April 2008
For too long, professional development did not exist for minorities in the legal community. In response to these needs, CMCP has provided mutual support for minority lawyers, jurists and law students in the state of California for over 18 years. With its mission to promote diversity among the state’s attorney population, CMCP’s pioneering work has helped to usher in a new generation of minority attorneys eager to make their mark in the profession.
CMCP's Mentoring Task Force is proud to present the organization's new Mentorship Program which is designed to play an integral role in supporting the interests of all lawyers in the CMCP community. The Program will foster mentorship and networking among lawyers in the profession and further ensure that our new generation of lawyers effectively integrate into the legal profession. The Program will pair CMCP members, based on their preference, with: attorneys in all levels of practice, law students, and others in the community, based upon factors such as relative experience and shared interests. Our mentoring events will allow Program participants to meet and develop lasting relationships with attorneys, law students, and other distinguished members of CMCP.
If you are interested in joining the Program as a mentor or a mentee, please complete and return the attached form (PDF) to Camilla Eng by May 5, 2008. For questions or additional information, please contact her at camillameng@yahoo.com or (310) 686-4162.
CMCP 2008 SUB-COMMITTEE DESCRIPTIONS |
We appreciate your interest in getting more involved with CMCP. One of the best ways to do so, is to work on one of our program sub-committees to help us advance our mission. Working on a sub-committee also gives you the opportunity to get to know your fellow members. Please feel free to contact the Chairs of the respective Committees to participate via the links below.
Annual Conference Committee
Community Outreach
E-Newsletter Committee
Events/Program Committee
Headhunter Committee
Recruitment and Membership
Thought Leadership
2008 CMCP Sub Committee Descriptions >
Do you have significant career accomplishments; new firm, law department, public agency or corporate diversity practice initiatives or news; or job announcements about which you would like the CMCP membership to know? Please send us your news to john@cmcp.org with the subject heading "MEMBER NEWS".
MCCA kicked off its seventh annual CLE Expo at the Chicago Marriott Downtown on March 27, 2008 with the Opening Plenary Session featuring esteemed keynote speaker Linda Thomsen, Director of Enforcement of the SEC. Ms. Thomsen spoke on topics ranging from executive responsibility to global law and commerce.
The substantive legal breakout sessions took place over the course of the two days of the CLE Expo (March 26-27, 2008), and featured the most timely topics in the following program tracks: Corporate Governance, Intellectual Property, Labor & Employment, Litigation & Investigation, Value-Added Strategies, and Law & Global Commerce. Speakers included representatives from federal governmental regulatory bodies, executive advisory organizations, public trust holding organizations and leading corporations and law firms.
Read more >
The Lunch Program on Thursday turned out to be the highlight of the event, as Gwen Ifill, Senior Correspondent with The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, gave a rousing talk on the state of the political landscape. Her talk couldn’t have been more timely as she discussed how race, gender and generational differences are influencing this year’s presidential election. Ms. Ifill also spoke about the book that she is currently working on about the current generation’s Black politicians. Ms. Ifill’s presentation concluded with a standing ovation and an extra 45 minutes spent with audience members answering questions and taking photos.
Thursday wrapped up with an exciting “March Madness”-themed reception in the conference Hospitality Hall where MCCA set up arcade style sports and video games and even had arena food to bring more of the sporting feel to the event. The conference continued on Friday with more topical breakout sessions and the Closing Lunch Session.
MCCA is proud to have great sponsors for this unparalleled annual event. MCCA would like to thank the CLE Expo’s Premier Sponsor since the inception of the event, Jenner & Block LLP, and all of the other 2008 7th Annual CLE Sponsors for their amazing support!
Please visit MCCA's web site for additional information.
MAY
Hispanic National Bar Association - Legislative Day and Capital Awards Dinner, Washington DC, 5/6-5/7.
Minority Corporate Counsel Association - Western Region Diversity Dinner, Hollywood, CA, 5/14
San Francisco Bar Association, 2008 International Employment Conference, San Francisco 5/30.
Read more >
JUNE
American Bar Association - National Conference for the Minority Lawyer, San Jose, 6/26 - 6/27.
JULY
National Bar Association - National Bar Association Convention, Houston, TX, 7/26 - 8/2.
