LMJ SCHOLARSHIP
In 2004, MCCA established the LMJ Scholarship Program and awarded the first scholarships in 2005. The LMJ Scholarship is a diversity pipeline program that seeks to nurture the academic and professional careers of outstanding law students. The scholarship is open to women and diverse students who have: been accepted to an ABA-accredited law school on a full-time basis; an outstanding or promising academic record; an interest in corporate law; demonstrated community service and leadership qualities; a financial need; and a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity. The LMJ Scholarship grants scholarships of $10,000 to students for their first year of law school. In addition to financial support, LMJ scholars are connected with peers, alumni, and mentors, who are available to provide professional support, such as guidance on addressing academic or personal obstacles that arise over the course of their legal careers.
Since its inception, the LMJ Scholarship has awarded over $3.7 million in scholarships to 228 students, of which 40% identify as men and 60% identify as women.
Have further questions? Read our Scholarship FAQs.
The 2023 LMJ Scholarship Program Application is now closed. Please check back in Spring 2024 for the new application cycle.
In memory of Robert Bostrom
2022 LMJ Scholars
Nathnael Alazar
Microsoft Scholar
Columbia University in the City of New York
Claudia Diaz Martinez
MCCA Scholar
University of California – Irvine
Sara Gomez Bohorquez
Chevron Scholar
Columbia University in the City of New York
Arianna Hopkins
Bob Bostrom Scholar
Fordham University
Divine Kickingbird
MCCA Scholar
University of Arizona
Veda Tsai
Robert Half Legal Scholar
The University of Texas at Austin
2022 LMJ Scholars
Nathnael Alazar
Microsoft Scholar,
Columbia University in the City of New York
Claudia Diaz Martinez
MCCA Scholar,
University of California – Irvine
Sara Gomez Bohorquez
Chevron Scholar,
Columbia University in the City of New York
Arianna Hopkins
Bob Bostrom Scholar,
Fordham University
Divine Kickingbird
MCCA Scholar,
University of Arizona
Veda Tsai
Robert Half Legal Scholar,
The University of Texas at Austin
Celebrating 15 Years of the LMJ Scholarship
2022 LMJ Selection Committee
Special thank you to the 2022 LMJ Scholarship Selection Committee, for your support and commitment to helping MCCA build a diverse pipeline of students who will become the leaders of tomorrow. How can you support the diversity pipeline? Become an MCCA member, donate to the LMJ Scholarship, offer an internship, or mentor a scholarship student. Check out our Scholarship Donation FAQs.
LAUREN ANDERSON
Partner,
Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
DIANA ARREDONDO
Senior Corporate Counsel,
Amazon.com, Inc.
CANDICE CARR
Assistant General Counsel, Chief of Staff,
Microsoft Corporation
KEYLA DURAN
Assistant General Counsel,
Thomson Reuters
Ammy Le
Senior Attorney,
USAA
Dave Louie
Senior Counsel,
LyondellBasell
HISHAM MASRI
Employment Counsel,
Flowserve Corporation
Connie Matteo
Assistant General Counsel,
Pfizer Inc.
ANDREA MOODY TURNER
In-House Senior Counsel,
General Motors LLC
MEGHAN MORAN
Partner,
Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
NATASHA NEWBERRY
Director & Senior Corporate Counsel,
LexisNexis
Heidi Ruckriegle
Ethics Counsel,
Western Union
CHRISTY TINNES
Principal,
Groom Law Group
LMJ SCHOLARSHIP SPONSORS
TARIK GAUSE
Director, Business and Legal Affairs,
Roku Inc.
—
LMJ Scholars Class: 2005
Originally From: South Carolina and Washington, DC
Current Location: The Netherlands
Current Company: Roku Inc.
Tarik learned about the LMJ scholarship while completing a law school preparedness program. We recently reconnected with Tarik to talk about how the scholarship impacted his career and what he is up to now.
What did receiving the LMJ Scholarship mean for you and for your legal education?
I formed careerlong and life-long relationships with a number of the people at my program sponsor, the Dupont Company – one being Tom Sager, who was the General Counsel. Tom Sager is one of the most respected advocates for diversity in the legal profession and to have him as a mentor has been extremely valuable. In addition, it was really important for me to be able to have those relationships with well-respected attorneys and also attorneys of color who are working in the field and get their guidance on how to approach my law school education.
What are some ways MCCA and the LMJ Scholars Program have been helpful to you in your career?
I can’t emphasize enough the mentorship and sponsorship aspect of MCCA and LMJ. For a lot of students of color in particular, thriving in law depends on strong relationships with mentors and sponsors whose guidance can have an outsized impact on your career. It’s not always about someone who can get you a job – it’s also about information and access to wise counsel. You can’t walk out of law school and start building those kinds of relationships without somewhere to start. Those connections and relationships have been the greatest gift of the LMJ Scholarship.
What advice do you have for someone applying to LMJ about the scholarship and about their larger legal career?
The scholarship is what you make of it, so view it as an opportunity to build your legal career on a strong foundation with people who are interested in seeing you succeed. Be proactive in getting to know your program sponsors and the staff at MCCA. They are your cheerleaders.
What are you doing now?
Today I am Director, Business and Legal Affairs at Roku, Inc. Previously I was Associate General Counsel at a company called Veon Ltd which is a global telecom company focused on emerging markets and servicing over 240 million customers around the world. By training, I am a capital markets and securities attorney. As a public company, we have certain information that we are obligated to share with investors on a regular basis and I make sure we share that information accurately and in a timely manner. Prior to my time at Veon, I worked at Bank of America Corporation in Charlotte, NC and at Sherman and Sterling LLP in Sao Paulo, Brazil. I was also an attorney at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and K & L Gates LLP and I began my career as an International Trade Policy Negotiator, all in Washington, D.C.
Bryant Hall
Litigation Counsel,
Danaher Corporation
—
LMJ Scholars Class: 2008
Originally From: Galesville, MD
Current Location: Washington, D.C.
