank) and included licensors, licensees, developers and service
providers.
Jed is licensed to practice law in New York, California, and Colorado.
Immigration
VICTORIA NEILSON, Immigrant Justice Corps
Victoria Neilson is the Legal Director of Immigrant Justice Corps. Ms. Neilson is the former legal director
of Immigration Equality, a national organization which advocates for full equality under immigration law
for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) immigrants. Ms. Neilson has also worked for the Office
of Chief Counsel at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and is the former legal director of the HIV
Law Project, which provides civil legal services to low-income New Yorkers living with HIV. She has also
taught the LGBT Rights Clinic at New York University School of law as an adjunct professor.
Ms. Neilson received her J.D. from the City University of New York School of Law and her B.A. from
Harvard University. She is the recipient of the LGBT Law Association of Greater New York Community
Vision award and the New York City Bar Association’s LGBT Committee Annual Award.
CLAIRE THOMAS, Safe Passage Project
Claire R. Thomas is an attorney, advocate, and adjunct professor interested in migration, statelessness,
human rights and empowerment for women and girls facing poverty and gender-based violence. She
graduated from the University of Chicago and also studied at the Université de Paris X, Nanterre. She
holds a graduate degree from New York University’s Center for Global Affairs and a law degree from
New York Law School. She is currently an Adjunct Professor of Law at New York Law School, where she
co-teaches a year-long immigration law clinic focusing on family law and immigration remedies for
unaccompanied children facing removal from the United States, as well as an introductory immigration
law course and an advanced immigration law seminar.
Ms. Thomas is Director of Training at Safe Passage Project, in which she mentors pro bono attorneys
representing immigrant children; supervises law students, fellows and staff; coordinates a monthly
Juvenile Docket at the New York Immigration Court; plans, organizes and conducts trainings; and
engages in advocacy efforts with other non-profit organizations as well as city, state and federal
agencies. Previously, she advocated for the rights of African, Caribbean, and Middle Eastern immigrants
as a legal intern, and served as a staff attorney at the African Services Committee, a Harlem-based nonprofit that assists persons living with HIV/AIDS. Additionally, Ms. Thomas provided pro bono
representation for survivors of gender-based violence, including minors, in immigration proceedings.
Ms. Thomas also directed “Projet Aimée,” African Services Committee’s women’s empowerment group
for survivors of gender-based violence, funded by a Community Action Grant from the American
Association of University Women (AAUW). She is a member of the Immigration & Nationality Law
Committee of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York and is a former chair of the Youth and
Children subcommittee. Her writings have appeared in various law journals and other publications.
Labor & Employment
JEREMIAH IADEVAIA, Vladeck, Waldman, Elias & Engelhard
Jeremiah Iadevaia is a partner at Vladeck, Waldman, Elias & Engelhard, where he practices employment
law. Jeremiah has advised and litigated on behalf of employees in all areas of employment law,
including discrimination, retaliation, and whistleblower claims, disputes related to breach of contract
and restrictive covenants, and wage and hour violations.
Before joining Vladeck Waldman, Jeremiah clerked for the Honorable Debra Freeman in the Southern
District of New York. Jeremiah is a 2006 graduate of Northeastern University School of Law. He is a
member of the New York City Bar Association's Labor and Employment Law Committee.
Personal Injury
BRETT NOMBERG, Brand Brand Nomberg & Rosenbaum LLP
Brett J. Nomberg is a partner and the senior personal injury trial lawyer New York, responsible for
managing the Personal Injury Department. Mr. Nomberg has been trying personal injury cases for the
last 16 years with several recent multi-million dollar verdicts. Between 2006 and 2009, Mr. Nomberg
obtained two multi-million dollar jury verdicts and a one and a half million dollar jury verdict in claims
involving medical malpractice, an NYC construction accident, and a New York auto accident. In addition
to trying cases, Mr. Nomberg is an accomplished Appellate Attorney who has successfully written,
argued, and won over 10 appeals before the Appellate Division. In 2013, Mr. Nomberg became
a Chairman of the New York City Bar Association, Tort Litigation Committee. Mr. Nomberg received his
Juris Doctor from Touro Law School in 1993.
