2ND ANNUAL BREAK INTO LAW CONFERENCE

Mike Spivey is an author of the Powerscore/Spivey Consulting Law School Admissions Bible, motivational speaker and the founder of The Spivey Consulting Group. He is a former senior and dean-level administrator at Vanderbilt, Washington University in St. Louis, and the University of Colorado law schools with responsibilities covering admissions, career, rankings and law school strategy.

Chris Williams became a social media manager and assistant editor for Above the Law in June 2021. Prior to joining the staff, he moonlighted as a minor Memelord™ in the Facebook group Law School Memes for Edgy T14s. Before that, he wrote columns for an online magazine named The Muse Collaborative under the pen name Knehmo. He endured the great state of Missouri long enough to graduate from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. He is a former boatbuilder who cannot swim, a published author on critical race theory, philosophy, and humor, and has a love for cycling that occasionally annoys his peers. You can reach him by email at cwilliams@abovethelaw.com and by tweet at @WritesForRent.

Sydney received her B.A. in English and Certificate in French Language and Culture from Princeton University and her J.D. from Harvard Law School. As the first lawyer in her family, She has used her platform since 2012 to help 4,000+ students break down generational barriers and step confidently into their future. She holds a graduate certificate in Independent Educational Consulting through UC Irvine and is in the process of obtaining her Graduate Certificate in Anti-Racism in Urban Education online from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Sydney is an MDiv/MACEF Candidate at Princeton Theological Seminary. She is a member of the Ethics Committee, the current Graduate School Committee Chair of the Independent Educational Consultants Association, and a member of the National Association for College Counselors, among others.

Mena Pirone graduated from Harvard Law School after scoring in the top 1% on her LSAT. She began her career in Intellectual Property Litigation with LSAT Tutoring as a simple pastime on the side. She soon came to appreciate the more significant impact she could have by helping others achieve their law school dreams and made LSAT Tutoring her full-time endeavor. Since that move some 13 years ago, Mena has developed a unique and targeted approach to the test which has helped hundreds of students gain admission to top schools like Stanford, Colombia, Yale, as well as her alma mater Harvard. She prides herself on her flexible and dynamic personalized approach to tutoring, and her focus on helping first-generation and underserved students (especially those of color) put their best foot forward as they begin their legal careers.

Jasmeene is a Princeton University graduate currently in her 2L year at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. As a neurodiverse woman of color who struggled to study the LSAT on her own, her mission is to help students of all backgrounds close the LSAT performance gap by offering affordable and effective personalized LSAT coaching.

LeAndra is an Accredited Financial Counselor® and the South Regional Director in the AccessLex Institute Center of Education and Financial Capability where she directs and manages the financial education programs and activities at ABA-accredited member law schools in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi.

She has 15 years of higher education and financial aid administration experience, and has passionately worked with students from a variety of backgrounds on making their college experience realistic and affordable. At a Midwestern law school, she had the unique opportunity to work directly with law students not only on financial wellness, but emotional, mental, and physical wellness also. It is where she gained her deep appreciation and advocacy for investing in the overall holistic health of the law student and the legal education profession.

After completing her B.A. in English, Yolanda attended Washburn University School of Law as a first-generation law student. She began her career at a mid-sized law firm and eventually became a law professor at Drexel University Kline School of Law. Her journey led her to her current role supporting underrepresented students in applying to law school.

Abigail Mbuvi is a Southern Illinois University at Carbondale graduate with a bachelor's degree in Photojournalism and Anthropology. Before joining Texas Law, she worked in the Office of Student Aid at The Pennsylvania State University, assisting undergraduate students and academic advisors as a financial aid counselor. Abigail has worked in financial aid for about ten years, with experience helping undergraduate and graduate-level students with their financial aid. She has also worked hard to create financial education programs to ensure a more holistic approach to financial aid offices in higher education. Beyond assisting students with financial aid, Abigail also enjoys cooking, hosting friends in her home, and card games.

