Sections and Work Groups

NALP thrives on member involvement, and one of the many benefits of NALP membership is the opportunity to actively participate in the NALP community.

For information on elected and appointed groups, see Committees, Work Groups, and Task Forces below.

Sections are a great way to join colleagues with whom you share interests and work responsibilities, and also provide an ideal way to get involved in the work of NALP. Sections provide an opportunity for networking and for sharing information, ideas, and best practices. Sections also provide information and education to the rest of the NALP community on the Section members’ particular area of interest or expertise.

Work Groups will address specific tasks; they will work on the specified project, and will disband when the target task is completed. Several Work Groups fall under the auspices of a Section, while others are stand-alone. Where already known, Work Group projects are listed below within each Section description (follow the "learn more" link). Section members are encouraged to identify additional issues and projects of interest to the group.

All Sections have open membership, and many Work Groups need volunteers. NALP members are invited to contact Section Chairs to learn more about Section activities and involvement. Section membership is based on individual membership with NALP. Click on the "learn more" link for each section to find out about the work of that section and how you can get involved. All Section discussion lists are governed by NALP's Email Discussion List Guidelines.

2011-2012 Sections and Interest Groups

Canadian Section
The Canadian Section is for NALP members with a particular interest in Canadian legal education, Canadian law school career services, and issues surrounding legal employment and admission to the bar in Canada.
Section Chair: Marketta Jokinen, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, mjokinen@blg.com
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CSO Employer Outreach Section
The CSO Employer Outreach Section explores goals and best practices (including technology, long distance vs. local employer relations and visibility issues) of law school employer outreach.
Group Chair: Jill Backer, Brooklyn Law School, jill.backer@brooklaw.edu
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Diversity Section
NALP has a longstanding commitment to be an advocate for diversity in the legal profession and in our membership. The Diversity Section is for NALP members with a particular interest in or responsibility for advocating for diversity in legal education and legal employment. This section will serve as a resource for all NALP members on matters of diversity. Diversity directors and those focusing on diversity matters at law firms and law schools are encouraged to join their colleagues in this section.
Section Chair: Melanie Priddy, Bingham McCutchen LLP, melanie.priddy@bingham.com
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Experienced Professionals Section
The Experienced Professionals Section includes NALP members who self-identify as "experienced" in the legal recruitment industry and seek to collaborate with similarly situated colleagues for purposes of networking and professional development and to contribute to activities, services, and educational programs to benefit NALP. Section members can be characterized by years of NALP membership, years in the industry, and/or levels of leadership engagement within their organizations or with NALP. (It is suggested that members have at least eight years of experience in a lead role and have actively participated in NALP.)
Section Chair: Beth Hansen, Brigham Young University Law School, hansenb@law.byu.edu
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International and Advanced Degree Advising and Recruiting Section
The International and Advanced Degree Advising and Recruiting Section is for NALP career services members who advise domestic and international advanced degree and LL.M. candidates and for NALP legal employer members who hire graduates with advanced and LL.M. degrees. The Section is also for NALP members who advise JD degree candidates and alumni regarding international opportunities and NALP legal employer members who are involved in JD international recruiting and the evaluation of international experience for both international and domestic positions.
Section Chair: Kandice Thorn, Fordham University Law School, kthorn1@law.fordham.edu
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Judicial Clerkship Section
The Judicial Clerkship Section is for NALP members who have an interest in or responsbility for preparing law students for judicial clerkships or for managing the departure and return from employer organizations of associates who pursue judicial clerkships. This Section serves as a clearinghouse for judicial clerkship information important to the NALP membership.
Section Chair: Melissa Lennon, Temple University Beasley School of Law, melissa.lennon@temple.edu
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Law School Alumni Career Services Section
The Law School Alumni Career Services Interest Group is for NALP members who work regularly with alumni, or have an interest in developing resources and services to provide their alumni.
Group Co-Chairs: Julie Anna Alvarez, Cardozo School of Law, jalvare1@yu.edu
and Robert White, UC Berkeley School of Law, rwhite@law.berkeley.edu
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Law Student Professional Development Section
The Law Student Professional Development Section is for NALP members with an interest in or responsibility for educating law students about expectations of professionalism in the legal profession.
Section Chair: Elizabeth McManus, University of Pennsylvania Law School, emcmanus@law.upenn.edu
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Lawyer Professional Development Section
The Lawyer Professional Development Section is for NALP members who are interested in or have a responsibility for law firm professional development programming.
Section Chair: Molly Peckman, Dechert LLP, molly.peckman@dechert.com
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Legal Employer Alumni Relations/Programs Section
The Legal Employer Alumni Relations/Programs Section is intended to include NALP members who have an interest in or responsibility for alumni related issues.
Group Chair: Norma Cirincione, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, ncirincione@cgsh.com
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LGBT Section
NALP has a longstanding commitment to be an advocate for diversity in the legal profession and in our membership. The LGBT Section is for NALP members with an interest in issues concerning LGBT law students and lawyers, and law schools and legal employers.
Section Chair: Erin Wright, Roger Williams School of Law, ewright@rwu.edu
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Newer Professionals Section
The Newer Professionals Section is for NALP members who have been in the profession for two years or less.
Section Chair: Dinah Ruiz, Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLPdruiz@morganlewis.com
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Public Service Section
The Public Service Section is for NALP members who have an interest in or responsibility for advising law students whose career paths lead to public sector, public interest, and pro bono work during law school and after graduation. The section supports NALP's role as one of the leading providers of information and education about public service opportunities for law students and lawyers. NALP's public sector and nonprofit employer members and those responsible for implementing or marketing law school or law firm pro bono programs also participate in this section.
Section Chair: Leeor Neta, Golden Gate University School of Law, lneta@ggu.edu
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Recruiting Section
The Recruiting Section is for NALP members who are responsible for, or who have an interest in, issues related to recruiting and hiring law students, new graduates and lateral attorneys.
Section Chair: Kristina Gajewicz, Baker McKenzie LLP, kristina.gajewicz@bakermckenzie.com
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Solo & Small CSO Section
This Section is for NALP members working in career services offices with two or fewer career services professionals.
Section Chair: Layke Stolberg, University of Nevada Law Vegas William S. Boyd School of Law, layke.stolberg@unlv.edu
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Committees, Work Groups, and Task Forces