Real Estate
ERICA BUCKLEY, NYC Office of the Attorney General
Erica F. Buckley serves as Bureau Chief of the Real Estate Finance Bureau at the NYS Office of the
Attorney General. The Bureau enforces Article 23-A of the General Business Law and governing
regulations involving the offer and sale of real estate securities in and from New York, including
cooperative interests in realty, syndications, and intrastate offerings. Prior to her appointment as
Bureau Chief, Ms. Buckley also held the position of Review Section Chief and Assistant Attorney General
in the Real Estate Finance Bureau. Before joining the AG's Office, Ms. Buckley was the founder of the
legal department for the Urban Homesteading Assistance Board, a not-for-profit specializing in limitedequity housing cooperatives. Prior to founding UHAB’s legal department, Ms. Buckley served as a
building project manager where she was charged with managing a 250-unit portfolio of distressed multifamily buildings in New York City. Ms. Buckley focuses much of her work on areas of the law involving
affordable housing and homeownership. Ms. Buckley served as the Chair of the New York City Bar's
Housing and Urban Development Committee for three years and is currently a member of the City Bar’s
Committee on Cooperative and Condominium Law.
Tax
JIM MCCANN, Kleinberg, Kaplan, Wolff & Cohen, PC
Jim McCann has extensive experience in the areas of domestic and international taxation. Jim counsels
clients regarding all tax aspects of domestic and cross-border investments and business transactions;
structuring, launching, and operating pooled investment vehicles, such as hedge funds and private
equity funds; and various forms of business formation, financing and reorganization, such as mergers,
acquisitions, partnerships and joint ventures. Representative clients include pooled investment funds
and their managers, privately-owned businesses, and high-net-worth individuals. Jim has also advised
small and mid-cap public companies and government-owned businesses.
Trusts & Estates
EUGENIA DROBITSKAYA, Brown Brothers Harriman Trust Company
Eugenia joined Brown Brothers Harriman Trust Company, N. A., in New York City in 2012. She is
responsible for trust and estate administration. Prior to joining BBH, Eugenia completed her postgraduate fellowship at the New York City Bar Association and worked in private practice, focusing on
trusts & estates. She attended and successfully completed the New York Bankers' Association Essentials
of Trust Administration program, is admitted to the New York State Bar, and is a member of the New
York City Bar Association (Trusts, Estates & Surrogate's Court Committee) and the Estate Planning
Council of New York City, Inc. Eugenia received her B. F. A. in Creative Writing from Brooklyn College
(2007) and her J. D. from the Boston University School of Law (2011), where she served as Professional
Articles Co-Editor of its Review of Banking & Financial Law Journal.
JOHN OLIVIERI, White & Case LLP
John Olivieri helps clients to plan for the future by focusing on estate planning, business succession
planning, charitable giving and asset protection.
He advises on the complex tax issues and intra-family concerns involved in the transfer of wealth from
one generation to the next, and establishes creative, personally tailored plans for the preservation and
transfer of assets in a tax-efficient manner.
In addition, John counsels clients on all aspects of estate and trust administration, including probate, the
preparation of estate and gift tax returns, fiduciary income tax returns, and judicial and non-judicial
accountings. He is frequently called upon to represent individuals and corporate fiduciaries in litigations
related to estate and trust administration, such as will contests, contested accountings, and tax
controversy matters.
John also works closely with clients to develop plans for securing and protecting their assets. These
plans usually involve the use of appropriate structures, such as limited partnerships, limited liability
companies and so-called "asset protection" and "spendthrift" trusts, both in various jurisdictions in the
United States and around the world.