A native of Trinidad and Tobago, Gabrielle A. Best Husband received her undergraduate Bachelor's Degree from Washington and Lee University and her Juris Doctor from American University Washington College of Law. After years as a consultant, she followed her passion and pursued law to continue her commitment to advocating for others. After a judicial clerkship, Gabrielle continued her advocacy and litigation skills at a nationwide domestic law firm. She then transitioned to a real-estate boutique firm based in Washington, D.C. Gabrielle was led to follow her entrepreneurial spirit and founded G. Best Husband Law, PLLC, and concentrates her practice in domestic & family law and civil litigation. Her areas of concentration include divorce, custody and support, visitation, maintenance/support, equitable distribution, landlord and tenant, and defamation litigation.

Amani is an Associate at Lowenstein Sandler LLP. Her practice focuses on public and private mergers, and advising companies on compliance with global trade regulatory regimes. Amani graduated from Rutgers Law School - Newark, where she was Editor-in-Chief of the International Law and Human Rights Journal, President of the Muslim Law Students Association and a Teaching Fellow for the Minority Student Program. She served as the NJMLA Law School Liaison from 2019-2021.

Kaysia Earley is known for achieving exceptional results. As a Christian Attorney whose moral compass is grounded in faith and fellowship, she has gained a well-deserved reputation as a fierce litigator who zealously fights for her clients’ fundamental rights. Founding attorney for Earley Law Firm, PLLC, she focuses on both criminal and civil litigation and is a strong advocate for her clients. In 2022, she was honored as a member of The National Black Lawyers Top 40 Under 40.

Aisha Bah is a rising 2L attending the University of Notre Dame Law School where she's involved in the Black Law Students Association and the Student Bar Association. Prior to law school, Aisha was a Strategic Communications Coordinator for a full-service advertising agency where she created communication proposals, performed market research, and handled social media for clients. Aisha hails from Indianapolis, IN originally and earned her B.A. from Butler University in 2021. After law school, she hopes to practice litigation in a big city somewhere where there are endless things to do.

A Toronto native, Thomas received his undergraduate and MBA degrees from Mount St. Mary's University in Maryland where he was a student-athlete on the DI Men's Swim Team, served as a Center of Student Success student-leader, and the student-Athletic Advisory Committee’s DEI Student-Executive. During his 1L year, he served as a 1L Section Delegate of the Student Bar Administration, and SBA Diversity Committee member. He is also a part of the South Asian Law Students Association (SALSA), Black Law Students Association (BLSA), Corporate and Financial Law Organization (CFLO), Immigration Law Student Association (ILSA), International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) and the International Law Society. Thomas hopes to pursue a career in M&A law with a focus on pro-bono immigration. Fun Facts: He is a fan of Toronto sports and a proud owner of a German Shepherd puppy.

Angela Winfield is the Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer for the Law School Admission Council. In this role, she provides leadership, vision, energy, and a unified philosophy to LSAC’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts on behalf of member law schools and the students who seek a career in law. Prior to her current position, Winfield was associate vice president for inclusion and workforce diversity at Cornell University, where she led the university’s affirmative action and federal contractor compliance programs, managed the university’s five identity/affinity-based colleague network groups, provided training opportunities for the 7,000+ member staff, oversaw religious accommodations, and served on the university’s ADA coordinator team. Winfield earned her JD from Cornell Law School and is admitted to the New York bar. She earned her BA from Barnard College of Columbia University.

With 13 years of law school administration experience and 20 years of legal experience, Valerie D. James serves as the Senior Assistant Dean of Admissions, Financial Aid, and Diversity Initiatives at the UOP McGeorge School of Law. She previously served as an assistant dean at UC Davis as well as at the law schools at UNT Dallas (founding) and the University of Arkansas Little Rock (UALR). She holds a JD degree with honors from the UALR and an Arkansas attorney’s license (2008). Valerie’s professional career has focused on building and leading diverse, inclusive, equitable, and accessible higher education programs.

