Leadership Academy
The Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Academy is AAJ’s leading program to promote diversity among its membership and leadership, particularly for those who are underrepresented within the association.
AAJ’s Leadership Academy provides training to highly qualified and talented members, in particular those who are underrepresented within the association, to help make them more effective leaders in AAJ, in their law firms, and in their communities.
Applications for the 2021 class were closed on May 4, 2021. Details on the application process are below.
2021 Leadership Academy Overview
Application Process
Applications were accepted from March 1-May 4. To submit your application, completion of an online form is required, as well as an upload your résumé; personal statement; names of two references, one of whom must provide a letter of recommendation; and a photo (optional).
Schedule
Trial lawyers selected for the 2021 Leadership Academy are required to attend three, two-day training sessions. These sessions are tied several of AAJ's signature annual events.
- Session 1: July 10 & 11, 2021, preceding the Annual Convention, Las Vegas, NV
- Session 2: October 18 & 19, 2021, preceding the Fall Board of Governors Meeting, Washington, DC
- Session 3: February 11 & 12, 2022, preceding the Winter Convention, Boca Raton, FL
A special thank you to Brenda S. Fulmer, Fulmer Family Foundation, for the generous support of AAJ's Leadership Academy.
Leadership
Nearly seventy women, 55 minorities, and 7 LGBT members are among those who make up the 96 graduates, with nearly 70 percent serving in a leadership role for the organization in 2018.
Networking
Since 2013, lawyers from all over the country have participated in AAJ’s Leadership Academy.
Recognition
Graduates will be recognized for their achievement at the Membership & Awards Luncheon during AAJ’s Annual Conventions.
Leadership Academy highlights
Session I
DAY ONE: MAKING THE CASE FOR LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
- Leadership Academy Overview
- Goals and Approaches to Success
- Values & Leadership Behaviors
- Implicit & Unconscious Bias
- Lawyering, Change Style Indicators (CSI)
DAY TWO: SELF AND GROUP AWARENESS
- MBTI® & Colour Blind®
- Personality & Team Functioning
- Team Communication
- Situation-Behavior-Impact Feedback (SBI)
- SMART Goal Setting
Session II
DAY ONE: LOOKING WITHIN
- FIRO-B Interpersonal Assessment
- Win as Much as You Can®
- Building Resiliency & Learning Agility
DAY TWO: RESILIENCE
- Challenge of Change
- Resiliency Planning & Action
- SMART Goal Review & Accountability Partnering
Session III
DAY ONE: LEADING CHANGE & INFLUENCE
- Influence Style Indicator (ISI)
- Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
- SBI Review & Practice
DAY TWO: BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER
- Key Leadership Feedback & Coaching
- Networks
- Lessons Learned & SMART Goals
- Recap & Wrap
Notes
Dates and session topics are subject to change. Sessions are scheduled to be in-person; subject to change due to COVID-19.
Leadership Academy Graduates by Class
Class of 2013
Vanessa Cantley | Bahe Cook Cantley & Nefzger, PLC, Louisville, KY
N. John Bey | Bey & Associates, LLC, Atlanta, GA
Tim Williams | Dwyer Williams Cherkoss Attorneys, PC, Bend, OR
Katie Hubbard | Brown & Crouppen, PC, Edwardsville, IL
Priscilla Jimenez | Kline & Specter, P.C., Philadelphia, PA
Brian Kent | Laffey, Bucci & Kent, LLP, Philadelphia, PA
Brandi Gatewood | Gatewood & Gilliam, PLLC, D'Iberville, MS
Trudy Fenster | Law Offices of Trudy Fenster, PC, Christiansted, Virgin Islands
Genevieve Zimmerman | Meshbesher & Spence, Ltd, Minneapolis, MN
Curtis Osborne | Osborne Law Firm, PC, Charlotte, NC
Ricardo Martinez-Cid | Podhurst Orseck, PA, Miami, FL
Brenda Fulmer | Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley, P.A., West Palm Beach, FL
A. Layne Stackhouse | Shrader & Associates, Houston, TX
Tad Thomas | Thomas Law Offices, PLLC, Louisville, KY
Class of 2014
Rick Barrera | Buckingham Barrera Vega Law Firm, Midland, TX
Alyssa Segawa | Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman LLP, Honolulu, HI
Jennifer Greene | Scott Vicknair, LLC, New Orleans, LA
Seth Cardeli | Levin & Perconti, Baltimore, MD
Kristina Kastl | Kastl Law, P.C., Dallas, TX
Raymond Jones | Law Offices of Raymond Jones, Washington, DC
Annika Martin | Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, New York, NY
Anastasia Pavich | Pavich Law Group, P.C., Chicago, IL
Lea Bucciero (Valdivia) | Podhurst Orseck, P.A., Miami, FL
June Bashant | Rouda Feder Tietjen & McGuinn, San Francisco, CA
Leslie Wright | Rubio Law Firm, Birmingham, AL
Emily Jeffcott | Morgan & Morgan, New Orleans, LA
