Friday, March 3 and Saturday March 4, 2023

The Black Law Student Association (BLSA), Latin American Law Student Association (LALSA), and Native American Law Student Association (NALSA) are pleased to host the 12th Annual Professional Development Bootcamp (“Bootcamp”) for their members. Bootcamp connects students with Cornell alumni in private practice and public interest practice throughout the United States to foster professional development skills, provide an opportunity for networking, and a venue for students to learn about a variety of practice areas and settings.

Friday, March 3

Attire: Business Casual

6:00 – 9:00 PM
Cornell University Statler Hotel

Welcome Reception, Dinner and Presidents’ Remarks, and Affinity Group Roundtables

BLSA, LALSA, and NALSA Presidents will welcome attorneys and students with a reception. Dinner and Presidents’ Remarks will be followed by Affinity Group Roundtables for students and alumni.

Presidents
Carolyn Click, class of 2024, NALSA President
Sidne Norman, class of 2024, BLSA President
Leslie Ramirez, class of 2024, LALSA President

Saturday, March 4

Attire: Business Formal

9:00-9:30 AM
The Commons and the Gallery
Myron Taylor Hall

Check-in and Breakfast

Coffee and pastries will be available in The Commons for Bootcamp participants. Check-in will be in the Gallery (in front of rooms 182, 184, and 186 in Myron Taylor Hall).

9:30-9:45 AM
Landis Auditorium,
184 Myron Taylor Hall

Remarks from Senator Zellnor Myrie, Keynote Speaker

Cornell Law School alum Senator Zellnor Myrie ’16 (20th NY State Senate District) will open the day’s programming.

9:50-10:50 AM
Landis Auditorium,
184 Myron Taylor Hall

Big Law in New York City

Attorneys at law firms with a wide array of practices will present on their experiences and career trajectories in the New York City market. 
Panelists:
Brittany D. Ruiz ’13 – Partner, Latham & Watkins
Adebola (Bola) Olofin ’17 – Associate, Wachtell
Mateo de la Torre ’16 – Associate, King & Spalding
Oleg Zakatov ’14 – Senior Counsel, Proskauer

9:50-10:50 AM
182 Myron Taylor Hall

Non-New York City Market Panel

Attorneys at law firms with a wide array of practices outside the New York City market will present on their experiences and career trajectories.
Panelists:
Dan Rosales ’15 – Associate, Mayer Brown
Eric Fastiff ’95 – Partner, Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein
Kezia Osunsade ’21 – Associate, Alston & Bird
Gabriella Pico ’22 – Associate, White & Case

11:00 AM –
12:00 PM
Landis Auditorium, 184 Myron Taylor Hall

Public Interest Panel

Attorneys in a variety of public interest jobs will present on their experiences and career trajectories.

Panelists:
Alisa Whitfield – Staff Attorney, Kids in Need of Defense and Adjunct Clinical Professor of Law, Cornell Law School
Zellnor Myrie ’16 – Senator, 20th NY State Senate District
Cristina Quiñones-Betancourt, ’14 – Supervising Attorney, Mobilization for Justice
Julia Giffin, ’20 – Attorney Advisor, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Tribal Justice

12:00-1:30PM
The Atrium and the Commons, Myron Taylor Hall

Lunch and Roundtables

1:30 – 2:30 PM
Landis Auditorium, 184 Myron Taylor Hall

Clerkships Panel

Former and current judicial clerks, including Carl Rizzi ’16, Cornell’s Director of Judicial Clerkships, will present on their experiences and the value of clerkships.

Panelists:
Seantyel Hardy ’18 – Associate, Kirkland & Ellis, formerly clerk to the Hon. Kathleen M. Williams, United States District Court for the Southern District of
Florida (2020-2022)
West Overstreet ’20 – Assistant Law Clerk, the Hon. Kathy J. King, New York County Supreme Court, Medical Malpractice Part
Justin Mungai ’16 – Associate, Wilkinson Stekloff; formerly clerk to the Hon. Mark J. Bennett, United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (2020-21) and the Hon. Barry Albin, Supreme Court of New Jersey (2016-17)
Carl Rizzi ’16 – Director of Judicial Clerkships, Cornell Law School; formerly clerk to the Hon. Paul A. Crotty, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (2017-18) and the Hon. Raymond W. Gruender, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit (2016-2017)

2:40 – 3:40 PM
Landis Auditorium,
184 Myron Taylor Hall

Alternative Legal Careers

Attorneys with careers outside of law firms will present on their experiences and career trajectories.

Panelists:
Emmanuel H. Arnaud, ’16 – Assistant Professor of Law, Cardozo Law
Maria Fernandez ’92 – Advisory Board Member, Nido Ventures and Advisory Consultant, Employment Practices Solutions, Inc.
Korica Simon ’21 – Associate, Center on Privacy and Technology at Georgetown Law
Luis Manuel Rico Román ’22 – Cleary Gottlieb Fellow, ACLU – Voting Rights Project

3:50-4:45 PM
Held throughout Cornell Law School

Mock Interviews

4:50-5:00PM
Landis Auditorium,
184 Myron Taylor Hall

Closing Remarks

Please join us after Bootcamp at Ithaca Beer Company in Collegetown (a 2-minute walk across the bridge) starting at 5:30 to celebrate Bootcamp and continue making connections.

Guest Information

Getting around Ithaca. Many hotels offer shuttles from the airport, including the Statler hotel from 7:00AM to 11:30PM daily. Check with the front desk of your hotel to arrange transportation. TCAT now has a Google Trip planner to assist with getting from the airport or downtown to campus. Uber and Lyft are also available throughout Ithaca.

Parking at the Statler. Valet parking and self-parking are available at or near the Statler hotel.

Parking at the Law School. Parking is available in several lots directly behind the Law School and no permit is required after 5PM on Friday. If you are planning to visit the Law School during the day on Friday, you can pay to park utilizing Park Mobile spaces on-campus or park at the nearby municipal lot in Collegetown.

Sponsors

Platinum

Latham & Watkins LLP

Paul | Weiss

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Ropes & Gray