Joined by new arrivals from the Class of 2015, the LCLD Fellows Alumni met for three days in Chicago for the Fifth Annual LCLD Fellows Alumni Conference, a program of professional enrichment in a relaxed setting organized around the theme "Courageous Leadership."

Before the conference began, dozens of Alumni came to Chicago early to engage in a community service project hosted by the offices of LCLD Member organization McGuireWoods LLP. Organized by 2013 Fellow Reena Bajowala of Jenner & Block, the Alumni shared networking and presentation tips with middle- and high school students at Chicago's inner-city Albany Park Theater Project. Afterwards, the students entertained the Alumni with an original one-act play (photo above).

Friday's sessions (see agenda below) took place at the offices of Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

For questions, please contact Courtney Nolde, LCLD Special Projects Manager.

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FUNDRAISING CHALLENGE 

This year’s LCLD Fellows Alumni Conference partnered with the Albany Park Theater Project (APTP), which is a multiethnic, youth theater ensemble and college readiness program. Fellows Alumni taught networking skills to APTP’s high school-age members and led them in a mock-networking session during the conference. Alumni also donated to APTP. The Class of 2012 won the prestigious Owlie award for having the highest overall participation.

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AGENDA: Courageous Leadership

Please see below for an outline of the meeting agenda, or the Program Booklet for a detailed version with the speakers' biographies in the "Resources" section at the bottom of the page. There is also a list of registrants in the "Resources" section.

Thursday, June 23, 2016

3:00 - 5:30 pm

Community Service Project Benefitting the Albany Park Theater Project
Hosted at McGuireWoods LLP. A shuttle will depart the Loews Chicago Hotel promptly at 3:00 pm for McGuireWoods. Transportation will also be provided back to the hotel promptly at 5:30 pm.

6:00 - 8:00 pm

Welcome Reception at the Loews Chicago Hotel

 

Friday, June 24, 2016 

Sessions Hosted at Kirkland & Ellis LLP (Unless Otherwise Noted)

6:30 - 7:15 am

Yoga on Lakeview Lawn at the Loews Chicago Hotel (Optional)
Christine Marlewski, Co-Chair, Fifth Annual Fellows Alumni Conference Committee; Shareholder, GrayRobinson, P.A.; 2012 Fellow

7:45 - 8:15 am

Shuttle Service from the Loews Chicago Hotel to Kirkland & Ellis LLP

8:30 - 9:00 am

Breakfast & Welcome Remarks
Christine Marlewski, Co-Chair, Fifth Annual Fellows Alumni Conference Committee; Shareholder, GrayRobinson, P.A.; 2012 Fellow
Chris Mugica, Co-Chair, Fifth Annual Fellows Alumni Conference Committee; Partner, Jackson Walker LLP; 2013 Fellow

9:00 - 9:30 am

LCLD Fellows Alumni Business Meeting & Announcement of Incoming Executive Council
Jason DeJonker, Chair-Elect, LCLD Fellows Alumni Executive Council (EC);Partner, Bryan Cave LLP; 2013 Fellow
Zohra Tejani, Chair, LCLD Fellows Alumni EC; Senior Attorney, Microsoft Corporation; 2012 Fellow

9:30 - 10:30 am

Career Progression and Diversity as a Business Strategy
Tonit Calaway, Vice President, Human Resources, Harley-Davidson, Inc.
Introduction by Leslie Davis, Partner, Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP; 2011 Fellow

10:30 - 11:00 am

Networking Break

11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Understanding a Corporate Board
Sara Hays, Managing Director, Co-Leader of North American Board Practice, Allegis Partners
Kandace Watson, Partner, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP; 2013 Fellow

12:00  - 1:30 pm

Lunch & Out of the Box Leadership: Fellows Alumni “TED Talks”
Sarah Harris, General Counsel, Sikich LLP; LCLD Member, 2013 Fellow
Heather Hubbard, Life Coach & Business Strategist, The Language of Joy; 2013 Fellow
Carlos Singer, Founding Partner, Huang Ybarra Singer & May LLP; LCLD Member, 2012 Fellow
Vanessa Allen Sutherland, Chairperson & Board Member, U.S. Chemical Safety Board; 2011 Fellow
Moderated by Bonnie Lau, Senior Managing Associate, Dentons US LLP; 2013 Fellow

1:30 - 2:45 pm

American Injustice: Mercy, Humanity, and Making a Difference
Keynote speech by Bryan Stevenson, an attorney, human rights activist, Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative, and author of Just Mercy. Introduction by Darwin Conner, Partner, Sullivan & Worcester LLP; 2013 Fellow.

2:45 - 3:15 pm

Networking Break

3:15 - 4:30 pm

Judicial Panel
The Honorable Ruben Castillo, Chief Judge, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
The Honorable Jesse Reyes, Appellate Judge, First District, Fifth Division, State of Illinois Appellate Court
The Honorable Ann Claire Williams, Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
The Honorable Diane Wood, Chief Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
Moderated by Reena Bajowala, Litigation Partner, Jenner & Block LLP; 2013 Fellow, and William Yu, Partner, Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP; 2013 Fellow

4:30 pm

Meeting Conclusion

5:00 - 6:30 pm

Happy Hour Reception at Jenner & Block LLP

7:00 - 10:00 pm

Group Networking Dinner at Spiaggia
Presenting the Rick Palmore Award and Community Service Award

 

Saturday, June 25, 2016

10:00 - 11:00 am

Coffee Chats at the Loews Chicago Hotel

12:30 - 2:30 pm

Fellows Alumni Executive Council Meeting at Bryan Cave LLP

3:00 - 5:00 pm

Group Networking Event: Chicago Architecture Boat Tour

5:30 - 7:00 pm

Class Networking Receptions
Including the 2011 Fellows Class Five-Year Reunion. Locations TBD.

7:00 - 9:30 pm

Dine-Arounds

 

Sunday, June 26, 2016

7:00 - 9:00 am

Farewell Breakfast at the Loews Chicago Hotel

For questions, please contact Courtney Nolde, LCLD Special Projects Manager.

 

We greatly appreciate all of the sponsoring LCLD Member organizations that have helped make this conference possible!