NALP Committees, Work Groups, and Task Forces are either elected by the membership or appointed by the President to complete a specific task or project.

Awards of Distinction Committee
Chair: Jennifer Queen, NALP Vice President. Members: Carlos Davila-Caballero, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP; Donna Davis-Gregory, Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law; Skip Horne, University of San Diego School of Law; Patricia Patrick, Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinger LLP; Lynne Traverse, Bryan Cave, LLP. The Awards of Distinction Committee solicits nominations for and recommends recipients of NALP's Awards of Distinction.

Bylaws Committee
Chair: Marilyn Drees, Yale Law School. Members: Susanne Aronowitz, Golden Gate University School of Law; Lois Casaleggi, University of Chicago Law School; Jean Durling, Fox Rothschild LLP; Arthur Fama, Benjamin Cardozo School of Law; Christina Fox, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP; Michelle Gage, Norton Rose OR LLP; Kristina Gajewicz, Baker & McKenzie LLP; Rob Kaplan, William and Mary School of Law; Elaine Kent, Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP; Sonia Menon, Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP; Nicole Vikan, Georgetown University Law Center; Betsy Armour, Suffolk University Law School, ex officio; Marcy Cox, University of Miami School of Law, ex officio; Carol Sprague, Skadden Arps, ex officio.

Law School Employment Outcomes Task Force
Chair: Mina Jones Jefferson, University of Cincinnati College of Law. Members: Betsy Armour, Suffolk University Law School; Jose Bahamonde-Gonzalez, University of Maryland School of Law; Gihan Fernando, Georgetown University Law University; Gary Greener, Southwestern University School of Law; Mary Hoagland, Brigham Young University School of Law; Rachel Littman, PACE University School of Law; Beth Moeller, University of California Los Angeles School of Law; Susan Steele, University of Kentucky College of Law; Kelly Voight, Yale Law School; Marcy Cox, ex officio.

Leadership Development Task Force
Chair: Sonia Menon, Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP. Members: Cristin Bolsinger, Kirkland & Ellis LLP; Karen Britton, University of Tennessee College of Law; Lois Casaleggi, University of Chicago Law School; Georgia Emery Gray, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton; Melanie Priddy, Bingham; Astrid Schmidt, University of Baltimore; Morgan Smith, Dykema; Brad Sprayberry, Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart, LLP; Erin Springer, Alston & Bird LLP; Marcy Cox, ex officio; Charlotte Wager ex officio.

Nominating Committee
Chair: Terrence Galligan, University of California Berkeley School of Law. Vice Chair: Jacqueline Wilson Cranford, Vinson & Elkins, LLP. The Nominating Committee will cultivate nominations for and develop a slate of officers and board members for the 2012-2013 NALP year. The Committee will also oversee the nomination and election process of regional coordinators and nominating committee members. NALP members elect regional representatives to the Nominating Committee each year. For more information and a list of committee members, see Board of Directors and Leaders.

