Thank you to our phenomenal honorees, speakers, members, sponsors, partners, and Pathways Advisory Council for contributing to the success of MCCA’s 2023 Creating Pathways to Diversity Conference!

Congratulations again to our 2023 George B. Vashon Innovator Award winner: Beveridge and Diamond, and our 2023 Rainmakers and Rising Stars!

We hope that all who attended will be able to incorporate what they have learned at Pathways into their own companies and law firms. Pathways fostered discussions on advancing your career, origination credit, coalition building, performative allyship vs. real advocacy, implementing sustainable DEI strategy, inclusive work culture, and more!

The conference has ended, but the work has not. Continue to speak up, take action, and demand change in the legal profession so that we can know better, do better, lead better and transform for the better. From all of us at MCCA, again, thank you so much for your commitment, engagement, passion, and support.

Together we will #RiseUnited.

Please add events@mcca.com to your Address Book or Contacts to receive future communications regarding the Creating Pathways to Diversity Conference.

COURSE MATERIALS

2023 Pathways Sponsorship

Our sponsors and exhibitors are integral to providing participants with a conference that continues to lift the bar. Sponsors of the Pathways Conference have the opportunity to contribute to unique and substantive discussions on diversity, equity and inclusion issues within the legal profession.

CHAMPION SPONSOR

Amazon

2023 Pitch Session Network

MCCA hosted the Seventh Annual Pitch Session Network (“PSN”) at the 2023 Creating Pathways to Diversity® Conference on October 9-11.  PSN allows in-house counsel to connect with diverse law firm partners at majority law firms, diversify their preferred provider portfolios and hold law firms accountable for their diversity efforts. PSN provides a platform for diverse law firm partners and legal service providers to meet privately, make meaningful connections, and build lasting business relationships with corporate legal departments interested in legal services.

2023 PSN Corporate Participants

Amazon

2023 Paula L. Ettelbrick Honoree

Evan Wolfson

The 2023 Paula L. Ettelbrick Award was presented to Nassib Abou-Khalil, Former Chief Legal Officer at Nokia at the MCCA Creating Pathways to Diversity Conference on October 10, 2023.

Nassib Abou-Khalil, most recently served as Chief Legal Officer at Nokia, where he led the company’s legal and compliance team. As Nokia’s first openly gay executive and an outspoken global advocate for true inclusion in the legal field, Abou-Khalil has courageously built upon Ettelbrick’s legacy. He filled the silence around LGBTQ+ lawyers’ experiences in the field with his own stories, encouraging others to pursue diversity and inclusion beyond the bare minimum and create safe spaces for colleagues to thrive through connection around shared identities.

2023 Rainmakers

2023 Rising Stars

2023 GEORGE B. VASHON INNOVATOR AWARD WINNER

Pathways Advisory Council

Justification Toolkit

You recognize the value of attending the Creating Pathways to Diversity® Conference, but how do you convey that message to your manager? With budgetary constraints and increased scrutiny on business travel, gaining approval to attend conferences can sometimes pose a challenge. It is important to demonstrate the benefits of attending in order to justify the expense. Use MCCA’s Creating Pathways to Diversity® Conference Justification Toolkit to help you make the ask, prepare for the Pathways Conference, and get the most from our conference and your membership.

EVENT AGENDA

MONDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2023

*Please note the agenda times are in ET.

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7:30 AM – 7:00 PM

REGISTRATION AND INFORMATION DESK
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7:30 AM – 9:30 AM

BREAKFAST
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8:00 AM – 11:30 AM

MCCA’S BLUEPRINT WORKSHOP FOR SELLING & BUYING – A PITCH WORKSHOP FOR OUTSIDE COUNSEL

Through instruction and experiential learning, participants will work together to learn skills and behaviors for building successful business relationships. Outside counsel will have the opportunity to work in teams to develop a formal pitch from a mock RFP for legal services, which will be presented to senior in-house counsel.

This workshop is open to law firm members only and has max capacity of 30 participants. Preference will be given to law firm partners; associates are welcome to apply if their firm is a two tier partner system. In-house members who would like to serve as workshop coaches, assisting law firm participants with their pitches and sharing best practices, are invited to email events@mcca.com.