Akua Akyea leads a re-imagined office focused on supporting students and alumni in all practice areas. Before coming to Cornell Law School, she worked in Career Services and Public Interest at the University of Iowa College of Law and Yale Law School. Akua is a graduate of the University of Iowa Law School, where she served on the Journal of Transnational Law & Contemporary Problems and was a member of the Legal Clinic working on asylum petitions and §1983 cases. She has presented on international public interest careers, working with public interest alumni, and supporting students’ social justice goals at the National Association for Law Placement (NALP) and Equal Justice Works conferences.

Lauren R. Jackson, M.P.A., Esq., is a social entrepreneur, attorney, and speaker who is passionate about elevating Black women and girls. As the Founder of Instilling My Ability to Naturally Embrace Excellence, Inc. (IMANEE), she is dedicated to developing the next generation of leaders and social justice advocates. Lauren has spoken on topics such as leadership development, the adultification of Black girls, and the school-to-prison pipeline at various events, including the Seeds of Fortune Leadership Academy, Educating Children of Color Summit at Colorado College, and The Black Girl Project Summit ,and the Young Enterprising Sisters Conference. In 2016, she was selected to attend the Inaugural United State of Women Summit in Washington, D.C. Lauren's legal career has involved working with organizations such as the New York State Department of Human and Civil Rights and the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. She was a judicial intern for Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson during her tenure on the District Court bench for D.C. and upon graduation, worked as a law clerk for Judge Magali M. Francois of the New Jersey Superior Court. Prior to her current role she practices as a Labor & Employment associate at a regional firm in New Jersey. She holds a Juris Doctor from Howard University, a Masters in Public Administration and a Bachelors in Business Administration from Seton Hall University, and is currently pursuing a Masters in Divinity at Howard University. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and Epsilon Sigma Iota Legal Sorority, Inc. Currently, Lauren is the Assistant Dean of Career Services at Howard University School of Law, where she continues to work towards empowering the next generation of social engineers.

Between his current role and previous experiences as a law school admissions officer, Sir has reviewed thousands of law school applications, counseled hundreds of students on admissions and financial aid, and aided the successful implementation of multiple pre-law diversity pipeline summer programs. Before entering law school admissions, Sir was a special prosecutor for the Dane County District Attorney’s Office in Madison, WI.

Ayana Dow advises broker-dealers, financial institutions and other global and domestic financial entities on a broad range of regulatory and enforcement matters. Ms. Dow also regularly counsels companies on compliance issues relating to Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Securities and Exchange Commission, FINRA, and other self-regulatory organization rules and regulations. Prior to joining WilmerHale, Ms. Dow was an associate in the financial services group at another international law firm in Washington DC. She was previously a policy fellow in the Office of Congressman James Clyburn.

Paige Diggs is a staunch proponent of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and an empowering force for marginalized individuals. She received her J.D. and MBA from West Virginia University, along with her B.A. in Mass Communication and Journalism from Fresno State. Diggs currently serves as the inaugural Associate Athletic Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the San Diego State University Athletic Department. Diggs is a sought-after speaker for various organizations allowing her to share the importance of infusing DEI at all levels. Though Diggs has not taken the traditional route with her J.D., she has used the skills she acquired to propel her career in college athletics. In addition to her work in higher education, her extensive industry experience, education, and desire to see everyone win are foundational in her drive to have a meaningful impact on those she encounters.

Samira earned a B.A. in Communciation and Media Studies from The University of Maryland, College Park before earning her J.D. from St. Thomas University. She has over ten years of experience in the legal field and the sports realm, including being an NFLPA Certified Agent representing professional football players in the NFL. She was able to sign onto her first SRA with an active NFL client within 3 weeks of being NFLPA certified. She and her mother are the first NFL Agent mother/daughter duo to sign an SRA for an active client. In addition, she is also an agent on her husband’s NFL contract, they were college sweethearts, making them the first spousal, agent/client duo. In her current role at The Players Company, a collective of over 300 professional athletes committed to financial literacy and empowering our communities, she handles day-to-day legal and regulatory matters for the company.