NDLE Work Group
Chair: Sarah Staup, Dykema Gossett, PLLC. Members: Dyana Pinkerton Barninger, K&L Gates LLP; Christine McCarry, Drexel University Earle Mack School of Law; Kathleen Gilloran, Wiggin and Dana LLP; Jennifer Perrigo, Harvard Law School. Collaborate with the Technology Advisory Group and the Research Advisory Group to review the scope of information in the NALP Directory of Legal Employers and explore alternative data collection and reporting methods that will allow for enhanced navigation, searchability, customization, and benchmarking. This work group will build on the work of the 2009-2010 Innovation and Technology Task Force and is expected to complete its work in 2012.

NALPconnect Advisory Group
Chair: Tom Ksobiech, University of Alabama School of Law. Members: Tibby Cail, Boston University School of Law; Marina Feehan, University of San Francisco School of Law; Alexandra Mai, DLA Piper; Nicole Oddo, Ballard Spahr; Stephanie Powell, Mercer Law School; Brad Sprayberry, Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart, PA

Event Planning Work Groups

Annual Education Conference Planning Work Group

The Annual Education Conference Planning Work Group will plan and present the 2013 Annual Education Conference in Tampa, FL.
Chair: Beth Moeller, UCLA School of Law. Vice-Chairs: Christine Carlson, Jenner & Block LLP; Demetria Johnson, Hogan Lovells US LLP; Skip Horne, University of San Diego School of Law. The elected Conference Planning Coordinators serve as members of the Annual Education Conference Planning team.

Diversity Summit Planning Work Group

The Diversity Summit Planning Committee will identify specific topics for and execute the 2013 Diversity Summit.

Newer Professionals Forum Planning Work Group

The Newer Professionals Forum Planning Committee evaluates the event's programming and makes recommendations for changes, if any, for the event for the following year.
Members: Anna Friesenhahn, Cox Smith Matthews Inc.; Layke Stolberg, University of Nevada Las Vegas William S. Boyd School of Law; Lynne Traverse, Bryan Cave LLP

Professional Development Institute Planning Work Group

The Professional Development Institute Planning Committee, in partnership with ALI-ABA and the PDC, plans and presents the annual Professional Development Institute. NALP Members: Kevin Donovan, University of Virginia School of Law; Kia Scipio, Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker LLP; Morgan Smith, Dykema Gossett PLLC.

Lawyer Development Institute Planning Work Group

The Lawyer Development Institute Planning Committee plans and presents the annual Professional Development Institute. NALP Members: Heather Bock, Hogan Lovells US LLP; Timm Whitney, White & Case.

Advisory Groups

Advisory Groups support NALP staff on matters of policy, procedure, and content with our core products and services. Advisory Groups are appointed by the President on an annual basis. Although membership in Advisory Groups is appointed rather than open, all members are invited to share ideas with Group leaders and members.

Communications Advisory Group
Chair: Gary Greener, Southwestern University School of Law. Members: Susanne Aronowitz, Golden Gate University School of Law; Jolie Blanchard, Jones Day ; Julie Inouye, McKenna Long Aldridge LLP; Josie Mitchell, University of Washington School of Law; Craig Spitzer, University of Iowa College of Law; Katherine Fox, Wayne State University Law School; Tammy King, Creighton University School of Law; Susan Reonegro, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP.

Ethics & Standards Advisory Group
Chair: Heather Frattone, University of Pennsylvania Law School. Vice-Chair: Kelly Voight, Yale Law School.

PSJD Advisory Group
Chair: Sharon Booth, Nova Southeastern University. Members: Nicole Clark, The University of Texas School of Law; Lauren Dubin, Georgetown University Law Center; Deborah Ellis, New York University School of Law ; Bill Penn, Lewis & Clark Law School; Kate Devlin Joyce, Boston College Law School; Stacy Keehn, University of Ottawa Faculty of Law; Alisa Rosales, DePaul University College of Law; Stuart Smith, New York City Law Department; Jennifer Thomas, Public Defender Service for DC.
The PSLawNet Advisory Group supports the use, development, and enhancement of the PSLawNet service. In addition to working closely with and providing feedback to NALP’s Director of Public Service Initiatives, the advisory group contributes programming ideas for the Public Service Mini-Conference preceding the Equal Justice Works Conference and solicits nominations for the PSLawNet Pro Bono Publico Awards that are made in conjunction with the mini-conference.

Technology Advisory Group
Chair: Elizabeth Jeffery, Syracuse University College of Law. Members: Andreaus Boise-Fontenot, Texas Southern Thurgood Marshall School of Law; Lynn Ann Herron, Hogan Lovells US LLP; Christopher Lombard, Lewis & Clark Law School; Katie Smith, Chapman and Cutler LLP; Mercedes Pino, University of St. Thomas School of Law; Nora Zeigenfuse, Ropes & Gray LLP.