Non-members will be placed on a waiting list as will any other participants once we reach max capacity. Additional information and workshop materials will be provided to participantss prior to the conference. If you would like to be added to the workshop waitlist, please email events@mcca.com.

Moderators:

  • Kamran Khan – Vice President and Associate General Counsel, Altria Client Services Inc.
  • Kevin Prussia – Partner, WilmerHale
  • Debbie Walters-Francique – Vice President & Assistant General Counsel, Chief Counsel, Pricing & Access, Pfizer
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8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

PITCH SESSION NETWORK

MCCA’s Pitch Session Network (“PSN”) provides opportunities for in-house counsel to connect with diverse law firm partners, diversify their service client portfolios, and hold law firms accountable for their diversity efforts. Member law firms, sponsors and legal service providers have the opportunity to meet privately with in-house counsel to pitch the legal services they offer and develop meaningful connections with potential clients. MCCA created PSN to address the lack of diversity at the equity partner-level in law firms.

PSN applications are now closed.

To learn more about PSN and view FAQs, click here.

2023 PSN CORPORATE PARTICIPANTS

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11:30 AM – 1:45 PM

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1:45 PM – 3:30 PM

Conference Welcome followed by
MOVING FROM INVISIBLE TO VISIBLE: WHAT'S THE IMPACT?

Encouraging self-ID is becoming more important than ever to create visibility of diverse lawyers (disability, sexual orientation as well as for those who are from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds) to better understand our collective progress.

This panel will discuss:

  1. challenges to self-ID and concerns; and
  2. creating an inclusive culture to provide safe environments for self-ID, specifically, what that looks like and value to business.

Moderator:

  • Puamuh Ghogomu – Assistant General Counsel, Labor and Employment, W.W. Grainger, Inc.

Panelists:

  • Samantha Grant – Partner, Reed Smith LLP
  • Keri Matthews – Principal, Deputy General Counsel, Head of Enterprise Legal Services, The Vanguard Group, Inc.
  • Nimesh Patel – Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, Akin
  • Peter Wilson, Jr. – Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP
  • Heidi Yurkiw – Senior Vice President & Deputy General Counsel, Bath & Body Works, Inc.
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3:30 PM – 3:45 PM

BREAK
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3:45 PM – 5:30 PM

AI Frontiers: Legal Leaders Guiding Tech Titans

Since the viral launch of ChatGPT, the power of artificial intelligence (AI) has become more accessible for those without a data science background to imagine and explore. AI’s imprint in today’s world often reveals uncomfortable truths about human biases.

From hiring algorithms favoring certain names to the complex web of racial, gender, and class-based prejudices, AI predominantly mirrors our own discriminatory histories.

Join esteemed legal experts from leading tech corporations as they explore the unique opportunity to acknowledge, address, and reshape these embedded biases.

Delve deep into questions such as:

  • Is AI merely mirroring societal inequities or intensifying them?
  • How can the legal domain lead the charge in ensuring that AI not only reflects our past but also paves the way for a more equitable future?

Moderator:

  • Jennifer Ivan – Associate General Counsel, Microsoft Corporation

Panelists:

  • Jonathan Torres – Associate General Counsel – AI, Licensing, and Open Source, Meta
  • Catherine Quinlan – Vice President, AI Ethics, IBM Corporation
  • Beth Tsai – Director, Trust & Safety Policy, Google
  • Jennifer Yokoyama – Corporate Vice President & Deputy General Counsel, Microsoft Corporation
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5:30 PM – 7:00 PM

WELCOME RECEPTION
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6:00 PM – 10:00 PM

PITCH SESSION NETWORK DINNER

Sponsored by:
Womble Bond Dickinson

Pitch Session Network Dinner is by Invite-Only. Your attendance must be confirmed in advance of the dinner.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2023

*Please note the agenda times are in ET.

