| 2019-2020 Sections and Interest Groups |
Committees and Work Groups |
Advisory Groups |
Event Planning 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. 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.
2019-2020 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: Julie Banting, Queen's University Faculty of Law
Diversity & Inclusion 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. This section will also serve as the home of the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) Work Group. 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: Lezlie Griffin, Tulane Law School
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: Erin Springer, Alston & Bird LLP
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: Sarah Hall Gruzas, USC Gould School of Law
JD Career Advisors Section
The JD Career Advisors Section is for NALP members who have an interest in or responsibility for the career development of law students and alumni. The section will include work groups on developing resources and conference programming on career development. The section will also serve as the home for the CSO Employer Outreach Work Group, and for those interested in JD advantage careers and alumni career services.
Section Chair: Sarah Rohne, University of Minnesota Law School
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: Michele Hoff, Georgetown University Law Center
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: Elisabeth Beal, William & Mary Law School
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: Tamesha Keel, Foley & Lardner LLP
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.
Section Co-Chairs: Adriana Marchetti, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP and Amanda Stipe, Latham & Watkins LLP
Newer Professionals Section
The Newer Professionals Section is for NALP members who have been in the profession for two years or less.
Section Chair: Nicole Demmel, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
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: Rochelle McCain, University of Pittsburgh School of Law
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: Michelle Le Biavant, Perkins Coie LLP
Small and Solo Career Services Office Section
This Section is for NALP members in career services offices of three or fewer total staff. Members of this group have long been a strong support for one another and have been an excellent source of programming and resources for all career services offices that manage with limited resources.
Section Chair: Alisa Benedict O’Brien, University of Akron School of Law C. Blake McDowell Law Center
Chief Officer Interest Group
This network is open to any NALP member who holds a chief role of any sort, broadly defined, and is meant to facilitate information sharing and best practices among its members, and to provide leadership and guidance to the association and its members about issues around industry change and evolution.
Interest Group Chairs: Shannon Williams, Bingham Greenebaum Doll LLP and Laurie Mallach, Day Pitney
Legal Master’s Programs Interest Group
The Legal Master's Programs Interest Group is for NALP members working in this space to facilitate collaboration and support for one another and to share learning and best practices with one another and the rest of the NALP community.
Interest Group Chair: Melissa Berry, University of Washington School of Law
Lawyer and Law Student Well-Being Interest Group
As the Lawyer and Law Student Well-Being task force has informed us, as well as the continuing dialogue in the press and related professional journals, the topic of well-being for our lawyers and law students continues to be a topic of great importance and interest. This interest group is designed to bring together those working in this space to facilitate collaboration support for one another and to share learning and best practices with one another and the rest of the NALP community.
Interest Group Chair: Andrianna Dunbar, WilmerHale
NALP Committees and Task Forces are either elected by
the membership or appointed by the President to complete a specific
task or project.
Nominating Committee
Chair: Bonnie Hurry, Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP.
Vice Chair: Janet Hutchinson, University of Richmond School of Law. The Nominating Committee will
cultivate nominations for and develop a slate of officers and board
members for the 2020-2021 NALP year. The Committee will also oversee
the nomination and election process of regional representatives, conference planning 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.
50th Anniversary Commission
Co-Chairs: Betsy Armour, USC Gould School of Law and Kisha Nunez, Watchell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. Members: Karen Britton, University of South Carolina School of Law; Norma Cirincione, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP; Marcy Cox, University of Miami School of Law; Lisa Dickinson, Kirkland & Ellis LLP; Gihan Fernando, American University Washington College of Law; Terry Galligan, University of California, Berkeley School of Law; Mina Jones Jefferson, University of Cincinnati College of Law; Irena McGrath, Hogan Lovells US LLP; Tom Schoenherr, Fordham University Law School; Charlotte Wager, Jenner & Block LLP.
Developing the Professional Lawyer Work Group
Chair: Jeff Becherer, New York Law School. Members: Sarah Bergen, Sidley Austin LLP; Amy Perez, University of Miami School of Law; Julia DiPrete, Duke University School of Law; Amy Hancock, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP; Ramji Kaul, University of Michigan Law School; Traci Mundy Jenkins, Venable LLP.
Knowledge Management Implementation Work Group
Chair: Andy Hales, Venable LLP. Members: Chris Boyd, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati; Sara C. Dana, Harvard Law School; Nisha Pecolatto Jafari, Koley Jessen; Stacey Kielbasa, Chapman and Cutler LLP; Megan McGrath, George Washington University Law School.