John is often quoted on matters of estate and tax planning, and is active in professional circles. He is a
member of The Association of the Bar of the City of New York, where he chairs the Committee on Trusts,
Estates and Surrogates' Courts. He is also a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel
(ACTEC).
Crafting Your Own Brand Utilizing Social Media
Boot Camp 2015: Basic Training for Lawyers
October 1st, 2015
1:45 pm – 2:30 pm
Presented By
Paula Edgar, Principal, PGE LLC
President-Elect, Metropolitan Black Bar Association
Crafting Your Brand Utilizing Social Media
PAULA EDGAR, Principal, PGE LLC and President-Elect, Metropolitan Black Bar Association
Paula T. Edgar Esq. is Principal of PGE LLC, a boutique coaching and consulting firm, which provides
innovative and strategic solutions on career management, executive/leadership development, diversity
efforts, networking and social media strategy.
She is a well sought after speaker in the areas of networking, branding, social media, leadership and
diversity. Paula moves audiences with her motivational and inspirational speeches, workshops and
seminars. Gatherings, both large and small, of attendees from a variety of industries including the legal
profession, higher education and corporate diversity settings, have all benefited from her directive to
“engage your hustle!”
Paula is active with a number of organizations and social justice initiatives and she serves as the
President-Elect of the Metropolitan Black Bar Association.
Her professional experiences include serving as the inaugural Chief Diversity Officer at New York Law
School, the Associate Director of Career Services and member of the Diversity Council at Seton Hall
University School of Law, and as the Executive Director of Practicing Attorneys for Law Students
Program, Inc. (PALS). Prior to working at PALS, Paula practiced in the Law Enforcement Division of the
New York City Commission on Human Rights.
Paula is a wife and mother of two children and resides in Brooklyn, New York. She received her B.A. in
Anthropology from the California State University (Fullerton) and her J.D. from the City University of
New York School of Law.
Paula has been recognized by The Network Journal Magazine as a "40 Under Forty" Achievement
Awardee, as Ms. JD’s "Woman of Inspiration" and as was honored by Lawyers of Color Inc. in the first
annual “2013 Lawyers of Color Hot List.” She also received the Distinguished Alumni award from the
Black Law Students Association at CUNY Law School and the Ruth Whitehead Whaley Service Award by
the Association of Black Women Attorneys (ABWA).
Ten Tips on Leveraging LinkedIn #PaulaSays #NYCBarBC15 What is your brand? 1.
Photo: ​
Always include a professional photo on your profile. Use an appropriate background; include your face and shoulders in the picture ­ this is a no selfie/no cropped group photo zone! Wear an industry appropriate outfit. Remember to smile. 2.
Populate your profile:​
The more information you provide, the better for your brand. Include (but do not just copy and paste entirely) things that are in your resume. This is an opportunity to promote yourself!: you are not limited to one page, therefore you should include your awards, publications, projects, etc. Who Do You Know? Find your Network: 3.
Import your email contacts​
to see if you anyone you know is already using Linkedin (don’t worry, LinkedIn won’t automatically import or reach out to anyone, you have control of who you contact). Remember to ​
always include a personal note when inviting someone to connect, reminding them of where/when you met or how you know each other ­ never send the standard “I would like to add you to my network.” 4.
Alumni:​
Identify alumni from institutions you have attended by visiting ​
www.linkedIn.com/alumni Find Information and Promote Yourself as a Subject Matter Expert/Enthusiast 5.
Be Relevant:​
Update your status at least once a week to remain relevant to your networks. Post upcoming events, articles of interest, industry updates, etc. to demonstrate your interest and connection to a particular topic/industry. 6.
Groups:​
Find and join groups that are aligned with your industry and interests. You can post in these groups and engage with members that may not be your contacts. This is an excellent opportunity to showcase your knowledge and/or your interest in an area/industry. Find Jobs 7.
Use ​
www.linkedin.com/Jobs​
to find available employment opportunities. This is an excellent tool to identify if anyone in your network is connected to the hiring company or the person who posted the opportunity. 8.