}

7:30 AM – 6:00 PM

REGISTRATION AND INFORMATION DESK
}

8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

PITCH SESSION NETWORK

MCCA’s Pitch Session Network (“PSN”) provides opportunities for in-house counsel to connect with diverse law firm partners, diversify their service client portfolios, and hold law firms accountable for their diversity efforts. Member law firms, sponsors and legal service providers have the opportunity to meet privately with in-house counsel to pitch the legal services they offer and develop meaningful connections with potential clients. MCCA created PSN to address the lack of diversity at the equity partner-level in law firms.

PSN applications are now closed.

To learn more about PSN and view FAQs, click here.

2023 PSN CORPORATE PARTICIPANTS

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8:30 AM – 9:30 AM

BREAKFAST & RISING STARS AND GEORGE B. VASHON INNOVATOR AWARDS CEREMONY

Presentation of the 2023 Rising Stars and 2023 George B. Vashon Innovator Awards Ceremony

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9:30 AM – 10:30 AM

Are Your Organization’s DEI Efforts Superficial or Structural?

Prioritizing DEI and Navigating Legal Risk. What are the effective strategies in an everchanging world especially within the U.S. where there are state specific challenges to your programs?

The panel will discuss the importance of embedding DEI framework structurally within an organization compared to the superficial including challenges of baking in a DEI framework in business when economy is receding; while managing all the legal risks.

Moderator:

  • Elizabeth “Liz” Davis – Partner, Co-Chair Financial Services Practice Group, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

Panelists:

  • Alexis Mendoza – Chief Compliance Officer, Nokia
  • William Min – Executive Vice President & General Counsel, LexisNexis Risk Solutions
  • Danyale Price – Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
  • Denise Zamore – Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary, agilon health
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10:30 AM – 11:00 AM

BREAK
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11:00 am – 12:00 pm

Data, Accountability, and Sustainability: Doubling Down on DEI

The past few years have focused on the importance of data to drive transformation within organizations. But, when it comes to data, most are unsure about what to collect and why; how to analyze what’s been collected to drive a specific outcome; and what will create a sustainable business for impact.

Moderator:

  • Oderah Nwaeze – Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

Panelists:

  • Jorja Jackson – Vice President, Legal & Regulatory Affairs, Workday
  • Marie Ma – Chief Legal Officer, Articulate
  • Megan Yoshimura – Senior Corporate Counsel, Microsoft Corporation
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12:00 PM – 12:15 PM

BREAK
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12:15 pm – 1:15 pm

Lunch & Rainmakers and Paula L. Ettelbrick Awards Ceremony

Presentation of the 2023 Rainmakers and 2023 Paula L. Ettelbrick Awards Ceremony

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1:15 pm – 2:15 pm

CLO Panel

Additional information coming soon.

Moderator:
Michael Wu – Chief Legal Officer, Bath & Body Works, Inc.

Panelists:

  • Priya Aiyar – Chief Legal Officer, American Airlines
  • Diane Brayton – Executive Vice President & General Counsel, The New York Times Company
  • Monica Howard Douglas – Senior Vice President and General Counsel, The Coca-Cola Company
  • Vandana Venkatesh – Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, Verizon
  • David Zapolsky – Senior Vice President, Global Public Policy & General Counsel, Amazon
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2:15 PM – 3:00 PM

BREAK
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3:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Chief Legal Officer or Chief Crisis Officer?

The role of the chief legal officer (CLO) has evolved in recent years as complex world, people, and business bring new challenges that we have never experienced before such as a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic that has halted the world; a global protest for Black lives and racial equity; and demand for better from our business leaders. How are leaders managing these crisis effectively and what does it mean to be an effective chief legal officer in today’s world? What are the risks that CLOs must prepare for? Join us as leaders share their lessons learned and the evolution of the chief legal role.

Moderator:

  • Cedric Powell – Partner, Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

Panelists:

  • Tim Brown – President – Venerable Investment Advisers; Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary, Venerable
  • Deneen Donnley – Senior Vice President & General Counsel, Consolidated Edison of New York, Inc.
  • José Ramón González – Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary, Equitable Holdings, Inc.
  • Sabastian Niles – President and Chief Legal Officer, Salesforce
  • Grace Speights – Global Leader, Labor and Employment Practice, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
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4:00 PM – 4:30 PM

BREAK
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4:30 pm – 5:30 pm

Effective Retention Strategies

There has been a fever-pitch level of discussion about DEI and specifically about belonging to boost retention strategies.