Current Company: Danaher Corporation
Bryant learned about the LMJ scholarship through scholarship and financial aid announcements at his law school. We recently reconnected with Bryant to talk about how the scholarship impacted his career and what he is up to now.
What did receiving the LMJ Scholarship mean for you and for your legal education?
I don’t think you realize the full burden of law school debt while you are in school. Graduating with a lower debt burden opens up the opportunity to consider career paths in the legal field without being driven solely by financial incentives. I chose to work in a private law firm, but in talking with colleagues who have chosen public interest careers or government service, they often comment about the weight in which law school debt drove their career choices. It’s been helpful for me through this scholarship to allow my legal interests to drive my career decisions apart from law school debt considerations.
What are some ways MCCA and the LMJ Scholars Program have been helpful to you in your career?
My sponsor was the Deputy General Counsel and Chief Ethics Officer at Xerox. If I had questions about how to make law school work or how to prepare for an exam, she was always willing to answer my questions. She also offered her guidance on bigger questions, for example, which firms to consider and how to shape my career. She was a real and present on-call resource that I wouldn’t have had without the scholarship. Going into practice, I’ve continued to keep in touch with her and it’s been an important connection for me. The MCCA LMJ scholarship made that possible.
What advice do you have for someone applying to LMJ about the scholarship and about their larger legal career?
The most important thing is to remember where you’ve come from because it’s critical to try to bring your whole self to legal practice. The only way that you’re going to survive and thrive in practice is to remember your core values and the hard work that has gotten you to law school. Don’t forget those values because they’ll be sources of strength for you to rely upon as you navigate your career.
In terms of how to navigate the scholarship process, it’s really important to invest in the program and to be open to saying yes to different experiences and connecting with different people. MCCA is providing a significant platform to create and expand those opportunities for legal professionals.
What are you doing now?
I work at Williams and Connolly in our litigation practice. I started at the firm in 2012 after completing a clerkship. I’ve worked on a variety of cases ranging from white collar matters to significant criminal matters and have also worked on a range of business disputes. As a litigator, I counsel clients on difficult issues that come up and help them to navigate those challenges. Additionally, I research, write, and think critically about how clients’ problems relate to the law and what their best defenses are. It’s a challenging, interesting, and intellectually stimulating practice. I love working with my team. We emphasize teamwork and collaborative problem solving. It’s been an interesting and rewarding career path for me.
Lauren Anderson
Partner,
Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
—
Lauren’s forward-thinking approach to patent prosecution is a refreshing strategy for clients who are seeking assistance in the tech industry. She is in-tune with current trends and advancements, which enables her to identify clients’ patent portfolio needs in an ever-changing market.
From an early age, Lauren’s dream was to be involved in the forefront of innovation. As such, she acquired a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, which has introduced her to a plethora of different technologies that have aided her in preparing and prosecuting a multitude of patent applications thus far. She has experience with preparing and prosecuting both domestic and foreign patents in such sectors as medical devices, aviation systems, aerospace and defense components, smoking and tobacco products, industrial and consumer products, computer hardware, software, telecommunications, computer networking, and imaging technologies.
Not only does Lauren enjoy furthering the goals of her clients, she’s active in furthering the goals of her community as well. She is a member of the firm’s Diversity Committee and chairs a subcommittee focusing on implementing a social media strategy for the Diversity Committee.
Diana Arredondo
Senior Corporate Counsel,
Amazon.com, Inc.
—
Diana is an attorney with over sixteen years of experience in Intellectual Property, Domain Names, Digital Media, Privacy and Data Protection, licensed to practice in Mexico and the United States. Diana is a Senior Corporate Counsel at Amazon, where she leads the Digital Device and Ads Trademark Team, and is responsible for developing and implementing global IP strategies. Diana also serves on Amazon’s Legal Diversity Leadership Team and leads multiple DEI initiatives. Prior to joining Amazon, Diana was a Senior Counsel at Grupo Televisa, where she led the International IP Division.
“As a minority in the legal field, it’s an honor to serve on the LMJ Scholarship Selection Committee and work with MCCA to move the needle and provide meaningful opportunities, support and guidance to outstanding law students from diverse backgrounds, and build a much-needed pipeline to increase diversity in the legal profession.”
KISHAN BAROT
Associate,
Manatt Phelps & Phillips LLP
—
“Participating in the LMJ Scholarship Selection Committee is important to me because diversity in law will not just happen by chance—practicing attorneys must put in the work.”
Kishan Barot is an associate at the firm’s Los Angeles office and a member of the litigation practice. He has prosecuted and defended a variety of business litigation cases, including employment, shareholder, real estate, and consumer protection actions.
Kishan was previously a litigation associate at a major California law firm. Prior to that, he clerked for the Honorable Jay C. Gandhi, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Central District of California. In law school, Kishan was an intern at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Contra Costa County Office of the Public Defender.
CHARLOTTE BORROUGHS
Tech and Privacy Attorney,
Salesforce.com, Inc.
—
“Education is very important, but also access to financial resources to help you obtain an education is extremely important. I have seen and heard far too many stories from promising students that had to neglect their education because of the extreme burden of tuition costs. People should not delay their education because they cannot afford to do so. Education should not be seen as a privilege, but rather a right that should be enjoyed by all. Education should not only be for a select few who can afford to do so.”
Charlotte is a Technology and Data Privacy attorney at Salesforce, a global Fortune 200 international technology company. In her role, she advises business partners on the design, implementation and development of innovative technology products and works closely with the engineering team to design and launch new products and features. She also advises the team on regulatory and cybersecurity issues and serve as lead counsel in representing the company in regulatory engagements. She has been involved in the structuring of various technology contractual documents, including software and technology agreements, product development, commercial agreements, digital engagement agreements, strategic partnership agreements and data privacy.