When you have an opportunity to interview, utilize LinkedIn to research companies, interviewers, industry trends and updates. ​
Other Strategies: 9.
ENGAGE. It’s not called Anti­Social Media:​
Look on your contacts’ profiles, “like” their statuses and updates, comment on their posts ­ they can see when you are looking (depending on your settings.) Reach out to people when they look at your profile ­ it’s an excellent opportunity to engage meaningfully and hopefully lead to meeting IRL (in real life). 10.
STAY ENGAGED. ​
To stay active and engaged on Social media, utilize Hootsuite, Tweetdeck and other social media productivity tools. Read websites including ​
www.mashable.com​
and www.lifehacker.com for updates on social media fuctionality and trends. For more information, please visit www.paulaedgar.com © Paula Edgar, PGE LLC 2015 How to Structure a Good Resume
Boot Camp 2015: Basic Training for Lawyers
October 1st, 2015
2:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Presented By
Brian Burlant, Major, Lindsey & Africa
Robin Edwards, NY County District Attorney’s Office
Desiree Jaeger-Fine, Jaeger-Fine Consulting
How to Structure a Good Resume
BRIAN BURLANT, Major, Lindsey & Africa
Brian Burlant brings to Major, Lindsey & Africa more than 10 years of experience as a legal recruiter and
almost 20 years as an attorney, including Assistant General Counsel International for Avon Products,
Counsel for Times Mirror Magazines ("Golf," "Yachting," "Ski" and other publications) in addition to
General Counsel for a publicly traded Internet company successfully sold to a European telecom. Brian
comes to MLA after operating his own recruiting firm for more than six years, and four years as a
Director at another leading legal search firm in New York.
Brian's in-house legal recruitment experience has included placements into leading private funds like
TPG and Magnetar; as well as at bulge bracket investment and commercial banks like Goldman Sachs
and HSBC and Fortune 500 companies like Avon and GE. His extensive law firm placement experience
encompasses numerous partner placements at AmLaw 100 firms.
Brian's placements also reflect the breadth of his domestic and international legal experience, having
counseled on matters ranging from securities regulation, corporate governance, mergers & acquisitions
and joint ventures to real estate, litigation, labor, technology and product licensing, including Avon's
global sponsorship of the 1996 Summer Olympics.
His approach is characterized by partnering with clients to truly understand their culture, organization
and strategy and finding candidates that fit in a complete, holistic way.
Brian is a member of the Friday night volunteer team at Ronald McDonald House New York, which
provides a home-away-from-home for pediatric cancer patients and their families from around the
world.
ROBIN EDWARDS, New York County District Attorney’s Office
Robin Edwards is the Administrator of Legal Hiring at the New York County District Attorney’s Office
where she has worked since 2000. She oversees the legal staff and summer law student and college
intern hiring as well as the semester-long clinical intern programs for college and law students. She also
is responsible for the mentoring program for first year ADAs and Diversity Initiatives for the office. She
began her career as an Assistant to the Director of Law Placement at Columbia Law School after
graduating from Smith College. She served as Director of Placement at New York Law School and then
moved into law firm personnel management at Jackson, Lewis, Schnitzler & Krupman in NYC where she
was Director of Personnel. Following that, she was the Legal Personnel and Recruitment Director at the
NY law firms Lord, Day & Lord and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison for more than 15 years.
Robin has been a speaker on a variety of topics related to lawyer recruitment and retention throughout
her career.
DESIREE JAEGER-FINE, Jaeger-Fine Consulting
Desiree Jaeger-Fine is founder and principal of Jaeger-Fine, a career management firm for foreign
lawyers who seek employment in the U.S. Desiree is a member of the New York bar and has authored
over 120 articles and two books about professional development and the U.S. Master of Laws degree.