This panel will share:

  1. steps necessary to identify an appropriate retention strategy and the impact of that strategy vis-a-vis current economy as well as the disproportionate impact of a contracting economy on racially and ethnically diverse communities;
  2. why it is important to measure outcome; and
  3. impact the organization would like to have around specific metrics and/or changes in behavior for better retention.

Moderator:

  • Kori Carew – Chief Catalyst Officer and Founder, Bridge 68 LLC

Panelists:

  • Carlos Dávila-Caballero – Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
  • Sonya Olds Som, Esq. – Global Managing Partner – Legal, Risk, Compliance & Government Affairs Practice Group, Diversified Search Group
  • Michelle Rhee – Deputy General Counsel, Wells Fargo Bank N.A.
}

5:30 PM – 6:30 PM

NETWORKING RECEPTION
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7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

MCCA Dine-A-Rounds

Looking to connect with colleagues during Pathways? Join your fellow attendees for an informal* Dine-A-Round dinner. Connecting in a smaller setting will allow you to benefit from diverse experiences and foster new relationships.

*Attendees must pre-pay for their meal ($225) online during registration in order to attend a Dine-A-Round dinner. Payments are non-refundable. Dine-A-Round pricing encompasses a pre-selected menu, including taxes and gratuity.

The Dine-A-Round event will take place at restaurants within walking distance of the New York Marriott Marquis. Reservations will be arranged by MCCA and will range in size. Details to follow. The Dine-A-Round event is open to registered Pathways attendees only.

This event is $225 and a separate fee not covered by membership or sponsorship discount codes.

* The deadline to register for Dine-A-Round is September 28, 11:59pm ET.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2023

*Please note the agenda times are in ET.

}

7:30 AM – 1:45 PM

REGISTRATION AND INFORMATION DESK
}

7:30 AM – 8:30 AM

BREAKFAST
}

8:00 AM – 2:00 PM

PITCH SESSION NETWORK

MCCA’s Pitch Session Network (“PSN”) provides opportunities for in-house counsel to connect with diverse law firm partners, diversify their service client portfolios, and hold law firms accountable for their diversity efforts. Member law firms, sponsors and legal service providers have the opportunity to meet privately with in-house counsel to pitch the legal services they offer and develop meaningful connections with potential clients. MCCA created PSN to address the lack of diversity at the equity partner-level in law firms.

PSN applications are now closed.

To learn more about PSN and view FAQs, click here.

2023 PSN CORPORATE PARTICIPANTS

}

9:00 am – 10:00 am

The Right to Thrive and Exist - Insights from LGBTQIA Executives on Inclusion and Belonging Post-

LGBTQ+ rights have been under attack in years and the recent SCOTUS decision is another erosion of rights. The recent events raises questions about what it means to belong and what members of the LGBTQ+ community must balance to be authentic to belong in our workplace as well as the communities where we live.

The panel will discuss what workplaces must consider and do to create a culture where all feel safe to identify as a member of LGBTQ+ and use pronouns without backlash; and where employees feel a sense of belonging, to improve morale and retention.

Moderator:

  • Jorge Martinez – Senior Assistant General Counsel, Intuit Inc.

Panelists:

  • Mike Jackson – Associate General Counsel/General Manager, Compliance & Ethics Governance, Training, and Culture, Microsoft Corporation
  • Laura Maechtlen – Partner; National Chair, Labor & Employment, Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Bendita Malakia – Director of Diversity & Engagement, O’Melveny & Myers, LLP
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10:00 AM – 10:30 AM

BREAK
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10:30 am – 11:30 am

Accessibility, Equity, and Inclusion: Making Our Workplace Welcome for All

Impact on individuals with disabilities transitioning back to on-site work environments has been a challenge as we transitioned from remote to hybrid and now some employers are requesting a return to the office as it was pre-pandemic.

How can we ensure that we are inclusive of our colleagues who have disabilities? What are the strategies that employers can employ to ensure inclusion and belonging beyond a policy that says a workplace is inclusive in words but not in action?