NDLE/NDLS Work Group
Co-Chairs: Mike Ende, William & Mary Law School and Lynn Herron, Hogan Lovells US LLP. Members: Ray English, Arizona State University Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law; Diane Quick, University of Miami School of Law; Natalie Quinn, Fox Rothschild LLP; Carolyn Quinn, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP; Beth VanBuskirk, Jones Day.
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.
ABA/NALP Employment Outcomes Reporting Advisory Group
Chair: Fiona Trevelyan Hornblower, Boston University School of Law. NALP Members: Betsy Armour, USC Gould School of Law; Melissa Berry, University of Washington School of Law; Heather DiFranco, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Cleveland State University; Angelica Evans, The University of Texas School of Law; Courtney Fitzgibbons, New York Law School; Arturo Thompson, University of Kansas School of Law.
ABA Members: Bill Adams, ABA Section on Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar; Kirsten Winek, ABA Section on Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar.
Communications Advisory Group
Chair: Jim Walsh, The Pennsylvania State University, Penn State Law. Members: Michael Keller, University of Wisconsin Law School; Josie Mitchell, Seattle University School of Law; Susan Reonegro, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP; Tacie Williams, Hogan Lovells (US) LLP.
Ethics and Standards Advisory Group
Chair: Mike Gotham, Perkins Coie LLP. Members: Dyana Barninger, K&L Gates LLP; Chuck Curtis, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP; David Diamond, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law; Caroline Menes, Proskauer Rose LLP.
PD Quarterly Advisory Group
Members: Steve Armstrong, Armstrong Talent; Andy Hales, Venable LLP; Stacey Kielbasa, Chapman and Cutler LLP; Kay Nash, Wiley Rein LLP; J.D. Neary, McGuireWoods LLP; Thelma O’Grady, Bull, Housser & Tupper LLP; Beth Shackleford, University of Georgia School of Law; Beth Shackleford, University of Georgia Law School; Brad Sprayberry, Gunster; Scott Westfahl, Harvard Law School; Sheri Zachary, Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr LLP.
PSJD Advisory Group
Chair: Michelle Grossfield, Boston College Law School. Members: Kathleen Behan, University of Windsor Faculty of Law; Sharon Booth, University of Miami School of Law; Stella Boswell, Duke University School of Law; Rena Cervoni, US Department of Justice; Lauren Dubin, Georgetown University Law Center; Lawson Konvalinka, The University of Texas School of Law; Brent Page, Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI); Michelle Vodenik, Chicago-Kent College of Law.
Research Advisory Group
Members: Lisa Doster, Belmont University College of Law; Rebecca Landau, Winston & Strawn LLP; Laurie Powers, Gonzaga University School of Law; Susan Schell, University of Arkansas School of Law; Ali Solomon, Faegre Baker Daniels LLP; Samantha Stern, Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A.; Molly Wilensky, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law.
2020-2023 Strategic Planning Advisory Group
Co-Chairs: Jessica Buchsbaum, Bilzin Sumberg Baena Price & Axelrod LLP and Lois Casaleggi, University of Chicago Law School. Members: Heather DiFranco, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Cleveland State University; Bruce Elvin, Duke University School of Law; Christina Fox, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP; Lynn Iding, McInnes Cooper; Kristine McKinney, Fish & Richardson, P.C.; Chris Modesto, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP; Susan Robinson, Stanford Law School; Morgan Smith, Dykema Gossett PLLC; Tony Waller, University of Georgia School of Law.
Event Planning Work Groups
2020 Annual Education Conference Planning Work Group
The Annual Education Conference Planning Work Group will plan and present the 2020 Annual Education Conference in Montreal.
Chair: Lisa Blair, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP.
Vice-Chairs: Amy Jones Mattock, Georgetown University Law Center; Stacy Keehn, University of Ottawa Faculty of Law (Common Law); Jessica Sisco, Reed Smith LLP. The elected Conference Planning Coordinators serve as members of the Annual Education Conference Planning team.
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.
Members — NALP Representatives: Ann Chernicoff, American University Washington College of Law; Caitlin Somerman Kapoor, Willkie Farr & Gallagher; Michelle Nash, Hogan Lovells US LLP.
Recruiting Summit Planning Team
Members: Meaghan McNamara, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP; Ellen Laliberte, Miller & Chevalier, Chartered; Michelle Le Biavant, Perkins Coie LLP.
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