Pitch Session Network

MCCA’s Pitch Session Network (“PSN”) provides opportunities for in-house counsel to connect with law firm partners, diversify their service client portfolios, and develop relationships with service providers whose values align with their company values including diversity, equity, and inclusion. Member law firms, sponsors, and legal service providers meet privately with in-house counsel to pitch the legal services they offer and develop meaningful connections with potential clients.

Past PSN Corporate Participants Past PSN Law Firm Participants

Past PSN Corporate Participants

PAST PSN LAW FIRM PARTICIPANTS

Pitch Session Network INFORMATION

PSN was created to address the lack of diversity at the equity partner level in law firms. Our 2023 Law Firm Diversity Survey report revealed that while law firms have become more diverse, the demographic shifts are incremental and uneven. Minority representation at the partner level has increased by seven percentage points since 2010, thanks to both higher promotion rates and an increase in lateral hiring. However, even though 30 percent of law firm associates are from an underrepresented racial & ethnic group, more than 87 percent of equity partners are white. Among women, the figures are especially stark: women of color represent 17.6 percent of associates but only four percent of equity partners.

PSN is a direct result of discussions with committed general counsels on ways to encourage progress more strategically to improve the number of partners from a diversity of backgrounds in law firms.

We invite everyone, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, class, or status, who believe that the legal industry must lead to ensure that all are welcomed and representative of the future that we would like to see. Together, we can be a catalyst for transformative change.

PSN is held at our Creating Pathways to Diversity Conference. Interested participants must complete the PSN application, which is available as part of the MCCA Conference registration. Please refer to the Creating Pathways to Diversity Conference registration for specific instructions.

Please contact events@mcca.com with any questions or concerns regarding PSN.

Eligibility Criteria for PSN Participants:

ALL PSN participants MUST be confirmed registrants for an MCCA Conference prior to the application being considered. There is no additional cost to participate.
- Corporate Legal Departments:
  - In-house counsel participants MUST have the authority to hire outside counsel directly; and
  - In-house counsel do not have to be MCCA members; however, MCCA members receive preference in the matching/selection process.
- Law Firms:
  - Law firm participants MUST be MCCA members (or pre-approved affinity organizations) and CANNOT participate solely as a MCCA Conference sponsor (non-MCCA member attorneys MUST provide verification of good standing from the affiliate bar association prior to the application being considered);
  - Law firm participants MUST complete the PSN application (which is found in the conference registration);
  - Law firm participants MUST be PARTNERS — partners from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply;
  - Law firm participants MUST provide their attorney profile and/or resume to complete their PSN application; and
  - Law firm participants MUST provide a profile of their firm to complete their PSN application.
- Legal Service Providers (non-law firms):
  - Legal service providers MUST be an MCCA Conference sponsor to participate in PSN.
  - Legal service providers MUST provide their profiles to complete their PSN application.

2024 Pitch Session Network

MCCA will host the Eighth Annual Pitch Session Network at the 2024 Creating Pathways to Diversity Conference on September 23-25 in Scottsdale, AZ.

Learn More

FAQS

When and where will the Pitch Session Network take place?

PSN will take place during MCCA’s Creating Pathways to Diversity Conference. Please check the respective conference agenda for specific information on date, time, and location.

HOW DO I APPLY FOR THE PITCH SESSION NETWORK?

Interested participants must complete the PSN application, which is available as part of the MCCA Conference registration.

Who may participate in the Pitch Session Network?

In-house counsel MUST:
- Have the authority to hire outside counsel; and
- Be a confirmed registrant of an MCCA Conference (Creating Pathways to Diversity Conference).
All law firm participants MUST:
- Be employees of law firms that are MCCA members (or pre-approved affinity organizations);
- Be a partner – partners from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply; and
- Be a confirmed registrant of an MCCA Conference (Creating Pathways to Diversity Conference).
Legal service providers (non-law firms) MUST be an MCCA Conference Sponsor in order to participate in PSN. (e.g. ABC Vendor is an MCCA Conference Sponsor for the Creating Pathways to Diversity Conference. ABC Vendor can only participate in the Creating Pathways to Diversity Conference PSN).

Please refer to the section “Eligibility Criteria for PSN Participants” for specific information.

How are matches and selections made?

Law firm applications that match the requirements of the participating corporate legal department(s) will be forwarded to each in-house counsel’s attention for their review.
In-house counsel will then select which law firm partner they are interested in meeting.
Law firm partners and in-house counsel will be provided a list of participating legal service providers and a description of their services. They will decide which legal service providers (that are not law firms) they want to meet with based on the services they are seeking.

When will we know if we were selected for PSN meetings?

PSN participants will receive notifications of PSN meetings once in-house counsel make and relay their selections to MCCA, which may not be made until close to the date of the scheduled meeting. If selected, PSN participants should receive an update a week before the conference, but it is possible for PSN participants to receive notification the day before the conference.

May you bring other attorneys from the same MCCA Member Law Firm to participate in PSN meetings?

Law Firm partners may bring other attorneys from their MCCA Member Law Firm to the pitch session, ONLY IF ALL OF THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS HAVE BEEN MET:
- Each proposed accompanying attorney is a confirmed registrant of the same MCCA Conference;
- Each proposed accompanying attorney has completed the PSN Application;
- Each proposed accompanying attorney has the qualifications to meet the needs requested by the in-house counsel, and
- The in-house counsel consent to meeting with the proposed accompanying attorneys.

However, a law firm partner CANNOT transfer or substitute their PSN meeting with another law firm partner from their firm.

If I was selected for a Pitch Session Network meeting, but I am no longer able to attend the conference, can I substitute or transfer my appointment with someone else from my firm?

No. There will be no transfer or substitutions allowed for any PSN meeting.

Am I guaranteed a slot to pitch?

PSN meetings are NOT guaranteed.

Applications are carefully reviewed and are forwarded to in-house counsel for review if they match in-house counsel’s requirements. Please be aware that there could be many reasons why an application was not selected for a pitch session.

Due to confidentiality reasons and the volume of applications received, we do not provide information on why an application was not selected for a pitch session.

MCCA does not guarantee that the law firm partner or legal service provider that applies for the PSN will be selected to participate, nor does MCCA guarantee that selection and participation in the PSN will result in actual legal work.

Is there a cost to participate?

There is no additional cost for MCCA Conference attendees to participate in the PSN.
Law firm attorneys interested in participating in the PSN MUST satisfy the eligibility criteria and MUST be registered for an MCCA Conference.
- NOTE: When you register for an MCCA Conference, you are paying to attend the conference and not paying to take part in the PSN.
Legal service vendors (non-law firms) MUST be an MCCA Conference Sponsor to participate in the PSN.
- For more information on sponsorship, click here.

What is the format for a Pitch Session Network meeting?

Each PSN meeting will be 30 minutes in duration. There will be a 5-minute warning before the end of each meeting. If you arrive late to your scheduled meeting time, the meeting will NOT be extended.

The session schedule will be strictly adhered to in order to ensure all PSN participants meet as scheduled.

MCCA reserves the right to:

Determine the availability of law firm attorneys and in-house counsel applicants; and

Limit the number of law firm attorneys to the in-house counsel participant.