Desiree is a frequent speaker at law schools, law firms and governmental organizations around the
world, inter alia in Brazil, Mexico, France and Germany and is frequently cited in career related
publications. She recently sold her first start-up, LLM-United, a professional online network for Master
of Laws alumni and current and prospective students only two years after its launch.
Desiree holds law degrees from both the University of Bonn (Germany) and Fordham Law School in New
York from which she graduated cum laude with a master degree in Intellectual Property and Information
Technology Law. In Germany, Desiree worked at PriceWaterhouse Coopers and, in New York City, at
Ladas & Parry LLP and the Center on Law and Information Policy (CLIP) at Fordham Law School. At CLIP
she received a post graduate fellowship funded by Google, through which she completed a paper on
Internet Jurisdiction in Europe which was subsequently published by the CLIP office.
Desiree is chair of the Law Student Perspectives Committee and an active member of the Career
Advancement and Management Committee of the New York City Bar Association.
15 RESUME DO’S AND DON’TS
Your resume is a marketing tool to professionally present yourself to a potential employer in a truthful
and attractive manner that quickly and accurately reflects your fitness for the role sought.
1. Include relevant contact information in heading with your name – cell phone and email.
2. If you are junior and either applying right out of school or have worked just a few years, keep
the resume to one page. You may include a one sentence summary at the head of your resume
if you are responding to a specific posting; otherwise, a summary or objective statement is
generally not necessary if you are junior.
3. Use a classic font like Times New Roman and generally not less than 11pt. size. Header can be
up to 14pt.
4. Use Normal margin setting; generally 1” around. Any smaller can result in a difficult to read and
cramped looking resume that appears less than professional.
5. List Experience before Education, unless applying right out of school.
6. Bullet any notable accomplishments, honors, awards or other noteworthy recognition.
a. Use metrics when available; e.g., …resulted in __% in cost savings, graduated in top 10%
of my class; led the negotiation of $___ Million deal; managed team of __ people
7. Be sure to note any promotions in jobs you have held.
8. Use the direct, active voice. Present tense for current position past tense for prior roles.
9. Do not lie or exaggerate.
10. Do not leave gaps; account for how your time was spent.
11. When responding to a job posting, reflect the language used in the posting, but do not copy it
entirely. Companies often use automatic tracking systems that look for relevant key words.
12. Include a personal section. Always list any meaningful community service. You should also
note any particularly noteworthy accomplishments in outside activities; e.g., “nationally ranked
tennis player”, “chess grandmaster”, “studied jazz piano for 15 years”, “skilled carpenter” or
“slash metal guitarist prior to entering law school”.
13. Do not add “references available upon request”; this is understood.
14. Send your resume in pdf, not Word.
15. NO TYPO’s!!!
©2015 Brian Burlant
CANDIDATE
666 FIFTH AVENUE, APT. 3E
NEW YORK, NY 10021
C: 212.666.7777; [email protected]
EXPERIENCE
SUPERB FIRM, NEW YORK, NY
_____ - Present
Associate, Corporate Department
Represent companies in all facets of corporate work, including securities offerings and reporting,
debt finance, commercial contracts and strategic mergers and acquisitions.
• Securities, Capital Markets and Venture Capital:
Drafted and negotiated documentation relating to primary and secondary public
offerings, equity lines of credit, numerous PIPE transactions, and numerous private
sales of convertible preferred stock, including registration statements (Forms S-1,
S-2 and S-3) and other SEC filings (Forms 10-K and 8-K), private placement
offering memoranda, stock purchase agreements, subscription documents,
certificates of designation for convertible preferred stock, corporate bylaws,
registration rights agreements, stockholders’ agreements, and legal opinions.
• Mergers & Acquisitions:
o Advised on and led negotiation of ….
o Represented _____, _______, and ____________ in their role as financial
adviser to both acquirors and targets in public M&A transactions, which
included negotiating and drafting engagement letters, fairness opinions, and the
summary of fairness analysis in Form S-4 and Schedule TO.
o
EDUCATION
WONDERFUL LAW SCHOOL, Town, ST
DATES
Juris Doctor, [Year]
THE UNIVERSITY OF MONGOLIA, CHICAGO, IL
DATES
Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, [Year]
PERSONAL
•
•
•
Member of the Advisory Board of the ___________.