Ted McKee was sworn in as a Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit on June 20, 1994 and became Chief Judge of that court on May 4, 2010. He graduated magna cum laude from Syracuse University College of Law in 1975 where he was inducted into the Order of the Coif, and earned several honors for outstanding academic performance. He began his legal career at a large Philadelphia law firm, but left there in 1977 to begin his career in public service. He has since been an Assistant United States Attorney, Deputy Solicitor in the Law Department of the City of Philadelphia, and General Counsel to the Philadelphia Parking Authority. He was elected to a 10-year term as a Judge of the Court of Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania in 1984. While a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, Judge McKee chaired the Pennsylvania Sentencing Commission. He was appointed to the Court of Appeals by President Clinton shortly after being retained for a second 10 year term on the Court of Common Pleas. Judge McKee serves on the boards of directors of several nonprofit organizations and institutions including the Vera Institute of Justice, Syracuse University and the National Constitution Center. He is also a member of the Board of Visitors of Temple Law School, an honorary member of the Board of Visitors of Syracuse University Law School, and has been an advisor to the American Law Institute’s Project to revise the sentencing provisions of the Model Penal Code. Before becoming Chief Judge of the Third Circuit, he served on the Criminal Law Committee of the United States Judicial Conference. Most recently, Judge McKee was appointed to serve as a member of the National Academy of Science Committee on Law and Justice, and is one of the inaugural members of the Council on Criminal Justice, a national thinktank comprised of leading scholars, lawyers and judges that focuses on issues related to criminal justice and criminal justice reform. Judge McKee’s official travels have included Ghana, where he taught law and worked with the Ghanaian Supreme Court; as well as Russia, where he had the honor of addressing the Council of the Russian Judiciary on the Independence of the American Judiciary.

Jordan is a graduate of Harvard Law School, Class of 2021. Upon graduating from law school, he clerked for the Honorable John J. McConnell, Jr., Chief Judge for the District of Rhode Island. Currently, he clerks on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia for the Honorable Jane R. Roth. Upon completion of his second clerkship, he will be joining the Security and Exchange Commission’s Office of General Counsel in their Appellate Section. In his free time, he enjoys running, baking, consuming said baked goods, and spending time with his family. He is also very excited to be here today!

Alejandra Salinas is a partner at Susman Godfrey and co-chair of the firm's diversity committee. Named one of Houston’s “Top Women in Law” by The National Diversity Council, Alejandra represents plaintiffs and defendants in complex and high-stakes commercial litigation. She has successfully faced off against industry titans, including global media and technology conglomerates. Her client list ranges from large Fortune 500 retail and energy companies, to small businesses and individuals. She received her J.D. from Boston College Law School and her undergraduate degree in Management from the University of Texas at Austin.

Jolene Robin-McCaskill draws on experience and advanced degrees in science, engineering, and geophysics to assist clients with the management of their patent portfolios, patent prosecution and litigation before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Prior to joining the firm, Jolene utilized her B.S. in Electrical Engineering, M.S. in Applied Physics and Ph.D. in Geophysics as an Electrical Engineer, a Geophysical Experimentalist and a Petrophysicist with a Fortune 500 E&P company. Jolene’s background allows her to provide advice to clients on a spectrum of scientific and technical matters. Jolene’s experience includes managing the petrophysical drilling program for an international oil well, designing and constructing a novel experimental system for extracting acoustic properties of irregularly shaped rock samples, and providing engineering design and maintenance support for energy transmission facilities. Jolene is also committed to the advancement of female and diverse attorneys in the legal community. She serves as a member of the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion, Women’s and Working Parents initiatives. Jolene is also an active member of “Stanford Where You Live,” Stanford University’s Alumni Organization.

Evita earned her BSc from MIT before going on to receive her Ph.D. in Medical Engineering and Medical Physics from Harvard University and her J.D. from Harvard Law School. Before founding her own company, she was an Associate at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where she worked on patents and innovations. At TecHustle, she is working to build the AFi payment platform to support the payment needs of offline MSMEs, the backbone of African economies.