AUGUST
American Bar Association - New York Annual Meeting, New York, NY, 8/7 - 8/12.
SEPTEMBER
2008 HNBA Annual Convention - HNBA Goes Hollywood, Los Angeles 9/3-9/6.
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CMCP IN-HOUSE
SPOTLIGHT: JILL DESSALINES - McKESSON CORPORATION
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Jill Dessalines
Assistant General Counsel
McKesson Corporation
In the Summer that Jill Dessalines, Assistant General Counsel for McKesson Corporation the world’s largest pharmaceutical distributor and health care informatics company – was 11 years old, her older brother attending Howard University offered to pay her $1 for every book she read on the reading list he gave to her. "He wanted to politicize me," Jill explains. "From the time I was a child, I had a highly refined sense of justice growing up as a Black woman in the United States. Growing up, I did not know what a lawyer did. But I knew that a lawyer was the gatekeeper of laws that govern people's behavior. I found the whole subject fascinating. And I knew that I wanted the keys to that particular kingdom."
Jill grew up as one of five siblings – all of whom have advanced, post-undergraduate degrees. Both of her parents went to college. "Even my grandmother went to college," Jill says. "I don't know how they did it, but without ever really discussing it, my parents conveyed to us that we would get an education. It was unthinkable for us that we would or could choose not to. I was not socialized to believe that I could not compete." And compete she did. After graduating cum laude from Howard University, Jill was accepted to Georgetown University Law Center – where she first encountered hostility in academia because of her race. "At the time, the administration was adamant about accepting 15% people of color. I was admitted early based on my LSAT scores. But on the first day of class, I hear two guys behind me in the audience talk about their friend who hadn't gotten in at Georgetown. To my shock and horror, I hear one of them say to the other that their friend didn't get in 'because she did,' and I see out of the corner of my eye that he's gesturing to me. Law school did it's job. It taught me how to think like a lawyer. But I couldn't help but view it as something to be endured.
Read more >
After law school, Jill moved to Southern California and pursued a real estate transaction and business litigation practice. After eight years of practice in California, Jill left Cox, Castle and Nicholson (the largest real estate boutique in the country at the time), to become the Managing Director of The Law Office of Robert H. Alexander, Jr., p.c. in Oklahoma City, where she represented Fortune 500 clients in manufacturers’ product liability defense, wrongful termination defense and general business litigation.
In 1997, Jill started as in-house counsel at McKesson Corporation, a Fortune 18 company, ultimately becoming Assistant General Counsel. In that position, Jill supervises outside counsel and advises senior executives on multi-million dollar litigation on a nationwide basis, including mass tort, subsidiary oversight, distributor disputes, intellectual property, trade secret, employment and complex business litigation. As Assistant General Counsel for McKesson, Jill appreciates it when outside counsel do their due diligence and make a sincere effort to learn and understand her business. "What I tell my outside counsel is, 'You make me look good, I make you look good.' It really is that simple." On the flip side, failure to communicate and being presumptuous about making decisions will not garner points for outside counsel. Nor will "nickel and diming me on invoices. There is this new push to make every component of a law firm a profit center, and it really is short-sighted."
Despite the demands of her career, Jill has remained active in the community. She is currently on the boards of the United Negro College Fund and the Allen E. Broussard Scholarship Foundation; is the immediate past president and currently on the board of Black Women Lawyers of Northern California; is co-chair of the ABA’s Corporate Counsel Committee, Litigation Subcommittee; served on the board of the Bar Association of San Francisco from 2002 to 2005; was Chair of the BASF Judiciary Committee from 2000 to 2002 and served on the boards of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the East Bay from 1999 to 2001 and the California Association of Black Lawyers from 2000 to 2002.
"Lawyers of color are facing a crisis. Our numbers are being squeezed to a point where we are going to be a dying breed. If we do not take affirmative steps to mold our successors, the strides we have made will disappear. Aside from economic success, a serious point of concerted effort needs to be that we mentor organizationally. The access we've been afforded can slip from our grasp – and before we know it it'll be too late. We have the 'keys to this kingdom' and we owe it to those who came before us and to those who should follow us, to ensure that we have lawyers of color to whom we can pass on the keys – that they have the same opportunities that we've had.
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