Charlotte began her career at the New York City Law Department where she served as a key business and legal advisor to the City of New York and was responsible for managing all aspects of commercial and financial contracts. Her practice incorporated aspects of securities law, as well as developing plans for the structuring and issuance of fixed-income securities. She was also responsible for drafting, negotiating, and structuring a wide range of complex commercial and technology documents.
After the 7 years at the New York City Law Department, Charlotte served as an Assistant General Counsel at Raytheon Technologies. In that role, she advised business leaders on commercial, technology and global supply chain issues.
DIANE BUTLER
Partner, Immigration Law,
Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
—
“I feel so honored to be able to have a glimpse into the backgrounds and aspirations of such a wide range of diverse law students. It gives me a great deal of hope for a more equitable, innovative, and progressive future in the legal profession.”
Diane M. Butler is a partner in the Seattle firm, Davis Wright Tremaine, where she focuses on business immigration. Before law school, she graduated from the University of Wyoming, worked on Capitol Hill, then worked in Shanghai for a Canadian law firm. She received her law degree from George Washington University. Diane was a director of the AILA Board of Governors from 2011 – 2020. She has an active cross border practice and enjoys troubleshooting problem cases.
JANE CAMPBELL
Senior Counsel, CNAEP Law and Land,
Chevron Corporation
—
“I am excited to participate as part of the scholarship selection committee. As an immigrant to the US and a committed pro bono volunteer, I have observed first-hand how critical diversity and inclusion is to achieving a more equitable society, and how further we need to go. This committee is just one part of a dynamic effort to bring change to our practice and to society more generally, and I am honored to be a part of it.”
Jane Campbell is Senior Counsel for Chevron North America Exploration and Production Company ( a division of Chevron U.S.A.) where she has a varied practice. Jane is Chevron’s most senior subject matter expert on matters relating to federal, state and private royalty but also serves as Investigations Coordinator, Advocacy Lead and handles many other special projects. Jane is also a member of the Chevron Law Function Diversity Council. Prior to joining Chevron in 2012, Jane worked at ExxonMobil and in private legal practice. She holds a B.A. Honors (Music) from the University of Durham (United Kingdom), a J.D. from Texas Tech University (2006) and an LLM (Tax) from Villanova University (2019). In her spare time, Jane is an avid runner who enjoys marathons.
Candice Carr
Assistant General Counsel, Chief of Staff,
Microsoft Corporation
—
Candice Carr is an Assistant General Counsel in Microsoft’s Corporate, External, and Legal Affairs (CELA) department. She is Chief of Staff for CELA’s Marketing & Consumer Business team.
Prior to that she was a member of Microsoft’s Modern CELA team within the Office of the General Counsel, helping to drive positive change in our legal ecosystem through digital transformation, successful use of our Microsoft solutions, and cultural adoption of Microsoft technology to help us work better.
She has also served as the lead attorney for the Microsoft Online Stores ecommerce business, which operates in over 190 markets, where she managed global outside counsel to support new business model developments, market expansions, customer satisfaction issues, and regulatory matters.
Before her time at Microsoft, Candice was in private practice at Perkins Coie and Graham and Dunn as a Business and Transactional attorney representing emerging private companies and U.S. public companies. At Perkins Coie, she was part of the team to launch the firm’s Attorney Development Program focused on career development and mentorship for attorneys.
She has had a career long commitment to pro bono work, including participation in small business workshops and corporate governance advice to non-profit boards. At Microsoft Candice, as a native Jamaican, has been able to pursue her passion around immigration rights as a legal volunteer with the Kids In Need of Defense Organization.
As a Caribbean immigrant, she understands the social and cultural barriers that one may face as they pursue the challenging education and career of law. Also, as a former member of Microsoft CELA African American/ Black Employee (AA/BEN) Network Steering Committee leading Diversity and Inclusion efforts to foster education, career development and leadership within our communities, she remains committed to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in the legal industry. The MCCA Scholarship speaks to the authentic promotion of such DEI work and, as she “meets” the talented and diverse students through this process, she is excited and honored to be a part of the reviewing committee and this journey.
Keyla Duran
Assistant General Counsel,
Thomson Reuters
—
Keyla McCullum Duran is a practicing attorney at Thomson Reuters in the Office of General Counsel located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Keyla has over 20 years of experience in the practice of law. As Assistant General Counsel, she supervises a team focused on providing the tools to harvest, process and share, experience, information, and content with general counsel colleagues dedicated to negotiating contracts, creating efficiencies, and improving communication within the Office of General Counsel and with its business stakeholders. Additionally, Keyla negotiates, drafts, and advises on state, federal and commercial agreements; provides advice on Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and related federal regulations and advises on there solution of contract and compliance disputes. Keyla is originally from Mississippi. Prior to moving to Minneapolis in 2011, she served as Special Assistant Attorney General for the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office for seven years specializing in Higher Education Law. Keyla received her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees with honors from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi and her Juris Doctorate Degree from Mississippi College School of Law in Jackson, Mississippi. Keyla resides in Southwest Minneapolis with her husband Bino and dog Kate Lee. She is passionately focused on promoting diversity and inclusion and giving back to the community through volunteerism. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, long walks outside and Minnesota Vikings Football.
Ammy Le
Senior Attorney,
USAA
—
Ammy Le is a senior attorney at USAA providing legal support for the Bank’s Member Debt Solutions team. Ammy has over 17 years of experience in the financial services industry including 14 years of experience providing legal advice to major banks on both servicing and default servicing issues. Prior to joining USAA, Ammy was an Assistant General Counsel at JPMorgan Chase supporting Chase’s Home Lending collections group. Prior to that, Ammy also served as an Assistant General Counsel at Citibank where she supported teams handling collections and credit card operations. Before going inhouse, Ammy was in private practice focusing on all aspects of real estate law from origination and closing to foreclosure and REO. In addition to her professional accomplishments, Ammy has participated in diversity and inclusion committees and have presented on diversity and inclusion topics affecting in house attorneys. Ammy also supports the advancement of a diverse pipeline into the legal profession through her involvement in the USAA Legal Summer Intern Program as a point of contact for interns and a writing coach. Ammy is a member of the State Bar of Texas. She received her B.S. from the University of Texas at Austin and a J.D. from Southern Methodist University.