Member of ___________ Diversity Committee.
In 2007, received the "_____________ Award" from ____________.
ADMISSIONS
• Admitted New York 2000
Burlant Group LLC
REPRESENTATIVE TRANSACTIONS (Divide this by type of work; e.g., Credit,
M&A, Cap Mkts)
I. Mergers and Acquisitions
•
Representation of ___________(Nasdaq: ____), the largest distributor ________, in connection
with its $____ million acquisition of ___________ (a major ________) from _________ Group.
•
Representation of _______ in connection with the issuance of _____ million of _% Senior
Secured Notes under Rule 144A and Regulation S and the listing of the Notes on the ____ Stock
Exchange. The issuance was underwritten by _______ Capital Markets and was used to finance
_________’s acquisitions of _________), making _______ the largest producer by value of
_____ and one of the top five ______ producers in the world.
•
Representation of ___________ (the second largest U.S. _________ with $__ billion in annual
revenues) in connection with its acquisition of _________ and the creation of joint ventures with
______________.
•
Representation of ______________ (a fund formed by ____________) in its $___ billion
acquisition of a __% interest in _________, a ________ company based in ________, and owned
by _________________.
•
Representation of ______ Corporation (NYSE: ___) in the $____ billion acquisition of
________, which owns _________________, from __________.
•
Representation of ______________ (sell side) in the acquisition of __________, Inc., a privatelyheld _____________ company, by __________, Inc.
•
Representation of ____________ in its role as financial advisor to __________, Inc. and its
issuance of three fairness opinions to ___________, Inc. in connection with (i) the sale of the
________________ $___ billion , (ii) the conversion of _________ stock options into
________stock options, and (iii) the repurchase of the minority investor stake in _________, for
approximately $___ billion.
II. CAPITAL MARKETS
•
Representation of ____________ (NYSE: ____), an _________, in an offering (pursuant to Rule
144A) of investment grade notes, managed by ____________. The offering will be followed by
an exchange offer registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission with $____ million of
proceeds.
•
Representation of _____________, an ___________, in a private tender offer for outstanding
notes, managed by ____________ with $___ million of proceeds.
Burlant Group LLC
Resume Review Workshop
Boot Camp 2015: Basic Training for Lawyers
October 1st, 2015
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Please note:
The number in the lower right-hand corner of your name badge designates what
table to visit to receive feedback on the resume you submitted.
If you submitted your resume after the deadline, or did not have the chance to
submit your resume, we will be able to take a limited number of resumes to be
reviewed during this session.
Please ask a City Bar staff member for further information.
LAWYERS
CONNECT
FIRST THURSDAYS SERIES
ANNUAL
FALL
sights & sounds of new york
RECEPTION
Celebrate the start of Fall and the greatest city in
the world with the City Bar’s Annual Fall Reception
to mark the 8th Annual First Thursdays Series.
Whether you’ve been practicing for ten years or you’re still
in law school, building your professional network is a top
priority. So expand your network while experiencing the
excitement of New York at the City Bar.
Go ahead, be a tourist in your own city with great fun,
food and door prizes!
Lawyers Connect was created to help you excel in your
professional life, maintain a personal life and enjoy your
legal career.
DATE | TIME
Thursday, October 1, 2015
7:00 - 9:00 pm
PLACE
New York City Bar
42 West 44th Street | Manhattan
FEE
City Bar Members $20
Non-Members $45
REGISTER
www.nycbar.org/LawyersConnect
212.382.4723
We will not be able to offer refunds
for this event. Seating is limited.
Guests must be 21+.
SPONSOR
Co-presented by:
Social Events & Networking Committee of the New Lawyers Council