We’ll see you on June 21 - 23, 2024!
The goal of this free, three-day, virtual conference is to be the bridge helping BIPOC, first-generation, and other marginalized aspiring legal professionals access legal education and the workplace, therefore affecting change in the workplace and our communities. We hope our conference will be an inspiration to aspiring law school applicants, current law school students, and young practitioners as they embark on their legal careers.
Join a space where entering the legal field is accessible!
IN 2023:
We encourage you to attend the events that interest you most! However, please see the below color coding to understand what events we suggest for each group:
Pre-Law Students & Applicants
Incoming 1Ls
Incoming 2Ls and 3Ls
Recent Graduates & Professionals
Opening Session & Keynote Speaker ||||
6:00 - 7:30 p.m. EST
Fireside Chat with Angela Winfield and Sydney Montgomery ||||
7:30 - 8:30 p.m. EST
Vice President & Chief Diversity Officer for LSAC
Angela Winfield
Founder & Executive Director of Barrier Breakers®
Sydney Montgomery, Esq.
Opening Session & Equity in Law School ||||
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. EST
Conquering the LSAT |
12:15 - 1:15 p.m. EST
Founder & Tutor at LSAT Logic Pro (formerly Logic Games Pro)
Mena Pirone
Founder & Tutor at LSAT Mastery
Fady Yatooma
Conquering the Bar |||
12:15 - 1:15 p.m. EST
Founder of Legally Fit
DeAndré Aubry
Mid-Atlantic & Northeast Director of Themis Bar Review
Christopher An
Law School & Resource Fair |
1:30 - 4:30 p.m. EST
Meet with admissions officers from these schools and more one-on-one!
Using Your Strengths to Start a Successful Law School Career · Presented by LSAC
1:30 - 3:30 p.m. EST | Incoming 2Ls & 3Ls ONLY
Senior Specialist, Professional Identity Formation at LSAC
Carwina Weng
Complete the additional registration for this session here. This session is ONLY for incoming 2Ls and 3Ls.
Legal employers try to hire capable, engaged, self-directed lawyers. They are the ones who engage with work and clients at a high level of self-awareness, empathy, and initiative. While a GPA and class rank serve as convenient measures for competence in analysis, reasoning, and writing, law school doesn’t provide a similar measure for self-directed professional development. The High5 test, which you will take before this session, can help with this gap. The High5 test is an online tool to assess an individual’s go-to strengths in working with others. When you know your cognitive and personal strengths, you can develop them to enhance your effectiveness as a lawyer and as a colleague. This in turn will help you to target lawyer roles, practice areas, and work settings that will give you more satisfaction. You also will be in a position to give more value to an employer – who will then want to hire you. This session will help you to develop your cognitive processing strengths and guide you to communicate them positively to prospective employers.
Law School as an Underrepresented Student: Breakout Sessions |||
4:45 - 5:45 p.m. EST
Black Student Session Leaders:
2L and Academic Chair of Georgetown's BLSA
Mecca Aikens
LGBTQ+ Student Session Leaders:
3L and Member of GWU’S Lambda Law
Cameron Bernier
Latinx Student Session Leaders:
First-gen 2L at University of Miami School of Law
Maia Botero
Life as a Big Law Attorney ||||
6:00 - 7:00 p.m. EST
All Things Clerking & Government Law ||||
6:00 - 7:00 p.m. EST
Opening Session & How to Afford Law School: Scholarships, Financial Aid, & More ||||
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. EST
Regional Director - North Central at AccessLex Institute
Natalie Daniels, AFC®
Sr. Assistant Dean of Admissions, Financial Aid & Diversity Initiatives at the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law
Valerie James, Esq.
Navigating the Legal Job Field & Interviews ||||
12:15 - 1:15 p.m. EST
Career & Law Firm Fair ||
1:30 - 4:30 p.m. EST
Harness Your Strengths to Start Law School Successfully · Presented by LSAC
1:30 - 3:00 p.m. EST | Pre-Law Students & Incoming 1Ls ONLY
Senior Specialist, Professional Identity Formation at LSAC
Carwina Weng
Complete the additional registration for this session here. This session is ONLY for pre-law students and incoming 1Ls!
What traits come to mind when you think “lawyer”? Common ones are “smart,” “argumentative,” “confident,” “social,” “good communicator,” “takes charge/leads.” While many lawyers have these traits, many lawyers don’t and are still (equally/more) successful. The beauty of the legal profession is that it is big enough to need practitioners with many combinations of identities, personalities, experience, expertise, and skills. Success depends in part on using personal traits and strengths wisely and matching them to the right role and workplace. This session will help participants pursue success based on who they are and what they want to do with a law degree. Before the session, participants will take the High5 test, an online strengths assessment, to learn more about their go-to strengths. During the session, participants will explore their go-to strengths and learn how to use them, along with their values and passions, to chart a satisfying professional identity and career.
Keys to a Successful Law School Application |
3:15 - 4:45 p.m. EST
Founder & Executive Director of Barrier Breakers®
Sydney Montgomery
Director of Law Student Success at Barrier Breakers®
Dr. Nadia Castriota
Director of Development & Partnerships at Barrier Breakers®
Cynthia Rivera
Life as an Intellectual Property (IP) Law Attorney ||||
5:00 - 6:00 p.m. EST
Learn About J.D. Career Alternatives ||||
5:00 - 6:00 p.m. EST
Founder & CEO of Lean Into Your Design
Jacques Anderson
Faith in the Legal Profession ||||
6:15 - 7:15 p.m. EST
Founder of Sourouri Law Firm, P.C.
Soukaina Sourouri, Esq.
Closing Session ||||
7:15 - 7:30 p.m. EST
Founder & Executive Director of Barrier Breakers®
Sydney Montgomery
Our free conference includes:
✔ Expert advice from attorneys, recruiters, legal professors and admissions officers, and current law school students
✔ A Career & Law Firm Fair with the chance to meet one-on-one with law firms in a variety of fields
✔ A Law School & Resource Fair with a chance to meet one-on-one a variety of law schools across the country
✔The opportunity to get your questions answered live
✔ Virtual networking spaces to meet with other attendees and panelists
✔ Exclusive giveaways and promotions from Barrier Breakers® and our sponsors
✔ And more!
Have questions or want to get involved in our 2024 conference? Send an email to conference@barrier-breakers.org!
Interested in sponsoring this event?
Learn how your contribution can help BIPOC students and professionals achieve their dreams!
If you have questions about sponsorships, reach out to conference@barrier-breakers.org.
Thank you to our valuable sponsors for making this free event possible!
ANGELA VORPAHL | BALLARD SPAHR | THEMIS BAR REVIEW
7SAGE | LEGALLY FIT | BLUEPRINT TEST PREP