Dave Louie
Senior Counsel,
LyondellBasell
—
Dave is an attorney based in Houston, Texas with experience in both litigation and commercial transactions. Dave spent the first part of his career in private practice as a trial and appellate lawyer. In 2019, he joined LyondellBasell—a global petrochemical company—as in-house counsel, first as a disputes lawyer managing domestic and global litigation, and later in his current role where he supports commercial sales teams, corporate communications, joint-venture governance, and parts of the company’s sustainability efforts. Dave also serves as the 2022 Chair of the LyondellBasell Legal Department’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee
HISHAM MASRI
Employment Counsel,
Flowserve Corporation
—
Hisham Masri is responsible for employment law matters as Director of Employment Law, North America to Flowserve in Irving, Texas. In that role, he manages litigation, provides employment advice & counsel, develops training, and provides helps guide strategic initiatives. Prior to Flowserve, he practiced in the Dallas office of one of the largest employment law firms in the world.
Hisham is active in the legal and philanthropic community, currently serving as Secretary for the Texas Association of Young Lawyers, and co-chairing the Lawyers Promoting Diversity Committee for the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers. As part of these organizations, he spearheads diversity initiatives in the legal community. Additionally, Hisham regularly volunteers to judge Plano Teen Court.
He seeks to make a positive impact in the community and committed to promoting diversity. To that end, he is Cochair of the Lawyers Promoting Diversity Committee for the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers and also serves as Secretary for the Texas Association of Young Lawyers.
He is happily married to his lifelong sweetheart and mother of their eight month old daughter. He spends his time away from the office with family and friends playing modern board games, like Grand Austria Hotel, Food Chain Magnate, Rising Sun, and A Song of Ice & Fire: The Miniatures Game.
CONNIE MATEO
Assistant General Counsel,
Pfizer Inc.
—
Connie Matteo is an Assistant General Counsel at Pfizer in its Civil Litigation Group. Prior to joining Pfizer, Ms. Matteo was Senior Corporate Counsel at Wyeth. Ms. Matteo handles a wide variety of litigated matters including complex commercial disputes, mass torts, securities and antitrust matters. Ms. Matteo also counsels internal clients on issues related to risk prevention and mitigation. In addition, Ms. Matteo is the co-lead of the Legal Division’s Inclusion Workstream and co-lead of Pfizer’s 1L Summer Scholar Program.
Before going in-house, Ms. Matteo was a principal of Porzio, Bromberg & Newman in Morristown, New Jersey and a member of the firm’s Litigation Department. Her practice focused on complex product liability, pharmaceutical drug and medical device product liability claims.
Ms. Matteo has authored a number of articles related to product liability litigation and regulatory compliance. Ms. Matteo has spoken on topics related to litigation, conflict resolution and diversity and equity. She has also been a guest lecturer at two law schools.
Ms. Matteo’s professional affiliations include CPR, the Defense Research Institute (“DRI”), the Product Liability Advisory Council “PLAC”) and the Association of Corporate Counsel. Ms. Matteo is the co-chair of CPR’s Healthcare and Life Science Committee, a member of the Steering Committee of DRI’s Drug and Medical Device Committee and a Board Member of PLAC. Ms. Matteo also serves on the Dean’s Board of Advisors for Syracuse University’s College of Arts and Sciences.
Rachel Cheeks-Givan
Senior Manager, Global Diversity & Inclusion Group,
Pfizer
—
“It’s my way of “giving back” to support the nurturing of our future talent pipeline and everyone has to do their part to ensure they realize their potential and fulfill their career aspirations. When I was asked to participate, I didn’t hesitate even with a full schedule. I know how a scholarship will mean to a deserving student. Thank you for the opportunity.”
Rachel Cheeks-Givan is currently the Global Diversity & Inclusion Lead Enabling Functions for Pfizer, Inc. She is responsible for providing thought leadership around integrating the global enterprise Diversity & Inclusion strategy for Pfizer’s Enabling. At Pfizer she’s the “voice of the customer” and highly effective in implementing strategies to champion and inspire senior leaders and employees at all levels to deliver organizations D&I aspirations aligned to the business needs.
Rachel was formerly the Director of Global Diversity and Inclusion for PepsiCo. Her focus was on driving the diversity initiatives for the corporation in support of PepsiCo’s vision tied to Performance with Purpose (Human, Talent and Environmental Sustainability). She led PepsiCo’s global diversity and inclusion strategy, the development of the inclusion capabilities and the strategy for employee engagement including the Employee Resource Groups, Women of Color Multicultural Alliance, and Global Women’s initiatives across PepsiCo.
She served on the Multicultural Board for Working Mother Media, and the board of the National YWCA of USA as the Chair of the Global Relations Committee. She is also an Adjunct Professor at Manhattanville College and New York University teaching Global Diversity and Cultural Inclusion as a part of the Masters program.
With over 22 years at PepsiCo, Rachel worked at Frito-Lay in the Controller’s function for several years. Before that, her responsibilities included domestic and international audit at PepsiCo. Prior to PepsiCo, she worked as an Auditor for Richard A. Eisner a mid-sized Accounting Firm in New York City.
Recently Rachel was listed on North America’s Most Influential DI& Leaders in 2020. In 2019, Rachel received her Certified Diversity Professional Certificate from The Society for Diversity Inc. & Institute for Diversity Certification. Rachel holds an MBA from Southern Methodist University and a bachelor’s degree from Baruch College. She is a former Certified Public Accountant. In 2013, she completed ASCENT’s Mid-level Management Program at Dartmouth College.