Chanille has over 20 years of litigation experience across the country. She focuses her practice on trademark, trade dress, and copyright litigation, representing prominent brands in the enforcement of their IP assets in District Courts, as well as opposition and cancellation proceedings before the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.She is active in the legal community and is dedicated to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) both within Brooks Kushman and the greater legal community. As a part of these efforts, she has facilitated the firm’s partnership with organizations that share the firm’s commitment to diversity in the legal profession. Carswell is passionate about giving back to her community and prioritizes civic engagement activities to improve her local community.

Cameron D. Clark (he/they) is an Instructor and Supervising Attorney in Berkeley’s Policy Advocacy Clinic, pursuing legislative reforms to abolish administrative fines and fees imposed on youth who are involved in the criminal legal system. A civil rights attorney by training, Cameron previously litigated on behalf of clients to challenge solitary confinement and the sentencing of youth to life-without-parole. Cameron received his law degree from Harvard Law School, where he studied as a NAACP-LDF Earl Warren Scholar, a Harvard University Presidential Scholar, and managing editor of the Harvard Blackletter Law Journal.

Cam is an associate Reed Smith’s Pittsburgh office and a member of the firm’s Global Corporate Group. His practice focuses on advising clients in connection with public and private mergers and acquisitions, venture capital financing, private equity transactions, corporate formation, corporate governance and financial transactions including debt financing and leveraged acquisitions. In addition, Cam is a member of On-Chain: Reed Smith’s Crypto & Digital Assets Group where part of his work has involved analyzing digital assets under the SEC’s Howey framework. Cam also has experience discussing the federal tax implications surrounding cryptocurrency investments.

Adabelle (Belle) received her J.D. from Harvard Law School in 2018 after receiving her A.B. in Neurobiology from Harvard College in 2014. After serving as a clerk for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, she came to Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz’s Litigation Department.

Preetha Suresh Rini received her B.A. from Centre College and her J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law. She now represents clients in complex business litigation and appeals at Robinson Bradshaw in Raleigh, North Carolina. Preetha also owns her own art business, Prints By Preetha.

Alice Foley received her B.A. from West Virginia Wesleyan College in 2009 and her J.D. from West Virginia University College of Law in 2013. She has spent the past 6 years as Assistant Director for Enrollment Management at West Virginia University College of Law and previously served as an Admissions Counselor at the University of Kentucky School of Law where she spent much of her time traveling the country and meeting with students interested in law school.

Since her graduation from law school, Alice has been working in law school admissions - helping take as much stress out of the admissions process as possible. She is passionate about expanding access to legal education and has spent years working with first-generation law school students from the Appalachian region.

Cynthia’s belief in the power of education and access to critical information has shaped her deep commitment to mentoring, advising, and motivating students and young professionals to develop their academic and career goals. Her passion results from her own journey through college and law school as a first-generation student. As a law school admissions consultant, Cynthia is dedicated to helping law school applicants discover their strengths and craft a personal narrative that maximizes their potential. She obtained her B.A. in History from Cornell University before earning her law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. While attending Cornell, Cynthia was a student recruiter with the undergraduate admissions office. At the University of Virginia, she was a student member of the Admissions Task Force. She later returned to UVA, where she worked as a reader with their law school admissions office reviewing and assessing numerous applications. Before working in admissions, she worked as a financial advisor for a wealth management firm and as an attorney with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Office in Washington, D.C. Raised in Puerto Rico, Cynthia is fluent in both English and Spanish.

Aaronette Carter, Esq., received her Juris Doctor from the University of Florida, College of Law. She also received a Master of Arts Degree in sociology and a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal justice from the University of Florida. Ms. Carter is currently an attorney in Maryland. In 2001, she began her career as a solo practitioner, litigating cases in the area of family law, juvenile law, CINA law and criminal law. In 2003, she joined the Office of the Public Defender in Rockville, Maryland, as an Assistant Public Defender, representing indigent parents in child abuse and neglect cases.