Jim O'Brien | O'Brien Law, LLC, Toledo, OH
Class of 2015
Zachary Wool | Barrios Kingsdorf & Casteix, LLP, New Orleans, LA
Danielle Mason | The Sanders Firm, Montgomery, AL
Kristen Miller | Weitz & Luxenberg, PC, Morristown, NJ
Kevin Monsour | Bruce Law Group, Louisville, KY
Adam Langino | Cohen Milstein, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Jennifer Lipinski | Gordon & Partners, PA, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Lauren Barnes | Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP, Cambridge, MA
Jason Penn | Berman Sobin Gross Feldman & Darby, LLP, Lutherville, MD
Lexi Hazam | Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, San Francisco, CA
Wendy Fleishman | Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, New York, NY
Kelly Hyman | The Hyman Law Firm, PA, Denver, CO
Julian Gomez | The Julian C. Gomez Law Firm, PLLC, Edinburg, TX
James Bilsborrow | Weitz & Luxemberg PC, New York, NY
Adrian Vega | Buckingham Barrera Vega Law Firm, Albuquerque, NM
Class of 2016
Carla Aikens | Carla D. Aikens, P.C., Detroit, MI
Nicholas Johnson | Cohen Milstein, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Caragh Fay | Fay Law Group, PA, Washington, DC
Rachel Gusman | Graves McLain, PLLC, Tulsa, OK
Yvonne Flaherty | Lockridge Grindal Nauen, PLLP, Minneapolis, MN
Neil Nazareth | Martzell, Bickford & Centola, New Orleans, LA
Laurel Halbany | Kazan, McClain, Satterley & Greenwood, Oakland, CA
Ashleigh Raso | Meshbesher & Spence, Ltd, Minneapolis, MN
Laura Yaeger | Yaeger Law, PLLC, Tierra Verde, FL
Matthew Nace | Paulson & Nace, PLLC, Washington, DC
Kate Jaycox | Robins Kaplan, LLP, Minneapolis, MN
J.D. Hays | J.D. Hays Law, PLLC, Boulder, CO
Shannon Pennock | The Pennock Law Firm, Jersey City, NJ
Class of 2017
Ervin Nevitt | Coplan & Crane, Ltd., Oak Park, IL
Jared Smith | McCoy Hiestand & Smith, Louisville, KY
Lisa Lee | The Joel Bieber Firm, S. Easton, MA
Amber Pang Parra | Justinian & Associates, Pflugerville, TX
Christina Unkel | Maglio Christopher & Toale, PA, Sarasota, FL
Amy Heins | Shelley Leeke Law Firm, Mt. Pleasant, SC
Luke Metzler | Miller Weisbrod, LLP, Dallas, TX
Florence Murray | Murray & Murray Co., LPA, Sandusky, OH
Joseph Gates | Gates Law Firm, PLLC, Little Rock, AR
Emily Grace Thomas | Olsman MacKenzie Peacock & Wallace, PC, Bloomfield Hills, MI
Rebecca Phillips | The Lanier Law Firm, Houston, TX
Shenoa Payne | Shenoa Payne, Attorney at Law, PC, Portland, OR
Domenic Sanginiti | Stark & Stark, Lawrenceville, NJ
Andre Mura | The Gibbs Law Firm, Oakland, CA
Lindsay Cordes | Thomas Law Offices, PLLC, Louisville, KY
Sean Walton | Walton & Brown, LLP, Columbus, OH
Class of 2018
Alana Analone | Anzalone Law Offices, LLC, Denver, CO
Karen Beyea-Shroeder | Schroeder Law Office, The Woodlands, TX
Guy D'Andrea | Laffey Bucci Kent, LLP, Philadelphia, PA
Diandra "Fu" Debrosse Zimmerman | Grant & Eisenhofer, PA, Birmingham, AL
Sarah Hansel | Motley Rice, LLC, Cherry Hill, NJ
Sriniavas Hanumadass | CaseyGerry, San Diego, CA
Christopher Johnson | Waters Kraus & Paul, Dallas, TX
Lindsay Lawrence | Rittgers & Rittgers, Attorneys at Law, Cincinnati, OH
Carlos Llinas | Nelson & Fraenkel LLP, Los Angeles, CA
Tifanie Owens | Bey & Associates, LLC, Atlanta, GA
Leslie Pescia | Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C., Montgomery, AL
Brandon Vaughn | Robins Kaplan LLP, Minneapolis, MN
Derrick Walker | Allen, Allen, Allen & Allen, PC, Richmond, VA
Lisa Weinstein | Grant & Eisenhofer, P.A., Chicago, IL
Jeff Orenstein | The Consumer Law Group, Montreal, CANADA
Class of 2020
Amanda Fox Perry | Fay Law Group, PA, Washington, DC
Bridget Long | Allen, Allen, Allen & Allen, PC, Richmond, VA
Danielle Gold | Weitz & Luxenberg, PC, New York, NY
Gwen-Marie Davis | GDH LAW, Baltimore, MD
Jessica Ramirez | D'Arcy Johnson Day, Egg Harbor Township, NJ
Kelley Simoneaux | The Spinal Cord Injury Law Firm, PLLC, Washington, DC
Miranda Soucie | Spiros Law, Danville, IL
Sejal Brahmbhatt | Williams Hart Boundas Easterby, LLP, Houston, TX
Susan Faunce | Berman & Simmons, PA, Lewiston, ME
Adam Gomez | Grant & Eisenhofer, PA, Wilmington, DE
Andre Dennis | The Dennis Law Firm, LLC, Atlanta, GA
Jared Placitella | Cohen Placitella & Roth, PC, Red Bank, NJ
Kevin Biniazan | Breit Cantor Grana Buckner, Virginia Beach, VA
Tyler Bailey | Bailey Law Firm, L.L.C., Columbus, SC
John Abaray | Thomas Law Offices, PLLC, Louisville, KY
Stephanie Lockspeiser | The Luzzi Law Firm, East Brunswick, NJ
Vanessa Cantley
“I have a newfound sense of confidence in my ability to be an effective leader. I made powerful friendships that I know will last a lifetime and am excited to use all the knowledge I gained during the Academy to help AAJ meet its goals.”