Rachel was featured in the April 2007 issue of Essence Magazine for her contributions in the area of Diversity and Inclusion. At PepsiCo, she also won the Harvey C. Russell Inclusion award for her contributions in D&I three times. Rachel’s passion is working on the advancement of women in the workplace and building cultural competency. She also has a passion around promoting diversity in swimming and the importance of learning how to swim in her local communities.
Rachel resides in The Bronx where she pursues community involvement and mentors young adults in her neighborhood. She also volunteers and serves as the Board Chair for the National Give Back for Kids Campaign, Inc. and she is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., The Greater Bronx Links and Jack and Jill organizations. Rachel is married to Hosea James Givan II and they have a daughter, Rebekah.
NKECHI CHUKWUEKE
Corporate Counsel,
VMware, Inc.
—
“As a mentor to law students for several years, participating on the LMJ Scholarship Committee is important to me because it provides me another means to help law students from diverse backgrounds to further their education and realize their aspirations in the legal field, while lessening their financial burdens.”
Nkechi Chukwueke serves in the role of Corporate Counsel at VMware in Chicago, IL. Prior to joining VMware, Nkechi was an Attorney at IBM, working in the Washington, DC area. Nkechi has experience in commercial technology transactions, including channel pricing matters, and public sector contracts with the U.S. federal government, state and local entities, and international organizations. She has a reputation for being a diplomatic negotiator and trusted business advisor to her internal clients. In her spare time, she enjoys mentoring law students, playing and coaching soccer and visiting new countries. Nkechi earned her J.D. from the University of Notre Dame Law School, where she was a recipient of the Thurgood Marshall Award for Academic Achievement, and her B.A. from Stanford University where she majored in International Relations and minored in African Studies.
MIKE DEE
Law School Relations & Diversity Recruiting Manager,
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
—
“Right now, there’s a brilliant and hardworking student out there who wants to be a lawyer one day. That student sees injustice in our society and believes that if someone just gives them a chance, they can be a powerful advocate for change. That student knows that they don’t have the background or profile of a “typical” lawyer, but they’re undaunted because every hurdle they’ve come across, they’ve overcome. But then that student does their research and realizes just how expensive law school can be, and no amount of diligence or hard work can overcome that financial barrier. But, if during the course of their research, that student stumbles upon an opportunity like the LMJ Scholarship – a scholarship that helps ease the burden of law school expenses and fosters a pipeline of diverse legal talent aimed at individuals just like that student– suddenly, those dreams of being a lawyer seem possible once again. Participating on this committee is my way of thanking those who took a chance on me and to try to find and help those students who have made it this far, but just need a little more support to make their dreams a reality.”
Mike Dee is the US Law Schools Relation & Diversity Recruiting Manager for Orrick. Prior to this role, Mike served as a Legal Recruiting Manager and Associate at DLA Piper, where he specialized in litigation and internal investigations. Mike received his J.D. from Duke Law School and his B.A. from the University of California, San Diego. Mike resides in Washington, D.C. with his whippet, Pippin. He currently serves as General Counsel of the Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership, a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to empowering Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander youth by increasing access to public service opportunities.
GEORGE GONZALEZ
Director & Sr. Corporate Counsel Business & Government Services,
LexisNexis Risk Solutions Inc.
—
“I graduated from High School in 1995 with no plans for my next steps. During my senior year, I signed up to join the US Marine Corps. I thought I would spend four years in the military and then take advantage of the GI Bill. Unfortunately, two weeks prior to graduating, I developed a medical condition that resulted in my discharge from the Marines before I made it to boot camp. I spent the next two years taking classes at a local community college, but eventually had to withdraw because my car broke down and I did not have the money to fix it.
In the summer of 1998, I received a telephone call from my father that changed the course of my life. Dad finally received a 100% disability rating from the US Department of Veterans Affairs. He suffered tremendously to get this rating, but his disability rating now meant he would be more financially secure, and I was entitled to receive help from the Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) program. The DEA program paid for the remainder of my undergraduate studies and a portion of my law school tuition.
Without the DEA scholarship, I really don’t know where I would be today. My experience made me passionate about finding hard working, motivated individuals, and getting them resources they need to succeed. I’m really looking forward to being a part of the 2021 LMJ Scholarship Selection Committee. Please let me know if you need additional information.”
George is a Director and Senior Corporate Counsel at LexisNexis Risk Solutions where he focuses on complex commercial transactions involving big data/analytics, technology, professional services, and privacy matters. LexisNexis Risk Solutions is a leader in providing tools to customers to help them assess, predict, and manage risk. Before joining LexisNexis Risk Solutions, George spent 8.5 years in private practice at law firms in New York City, Miami, and the Washington D.C. area focusing on mergers and acquisitions, securities matters, corporate governance matters and financial transactions. He graduated from Cornell Law School in 2005 and earned an LL.M. in Securities and Financial Regulations from the Georgetown University Law Center in 2011. He received a B.A. from the University of Central Florida in 2001. George lives in Boca Raton, FL with his wife and two daughters. When he is not working or spending time with his family, he is garage gym and fitness enthusiast.
Stephen Kampmeier
Associate Director, Emerging Growth & Incubation Group,
Intel Corporation
—
“Intel’s vision is to cultivate a diverse, inclusive, and collaborative team to achieve excellent business results for Intel. We achieve this vision by attracting, developing, & advancing diverse talent inside and outside of Intel. Intel participates in the LMJ Scholarship Selection Committee because together everyone achieves more. #IAMINTEL”
A practical advisor to developing businesses in Intel’s Emerging Growth & Incubation group, Stephen helps innovators iterate quickly and efficiently. His portfolio includes entertainment, data acquisition and analysis, and product regulatory, privacy and security, IP counseling, licensing, and marketing issues associated with such work.