Amaya is a recent graduate of Dillard University, where she earned a B.S. in Urban Studies and Public Policiy. Throughout her undergrad experience, she has conducted notable research on mass incarceration, juvenile recidivism, and microaggressions in the courtroom. She also created programming for Black women on campus and in her community through her work with In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda. As a student at Harvard Law School, she is a member of the Women's Law Association, First Class, and is the External Vice President-elect for the Black Law Students Association.

Abena received her B.S. in Biology from Clark Atlanta University before earning her J.D. from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. While in law school, she held several roles as a District and Federal Judicial Law Clerk. A public interest enthusiast, Abena chose to work at Maryland Legal Aid. There, she quickly ascended to the role of Senior Human Rights Attorney. She later assisted with launching the Baltimore City District Court location of the Maryland Courts Self Help Centers, as a Supervising Attorney. Abena has twelve years of experience in the legal field and previously held a position as an Administrative Law Judge for Maryland's Office of Administrative Hearings where she adjudicated hundreds of administrative hearings and proceedings. In her current role, Abena focuses on advising government entities on Special Education law.

Fareeda Brewington is currently Supervising Attorney at Women Against Abuse. Fareeda attended Suffolk University Law School where she received the Suffolk Public Interest Law Grant after her first year as a law student. That SPILG grant opened the door for her to be an intern at The Victim Rights Law Center which specifically assists victims of sexual violence with all legal matters. Fareeda's passion for assisting people experiencing violence lead her to Women Against Abuse where she started as a Staff Attorney in 2017 and then became the supervisor of the Fast Track Program which is a program that she believes in wholeheartedly. When Fareeda is not practicing law, she is spending time with her daughter Jewel in their South Jersey home.

Linda Sheryl Greene is Dean and MSU Foundation Professor of Law at Michigan State University College of Law and an elected life member of The American Law Institute. She previously served as Associate Vice Chancellor and Evjue Bascom Professor of Law at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Inaugural Vice Chancellor for Equity/Diversity/Inclusion at the University of California San Diego.

A graduate of Berkeley Law, she was a civil rights and constitutional law attorney at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, a Los Angeles Deputy City Attorney who specialized in civil rights and constitutional law, and a Counsel to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. She was the Chair of the 1990 Wisconsin Conference on Critical Race Theory, President of the Society of American Law Teachers, the founder of the People of Color Legal Scholarship Conference movement, and Vice Chair of the Counsel on Legal Educational Opportunity.

She co-founded the Black Women in Sports Foundation, served the U.S. Olympic Committee as Chair of its Legislation Committee and Vice Chair of its Audit Committee, and was a member of the UW Madison Athletic Board.

She has lectured and advised on constitutional and civil rights issues around the world. This past March, she visited Chilean law schools under Fulbright auspices to lecture and advise on the proposed Chilean constitution. Her forthcoming book is THURGOOD MARSHALL, DISSENTING: TOWARDS AN INCLUSIVE CONSTITUTIONAL

DEMOCRACY (2023)

Terra Davis is the Chief Diversity and Talent Development Officer at Knobbe Martens. She is responsible for leading and integrating the firm’s diversity, equity, and inclusion, and talent development efforts, focusing on the recruitment, retention, and progression of diverse attorneys. Outside of Knobbe, she served as the 2020-2022 co-chair of the Legal Marketing Association’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Shared Interest Group and is a member of the Association of Law Firm Diversity Professionals. Terra is a graduate of Howard University and received her DEI certification from Cornell University. She is passionate about DEI, serving marginalized communities, and pushing the needle forward for change.

Natasha earned her J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center and a B.A. in English from the University of Virginia. After clerking for Judge Thomas Motley on the Superior Court of the District of Columbia and working as a trial lawyer for several Washington area firms, she began her present career in law firm recruitment. For over a decade, she has managed all aspects of Williams & Connolly’s associate and summer associate hiring, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and associate professional development, as well as the planning and oversight of the firm’s summer associate program and firmwide social events.