Brenda Fulmer
“Some of the strongest relationships that I have with professional colleagues were formed through the Leadership Academy experience. I am thrilled to have gained so many new friends through this experience.”
Leslie A. Wright
“I began implementing the skills I took away from our sessions immediately and it has had a profound effect on my profession and personal relationships.”
Raymond Jones
“If you care about the future of AAJ and moving us forward against some powerful adversaries, I say apply. What you learn will help AAJ grow as an organization and help you grow as an advocate fighting for people. What you learn in a short time will last a lifetime.”
Tim Williams
“The networking and friendships alone is worth the price of admission. Additionally, it is a great first step towards becoming a true leader both within and outside of AAJ. Perhaps most importantly, it offers you a chance at self-discovery and revelation.”
Nicholas Johnson
“In order to attain a level of peak performance in your chosen practice of law, it is of utmost importance that you are able to relate well with your staff, manage your time efficiently, manage the inevitable stress in a healthy fashion, and obtain a work/life balance that will keep you thriving as you continue zealously representing your clients. The AAJ Leadership Academy arms you with these vital intangibles and unlocks your true potential to succeed.”
Joseph Gates
“I cannot recommend Leadership Academy highly enough. Not only did I learn critical skills on how to lead and manage others, the intimate structure of the class created lifelong friendships with my fellow Leadership Academy graduates and AAJ staff.”
Amy Heins
“Leadership Academy was the highlight of my year. I learned so much more than I’d expected. You learn through self-assessments, group work, and lots of discussion how what your strengths are, and more importantly, how different approaches all have value. It’s a structured program that manages also to be free flowing and incredibly fun. And the best part was meeting my fellow LA 5 classmates (the best class) – we hit it off immediately, and are still in constant contact. The support you will get from your classmates is like nothing else. I cannot recommend this program enough – it’s a absolute gift.”
Lindsay Cordes
“AAJ Leadership Academy was one of the best experiences of my life. Not only did I learn invaluable leadership skills but I met people that I will consider close friends for the rest of my life. It was such a rewarding experience.”
Emily Thomas
“Leadership Academy is something I wish that every person could experience because it reshaped how I connect and interact with others. As a result of this experience, I am more resilient, I am more focused on what matters, and I am more committed to building relationships to effect positive change.”
Shenoa Payne
“Leadership Academy taught me to be a better person, leader, and team player. It helped me understand how my values, background, and personality shape my decision-making, as well as the decision-making of others, in a way that has made me a more effective motivator, influencer, and supervisor. Understanding that not all leaders lead in the same way, or are influenced in the same way, has been key to developing critical leadership and influencing skills in working with clients, attorneys, judges, juries, and staff. But most of all, I walked away from the program with a greater confidence and an incredible set of new and long-lasting friendships with some of the most unique, diverse, and incredible people I will ever meet.”
Amber Pang Parra
“AAJ’s Leadership Academy may be the single most important thing that you can do to increase your effectiveness as a leader and as an attorney. The skills imparted provide a basis for personal and career development with lessons that enhance clarity, prevent burnout, and stoke the flames of enthusiasm. The process of Leadership Academy is transformative. I am so grateful for having had this opportunity, and to become a part of an amazing group of attorneys.”
Domenic Sanginiti
“The Leadership Academy was an extremely enlightening experience. It challenged my norms and forced me to become more self-aware. Through the exercises and fostering environment, the academy encouraged an openness to new ideas and provided tools to utilize in working with others who share different beliefs and qualities. While I believe the Leadership Academy has taught me ways to become a better leader in the work place and organization settings, I think the skills gained are simply most valuable in life.”