NEEL LIMAYE
Commercial Counsel,
Chime
—
“Participating in the LMJ Scholarship Committee is important to me because diversity in the legal profession creates a path to a more just legal system. Programs like these have the power to change lives and make our world a better place.”
Neel Limaye is a commercial attorney at Chime, a San Francisco-based fintech company. Prior to this, he worked in-house roles at various technology companies and was a litigator, representing companies involved in false advertising and misrepresentation lawsuits. Neel is constantly seeking the Bay Area’s finest al pastor taco and enjoys watching basketball and reading books with his daughter.
MALAIKA LINDO
Senior Director of Diversity & Inclusion,
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP
—
“Since I joined the legal community, I have been a big fan of the MCCA’s vision and contribution to the legal industry. I look forward to participating in the LMJ Scholarship Committee because I am deeply connected to the experience of being a first generation lawyer and know the importance and value that this scholarship and network will provide each recipient. I was the direct beneficiary of a wonderful law school pipeline initiative and scholarship. Individuals dedicated to diversifying the legal industry made the path to and through law school accessible. Later, they were my network of trusted advisors that provided me access, information, and resources that changed the trajectory of my professional career. I look forward to following in their footsteps and contributing to the efforts of LMJ Scholarship Selection Committee.”
Malaika Lindo directs Morgan Lewis’s global diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts and collaborates with senior leadership and the engagement and talent teams to create a workplace that is as diverse and inclusive as possible, consistent with the firm’s core values. In this leadership role, Malaika directs a team of six in developing data-driven recruitment, retention, and advancement programming for diverse talent; is a member of the firm’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee; supports the firm’s lawyer and professional staff networks; liaises with firm clients; and collaborates across virtually every firm administrative department to achieve DEI goals.
Malaika, a lawyer by training, began her legal career representing global financial institutions in a wide range of complex domestic and cross-border financing transactions. During those six years, she assisted in the development of Georgetown University School of Medicine’s Department of Diversity and Inclusion, with a focus on community engagement, pipeline strategy, inclusive leadership programming and performance building initiatives. She later joined Sidley Austin as East Coast Regional Manager of Professional Development, where she focused on designing lawyer programs to promote career development ownership, collaboration with colleagues, and full engagement of each attorney within the firm. Following Sidley, she joined Eversheds Sutherland as Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to lead the development of diversity-related client collaborations, practice group integration of inclusive leadership best practices, and participation in the Move the Needle Fund initiatives by Diversity Lab. Her experience in private practice as an attorney and administrator has provided her with the unique ability to assess and develop internal structures in order to maximize effectiveness of law firm strategic diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Malaika received her J.D. cum laude from Jacob D. Fuchsberg Touro Law Center, an M.A. in Political Science from Long Island University, and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Virginia.
Fatema Merchant
Partner,
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
—
“When I think about my parents’ story – immigrating to the United States for a better life for me and my brother and my sister, I think of the moments where my father got an opportunity or where he fought for one, where someone took an interest in him or he passionately pursued an interest. In my life, I think of those moments too – and I am so thankful for those opportunities and those people who took an interest in me and supported me. I want to participate in the selection committee because there are so many young, talented, hardworking, passionate students of color who are seeking that opportunity and seeking that person to give them a chance. I am honored and humbled to be able to be part of providing this amazing, valuable opportunity to diverse students to support them in their careers.”
Fatema Merchant is a partner in the Government Contracts, Investigations and International Trade and White Collar Defense and Corporate Investigations Practice Groups in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office.
Fatema focuses on supporting clients in their international business and global transactions to mitigate risk and address trade and regulatory issues. Her practice includes compliance counseling, investigations and cross-border transactional work related to anti-corruption, export controls, economic sanctions, anti-money laundering, foreign investment (CFIUS) and tariff and import regulations.
At Sheppard Mullin, Fatema is chair of the Washington, D.C. office’s Diversity Working Group and co-leader of the firm-wide attorneys of color group, known as the Diversity and Inclusion Attorney Network (DIAN). She also serves on the Pro Bono Committee and is actively involved in various pro bono matters, including representation of asylum seekers. Fatema was a 2019 Fellow for the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD). She recently served as President of the Capital Area Muslim Bar Association (CAMBA). She has been recognized by Super Lawyers as a Washington, D.C. “”Rising Star”” in 2015-2018., and she was recently featured by Washington Lawyer for being the first hijab-wearing partner at an Am Law 100 firm in Washington, D.C.
Prior to joining the firm, Fatema seconded as a Special Assistant Attorney General with the District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General.
Andrea Moody Turner
In-House Senior Counsel
General Motors
—
Andrea Moody Turner joined the General Motors Legal Staff in April 2015. She currently manages the company’s products, Maven, and company car litigation and not-in-suit claims across the United States and in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In addition to claims and lawsuit management, Andrea is also a member of GM’s Driving Equality Coalition, GM’s Diversity Task Force, GM’s Compliance Liaison Committee, and GM’s Liaison to the Minority Corporate Counsel Association.
Prior to joining GM, Andrea was a partner in Bowman and Brooke LLP’s Detroit office. Bowman and Brooke LLP is a nationally recognized trial firm with one of the largest product liability practices in the country. Andrea joined Bowman and Brooke upon graduation from Wayne State University Law School in 2000. Through her fifteen-year career at Bowman and Brooke, Andrea gained noteworthy experience defending Fortune 50 companies in high-profile cases ranging from commercial and insurance litigation to complex product liability litigation cases. Specifically, she represented automotive manufacturers, food manufacturers, household appliance manufacturers, insurance companies and individual business owners.
Andrea’s experience and work in the defense of her clients provided her the opportunity to create precedential case law. The Michigan Court of Appeals ruled in favor of her client’s arguments that the Apex Doctrine should be adopted in Michigan and extended to high ranking corporate officials. See Alberto v. Toyota Motor Corp., 796 NW2d 490 (2010). The Iowa Supreme Court ruled in favor of her client’s position that the Iowa statute of repose is not tolled for minors. See Albrecht v. General Motors, 648 NW2d 87 (2002).
