PracticePro

Date: Friday, April 5, 2024, 11 – 7:30 PM EST

Location: Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, Robert S. Strauss Tower 2001 K Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20006

Do you want to gain the knowledge and exact formula for securing a great summer associate position or post-graduate career? Master the substantive and soft skills and competencies you will need during your summer internships to deliver stellar work product, build a fantastic brand, and receive a permanent employment offer? Would you like to be part of an exclusive group of students participating in recruiting opportunities with PracticePro’s law firm partners?

TARGET AUDIENCE

The conference is best suited for 1Ls and 2Ls. Incoming 1Ls, 3Ls, and LLMs may also attend.

INSTRUCTORS & SPEAKERS

Niki Khoshzamir, PracticePro 

Niki Khoshzamir is the Chief Executive Officer of PracticePro, an EdTech social enterprise that provides skills training, coaching, and scholarships to empower the next generation of diverse attorneys. In her role, she leads all business and legal aspects of the company, including corporate governance, strategic partnerships, IP portfolio strategy, and product development.

Prior to founding PracticePro, Niki was an attorney at the global firms of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr, LLP, and Kirkland & Ellis, LLP. She focused her practice on intellectual property litigation, complex commercial disputes, and trade sanctions compliance. Niki was the first recipient of the firm’s Pickering Fellowship on the West Coast, through which she spearheaded the Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus’ advocacy and community education project on U.S. sanctions.

Niki currently serves on the national advisory board of the Iranian American Bar Association (IABA), and she is the former president of the Northern California Chapter, which she founded in 2006. She also serves on the Leadership Council of Asian Law Caucus. From 2011 to 2017, Niki was a Lecturer at Law at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law.

Prior to her legal career, Niki researched cancer genomics at the MD Anderson Cancer Center and was a research technician at Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine.

Niki received her B.S. in Biology, summa cum laude, from Texas Southern University, Juris Doctorate from Berkeley Law, and an Advanced Genomics and Genetics certificate from Stanford School of Medicine. She grew up in Tehran, London, and Vienna and immigrated to the United States on her own at 19 to attend college.

Thomas Boley, Wiley Rein

Thomas Boley is an insurance coverage attorney at Wiley in Washington, DC.  He counsels insurers on complex claims and represents insurers in high-stakes litigations and arbitrations under professional liability, general liability, director & officers, employment practice liability, and first-party commercial crime policies.  During law school, Thomas was a summer associate at Wiley and worked at the American Tort Reform Association, where he assessed the impacts of legislative and judicial developments on tort costs to the public and to insurers.  He was also a PracticePro Diversity Scholar.  Prior to studying law and joining Wiley, Thomas was a DC-based independent insurance agent, representing over a dozen insurers and assisting businesses and individuals with navigating the property and casualty insurance market. 

Thomas earned his B.S. in International Relations from the London School of Economics and his J.D. from the George Washington University Law School, where he served as co-President of Lambda Law, the school’s LGBT+ affinity group. 

Michelle Chen, Sullivan & Cromwell

Bio coming shortly.

Khari Cyrus, Covington

Bio coming shortly.

Miranda Dore, Akin Gump

Miranda Dore is an associate in Akin’s litigation practice focusing on representing corporate and individual clients in a variety of litigation matters and internal and government-facing investigations, including congressional, criminal, and regulatory proceedings. She has defended complex commercial disputes involving consumer protection, class actions, breach of contract, trade secrets, torts, and labor and employment claims. Miranda has trial experience in federal and state court. She has also represented individuals and companies before several Congressional Committees in preparation for briefings and hearings.

Miranda also has an active pro bono practice representing individuals and families in various immigration, family, and criminal law matters. Miranda was a 2016 Akin Gump Pro Bono Scholar. As a scholar, she worked at Children’s Law Center where she handled adoption, custody and related domestic matters in D.C. Superior Court. She received her J.D. from American University, Washington College of Law and an M.A. in Strategic Intelligence Studies from the Institute of World Politics. She graduated cum laude with a B.S. from University of Pittsburgh.

Gabriel Khoury, Paul Hastings

Gabriel Khoury is a first-generation attorney and the child of Palestinian immigrants. His Palestinian heritage and passion for social justice drove him to pursue a career in law. Gabriel is the founder of the Palestinian American Bar Association, a voluntary bar association dedicated to fostering legal excellence and community engagement within the Palestinian American legal community.

As a fintech attorney, Gabriel specializes in digital assets and blockchain-related matters. He assists financial technology companies in navigating the complex regulatory landscape surrounding cryptocurrency and other blockchain technologies. His expertise includes advising on corporate matters, money transmission, anti-money laundering, artificial intelligence, esports, and online gambling-related legal issues. Additionally, Gabriel actively participates in immigration pro bono practice.

Bhanu Mathur, Alston & Bird

Bio coming shortly.

Cedric Powell, Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton

Cedric Powell is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group in Washington, D.C. office of Sheppard Mullin. 

He is a seasoned private equity, M&A attorney with extensive experience in middle market M&A transactions, representing private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies, strategic acquirers, and founders in both buy-side and sell-side transactions. Cedric’s experience spans various industries, including aerospace and defense, manufacturing, food and beverage, national security, government services, retail, technology, chemical distribution, consumer packaged goods, grocery, third-party logistics, and healthcare to name a few. Additionally, Cedric regularly represents clients in various other corporate and transactional matters, including equity financings, strategic investments, joint ventures, and corporate governance.

Cedric co-chairs the DC Office’s Diversity and Inclusion Office Working Group, the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Attorney Network (DIAN) and the firm’s Black Lawyers Network. He also co-chairs the DC Office’s Recruiting Committee.

Shailesh (“Shai”) Sahay, Baker Botts

Bio coming shortly.

Daniel Vatanaviggun, Allen & Overy

Daniel Vatanaviggun is the U.S. Senior Manager of Law Student Recruitment at Allen & Overy LLP. Dan does direct outreach in collaboration with law schools’ student organizations & career services offices, as well as individualized counseling and mentoring.  Dan lends firm-side hiring and professional development insights, in the advisement of prospective associates during the early stages of their careers.

A self-described “ESL, third culture kid,” Dan’s personal emphasis lies in working with FirstGen attorneys and students of color. Dan previously practiced as an IP litigation associate in the San Francisco office of the global firm Coudert Brothers, having summered in their Bangkok and New York offices. Dan has also served as Recruiting Attorney and Global Director for firms on both the East and West coasts.  

Dan received his B.A. from Stanford University and his J.D. from Boston College Law School.

TBD, Cooley

TBD, McDermott

TBD, Morrison & Foerster

TBD, WilmerHale

TBD, Wilson Sonsini

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Ola Adekunle, Google