The panel will discuss strategies for effective accessibility, equity and inclusion to ensure all our colleagues feel a sense of belonging.

Moderator:

  • Leslie Overton – Partner and Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP

Panelists:

  • Kareem Dale – Director & Senior Counsel, Discover Financial Services
  • Esra Hudson – Partner and Leader of Labor & Employment Practice, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP
  • Tonya Johnson – Assistant General Counsel, The Home Depot, Inc.
  • Dawn Rosemond – Firm Diversity Partner, Barnes & Thornburg LLP
}

11:30 AM – 1:30 PM

Conference Closing & Networking Lunch

EVENT SPEAKERS

Registration & Fees

Registration Date:
Early Bird (before July 21)
Regular (July 22 - September 24)
Late (September 25 - October 11)
MEMBERS
IN-HOUSE
$1,000
$1,200
$1,500
MEMBERS
LAW FIRMS
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
NON-MEMBERS
GOVERNMENT / NON-PROFIT
$1,500
$1,800
$2,000
NON-MEMBERS
IN-HOUSE
$1,500
$1,800
$2,000
NON-MEMBERS
LAW FIRMS
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
NON-MEMBERS
VENDORS
$2,500
$2,500
$3,000
PAYMENT MESSAGE

All payments must be received no later than September 29, 2023, 9:00 PM EDT.

Visa, Mastercard and American Express accepted. Checks are accepted, although card payment is preferred. To ensure your payment is received and processed prior to the event payment deadline, you are strongly encouraged to pay by card.

MCCA Law Firm Members and Corporate Members: Please note as part of your company’s/firm membership benefits you may be entitled to complimentary registration(s) or a discounted member rate.

For complimentary registrations, members must obtain their complimentary registration codes from their organization and use them during registration. The complimentary codes should be entered in the discount code field at the Payment Page and members must click “Apply Now” to zero their balance.

For member discount rates to apply, members must select their “Company/Firm” from a drop down labeled “MCCA Law Firm/Corporate Members” during the registration process. The member discount rate will automatically be applied at the Payment page.

For any questions or inquiries regarding registration or membership confirmation, please contact events@mcca.com.

If paying by check, please make checks payable to the “Minority Corporate Counsel Association” and mail them to the following address: P.O. Box 98357 Washington, DC 20090-8300

CANCELLATIONS & SUBSTITUTIONS

All cancellations MUST be received in writing.

Cancellations received no later than 72 hours prior to the first date of an MCCA conference may, at MCCA’s discretion made on a case-by-case basis, apply a credit in the amount paid for the 2023 Creating Pathways to Diversity® Conference towards attendance to MCCA’s 2024 Creating Pathways to Diversity® Conference.

There will be NO refunds or credits for cancellations received less than 72 hours prior to the first date of the MCCA conference.

Any approved credits will be processed after the MCCA conference.

An organization may substitute one paid participant for another participant from the same organization.

Cancellations and requests for substitutions must be submitted to events@mcca.com.

FINANCIAL HARDSHIP POLICY

To apply for the financial hardship scholarship, please click here to complete the application.

This financial hardship policy applies to attorneys from MCCA member organizations, non-member organizations, or attorneys in public service. Attorneys who are unable to afford event registration fees due to financial hardship may petition for registration fee waivers or discounted registration fees. Full scholarships and discounts to attend MCCA’s conference are given priority to pro bono attorneys, judges, law professors, lawyers who work for nonprofit organizations, legal services organizations or government agencies, and unemployed attorneys with financial hardships. MCCA may waive or reduce the registration fee for MCCA conference at their discretion.

Additional Information:

MCCA will review applications on a rolling basis. The deadline for the 2023 Creating Pathways to Diversity Conference financial hardship applications is September 1.

Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

Full scholarship or reduced registration fees will not be granted retroactively.

Full scholarship or reduced registration fees are non-transferable from event to event or person to person.

MCCA will not review applications that are not submitted via the official application form.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Any special needs for facilities, visual aids or dietary requirements must be sent to events@mcca.com.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Click here to review the MCCA Conference Registration General Terms and Conditions.

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