Andrea Moody Turner
Partner,
Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
—
Meghan advises clients on supply chain matters, acts as general counsel and assists with mergers and acquisitions for clients in the food, beverage, agribusiness, manufacturing, outdoor/apparel and distribution industries. Meghan focuses on providing practical advice and understanding the business objectives for the deal at hand.
Prior to attending law school, Meghan was a consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers for 8 years, building databases to analyze data in the white-collar fraud, healthcare, and litigation context.
Practice Highlights
Drafts supply and manufacturing/co-pack agreements, vendor agreements, distribution agreements, reseller agreements, and other supply chain-type contracts
Counsels in other supply chain matters such as Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) Policies and developing reseller policies and procedures
Counsels wineries in negotiating agreements for sale of grapes, custom crush, leasing, and sale of property
Drafts grower agreements for protection of growing crop including fruit, berries, and grapes
Represents clients on buy and sell sides of purchase and sale of assets and stock involving asset purchases of a variety of businesses including agriculture, restaurants, and wineries
Drafts and reviews nondisclosure agreements (NDAs)
Counsel clients on general corporate legal advice
Representative clients for supply chain work include Annie’s, Dave’s Killer Bread, Navitas Naturals, Sock It to Me, and Starbucks
Natasha Newberry
Director & Senior Corporate Counsel,
LexisNexis
—
Natasha Newberry is Director & Senior Corporate Counsel for LexisNexis, a division of RELX, Inc. She is an accomplished and results-driven attorney passionate about contributing to the success of minority women within the legal profession. Natasha earned her Juris Doctor from Northern Kentucky University-Chase College of Law, and her Bachelor of Arts degree from Bowling Green State University.
Natasha began her legal career as associate corporate counsel for a small business where she was able to assist with guiding minority business owners through the legal challenges of owning their first franchise. She then became an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney with the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office where she successfully litigated a variety of felony cases including theft, domestic violence, rape, and homicide resulting in her promotion to the Montgomery County Child Advocacy Center where she prosecuted cases on behalf of child victims of sexual and physical abuse. Deciding to go back to her roots in the corporate space, she began working at LexisNexis, a leading global provider of legal, regulatory, and business information and analytics. In her current role, Natasha negotiates complex customer contracts and provides business centric advice to various market segments, including corporate, intellectual property, print and editorial operations, large law firm, and government markets. She collaborates and partners with the business to address current legal needs and mitigate potential legal issues.
Natasha is an active member of various professional organizations including the Association of Corporate Counsel, the Minority Corporate Counsel Association, the International Bar Association, and the Dayton Bar Association. Natasha is committed to the underrepresented members of the community and has served on the Board of Trustees for Legal Aid of Western Ohio & Advocates for Basic Legal Equality since 2013. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, reading, binge watching TV, and attending Monster Jam truck shows with her son.
Heidi Ruckriegle
Ethics Counsel,
Western Union
—
Heidi Ruckriegle is Ethics Counsel at Western Union. In her role, she focuses on ethics investigations, ethics training, and ethics and compliance program work, including the employee Code of Conduct, Conflicts of Interest, DEI, and ESG. Heidi is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Colorado Law School where she teaches “The Evolution of the Whistleblower.”
Heidi joined WU from WilmerHale, where her practice focused on regulatory matters and internal investigations. Her global practice included representation of high-profile companies in connection with whistleblower reports and inquiries conducted by Congress, the DOJ, SEC, UK Serious Fraud Office, and other U.S. and international agencies.
Throughout her legal career, Heidi has dedicated significant hours to helping those in need as pro bono counsel including women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, asylum, and bond and bail reform matters. Heidi received her JD and LLM from the University of Denver. Prior to law school, she worked as an instructor for Costa Rica Outward Bound where she led cross-country treks, raft trips, and surf camps. She is fluent in Spanish.
In her free time, Heidi is passionate about the outdoors–especially backcountry skiing and mountain biking. She also serves on the Friends of Colorado Avalanche Information Center and Colorado Fourteeners Initiative boards.
Thomasina Poirot
Counsel,
Venable LLP
—
“As a member of Venable’s hiring committee, I have interviewed hundreds of outstanding law students, including minority candidates. Awarding students scholarship opportunities—along with guidance and mentorship—allows these future leaders the ability to concentrate on their legal careers and give back to the community with less financial worries. I’m happy to be a part of it!”
Outside of Venable, Thomasina is very involved with the community. She serves on 5 nonprofit Boards, including Co-Chair of the Baltimore Tree Trust, Secretary of the Reginald Lewis Museum, and a Board Member of CollegeBound, the Chesapeake Bay Trust, and Business Volunteers Maryland. She also mentors high school and law students to provide support throughout their paths toward a legal career.
Jamy Sullivan
Executive Director,
Robert Half
—
“Robert Half, who founded our company, believed in equal opportunity in the workplace and lobbied against racial discrimination in the staffing industry. While others were hesitant to voice their beliefs, he was not afraid to take a stand and led successful efforts to eliminate separate gender-specific job listings in major newspapers. Diversity remains part of the fabric of our company to this day. Robert Half is committed to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion, and I believe we all are socially responsible for actively supporting these efforts in the workplace and the communities we serve. Thank you for the opportunity to support future leaders in the legal field.”
Jamy Sullivan is executive director of the legal practice at Robert Half, a premier talent and consulting solutions firm. An author and speaker on legal employment and practice management topics, she began her career with Robert Half in 2002 as an account executive in Columbus, Ohio. Over the years, she has held various management positions within the company and received recognition for serving on project committees, mentoring internal employees and her leadership performance. Sullivan, who is based in Dallas, became executive director in 2016 and manages operations for the legal practice in North America.
