2024 Boot Camp

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN

New York, NY – The Black BigLaw Pipeline, Inc. (“BBP”), a non-profit organization formed in 2019, will hold its Sixth Annual Associate Boot Camp (the “Boot Camp”) on Saturday, June 22, 2024, at the Washington, D.C. offices of Latham & Watkins LLP, who is sponsoring the Boot Camp this year.

BBP’s mission is to serve as a unique and powerful resource for reshaping the experience of Black attorneys in the legal profession. The Boot Camp’s faculty, including BBP’s Board of Directors and leadership, are comprised of over twenty senior Black attorneys, including law firm partners, senior associates, in-house counsel, government lawyers and consultants.

BBP founders, Conway Ekpo and Nneka Ukpai, launched BBP in 2019 in response to the slow progress made in the retention and promotion of Black attorneys at major law firms over the past decade. While major law firms have made modest strides in the hiring, retention and promotion of women and certain minority groups, studies have persistently shown that the number of Black attorneys in large law firms has either been slow moving, remained stagnant or declined despite public pledges by firms to do more to widen recruiting and provide support to Black attorneys in the wake of George Floyd’s 2020 murder.

BBP’s goal is to reduce the disproportionate attrition rate and improve the professional outcomes of Black attorneys, many of whom report feeling isolated and unsupported at their respective firms. BBP responds to a pressing industry need by providing Black lawyers with guidance and mentorship from accomplished, experienced Black attorneys.

For more information on BBP or the Boot Camp, please contact info@blackbiglawpipeline.com.

2024 Boot Camp Agenda:

11:00 am - 11:15 am

  • Opening/Welcome (All Attendees)

    • Jennifer Kent, Partner, Latham & Watkins

    • Conway Ekpo, Director, Assoc. GC, Brex

    • Nexus Sea, Partner, O’Melveny

    • Shanna Miles, Counsel, Akin

11:15 am - 12:00 pm

  • First Panel Discussion (All Attendees)

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm - Break Out Sessions

  • Due Diligence/Corporate 101 (Transactional Junior Associates)

  • Deal Leadership (Transactional Mid-Level Associates)

  • Litigation Overview (Litigation Junior Associates)

  • Discovery and Dispositive Motions (Litigation Mid-Level Associates)

  • The Keys to a Strong Administrative Record (Administrative, Regulatory and Compliance “ARC” Junior Associates)

  • Litigating Administrative Proceedings (ARC Mid-Level Associates)

  • Pulling Back The Curtain on Making Partner (ARC, Transactional and Litigation Senior Associates)

1:00 pm - 1:15 pm - Break/Lunch Served

1:15 pm - 2:00 pm

  • Law Firm Economics - During Lunch (All Attendees)

 

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm - Break Out Sessions

  • Nuts & Bolts of Junior Associate Practice (Transactional Junior Associates)

  • Effective Legal Writing (ARC and Litigation Junior Associates)

  • From Micro to Macro: Seeing the Big Picture and Associate Management Skills (Litigation and Transactional Mid-Level Associates)

  • Best Practices for Communicating with the Government (ARC Mid-Level Associates)

  • Opportunities Beyond BigLaw (ARC, Transactional and Litigation Senior Associates)

3:00 pm - 4:00 pm - Break Out Sessions

  • Drafting (All Transactional Associates)

  • Trials (All Litigation Associates)

  • Investigations (All ARC Associates)

4:00 pm - 4:15 pm - Break

4:15 pm - 5:30 pm

  • Real Talk from BigLaw Partners and Clients (All Attendees)

6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

  • Networking Reception

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