Prior to her employment with Robert Half, Sullivan worked as a law clerk at an Ohio law firm and for the Ohio State Legislature. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from The Ohio State University and a juris doctor from Capital University Law School, both in Columbus, Ohio.
MONICA THURMAN
Associate General Counsel, Enterprise Compliance & Privacy,
Thomson Reuters
—
“I want to empower these students by opening doors that may not have been otherwise available to them. Opening doors to opportunity through the LMJ Scholarship, helps to play a critical role in promoting diversity, equity, and most importantly inclusion.”
Monica Thurman is an international compliance and legal executive with extensive corporate in-house and Board reporting experience. She currently leads Enterprise Compliance for Thomson Reuters with responsibility for managing, developing and implementing its global ethics and compliance program. She works collaboratively with senior leadership in operations and support functions across the organization to support the company’s commitment to operate ethically and lead with integrity. The scope of her responsibility includes reporting to the Risk Committee to the Board of Directors, delivering compliance training, overseeing compliance investigations, managing the third party due diligence and M&A programs, oversight for trade controls and international sanctions, leading information and records governance, supporting privacy, and implementing the company’s compliance communications and awareness standards to ensure compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and other anti-corruption laws.
Prior to joining Thomson Reuters, she was SVP and chief compliance officer for one of the world’s fastest growing global logistics and supply companies with reporting responsibility to the Board, the CEO and the Audit Committee. She held senior compliance roles at one of the largest providers of oilfield services and products. Monica was also responsible for managing global ethics and compliance platforms for a large global multinational enterprise for over 10 years. Throughout her career, she has successfully represented her in-house clients before numerous government agencies. In addition to her compliance background, she held the position of director, employee relations with investigative and compliance responsibilities for Title VII issues while working in the oil and gas industry.
Monica started her legal career as a government attorney with the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration in her hometown of Chicago. The law is a second career for her. Prior to law school, she enjoyed a successful career in institutional trust for benefits and ERISA matters in the banking industry with The Northern Trust Company.
In addition to her career accomplishments, Ms. Thurman is committed to serving the community. She has been on the Board for Career and Recovery Resources, Inc. and the Advisory Board for Corporate Counsel Women of Color. She is an alumnus of United Ways’ Project Blueprint Leadership Program. At the appointment of former Houston Mayor, Bill White she served as Commissioner on the Houston Civil Service Commission.
Her professional affiliations include the Greater Houston Business Ethics Roundtable, Ethics and Compliance Officers Association and the Ethics Leadership Counsel.
She is a member of the State Bar of Texas. Monica received her Bachelor of Business Administration from Florida A&M University’s School of Business and Industry, her Juris Doctorate from Indiana University, Bloomington, and a Diversity and Inclusion Certificate from Cornell University.
Christy Tinnes
Principal,
Groom Law Group
—
Christy Tinnes is involved in all aspects of health and welfare plans, including the Affordable Care Act, ERISA, HIPAA, COBRA, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). She represents large employers designing health plans as well as insurers designing new products.
She frequently advises both employers and service providers on the legal requirements for wellness programs, including HIPAA, ADA, and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act. She also has significant experience working with the HIPAA privacy and security rules, from helping covered entities and business associates create the documents needed for compliance or audit preparation to sophisticated data mining issues related to using protected health information for marketing purposes.
Christy serves as chair of Groom’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. In this capacity, she leads the firm’s diversity and inclusion initiatives and strategies devising programs, partnerships and community outreach aimed at bridging the gap for those who are traditionally underrepresented in the legal profession.
Regularly writing and speaking on health and welfare plan issues for the Employee Benefit Institute of America (EBIA), Christy is also a contributing author of the EBIA “Health Care Reform” compliance manual.
RACHAEL VAUGHN
Senior Counsel, Payments and Emerging Markets,
Google LLC
—
“Participating in the LMJ Scholarship Committee is important to me because the legal profession lags behind other skilled professions when it comes to representation and progression of minorities and underrepresented populations. These types of pipeline programs do early work to shape what the legal profession will look like in the future.”
Originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan, Rachael studied mechanical engineering at the University of Michigan and attended law school at University of Houston while working as a patent agent for Shell Oil Company. After law school, she spent time working abroad in the Netherlands as a lawyer for the Shell IP department. In 2012, she joined Microsoft as a licensing attorney in the OEM business and a product attorney supporting a variety of hardware projects including the Microsoft HoloLens, Microsoft Health, and the Microsoft Band. Rachael continued counseling clients developing new form factor devices at Google, where she was the lawyer for the Daydream AR/VR business. After a few years counseling in the AR/VR space, Rachael moved to the Payments and Emerging Markets team where she serves as the GPay privacy focal point and counsels the Offers and Rewards team. During her free time, Rachael dabbles in video editing, practices yoga, and volunteers as a member of the legal committee for the Organization for Transformative Works. Her claim to fame: winning an international scavenger hunt known as GISHWHES with her awesome team known as the Vatican Cameos.
URSULA WILLIE
Senior Attorney,
United Services Automobile Association, Inc. “USAA”
—
“Participating in the LMJ Scholarship Selection Committee is important to me because advancing the equity for and representation of minorities is vital to the health of the legal industry. One way to accomplish this, is through investing in minority law students to have a more diverse talent pool for future employers.”
Ursula B. Willie is a Senior Attorney at USAA supporting third-party suppliers, accessibility, customer experience and diversity and inclusion.
Ursula joined USAA in March of 2020, with over 8 years of legal experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining USAA, Ursula was an Attorney at Citi supporting third-party suppliers and advised on consumer debt collection and consumer loan matters. Before then, Ursula was Counsel at Fidelity National Title where she represented the company, banks, and servicers on title insurance matters. Ursula started her legal career in private practice.
Ursula received her B.A. from Texas A&M University (with honors), Juris Doctor from Western Michigan University-Cooley Law School (cum laude), and her LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Florida Levin College of Law.