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McGlothlin Leadership Fellows Engage with Law and Business Students during Annual Forum

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The 2016 McGlothlin Leadership Forum gave law and business students the opportunity to engage with three top leaders in law and business during seminar-style classes and other events on October 25-27. The annual forum, now in its sixth year, is the vision of Frances G. '66 and James W. McGlothlin ’62, J.D. ’64, LL.D. ’00.

Melissa A. Rivera, a second-year law student, was among students who had the opportunity to engage with Forum Fellow Patrick Fitzgerald during his two classes at the Law School. Fitzgerald, a partner at Skadden Arps, has had a long and distinguished career as a federal prosecutor and trial attorney. He served as Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and, more recently, as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.

In the session Rivera attended, Fitzgerald touched on topics such as the occasional personal threats leveled at prosecutors, the death penalty, and issues of race as they pertain to law enforcement and criminal justice.

“It was interesting to hear about the different types of cases he worked on as a prosecutor, especially his work on organized crime cases and terrorism cases,” she said. “One particular thing that stuck with me was his discussion of a high-profile organized crime case in New York. One of the accused asked him to warn him when the court was going to show a particular piece of evidence, so that he could tell his mom not to be in the courtroom.”

The 2016 McGlothlin Leadership Forum Fellows included:

Dan Akerson, Chairman, LDiscovery. Mr. Akerson is a seasoned senior executive with extensive management, operating and turn-around experience having served as Chairman, CEO, President or Vice Chairman of major companies, including General Motors, The Carlyle Group, General Instrument, MCI, Nextel and XO Communications. He is currently the Chairman of LDiscovery, a technology-enabled eDiscovery services provider based in McLean, VA, a member of the Board of Directors of Lockheed Martin Company, Chairman of the United States Naval Academy Foundation Board of Directors, and member of the Advisory Board for the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation.

Patrick Fitzgerald, Esq., Partner, Skadden Arps. Prior to joining Skadden in 2012, Mr. Fitzgerald most recently served as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. Appointed in 2001 by President George W. Bush, he was the longest-serving U.S. Attorney ever in Chicago. From 1988 to 2001, he  was an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. He served as lead counsel in the investigation, prosecution and seven-month trial of United States v. Usama bin Laden, et al., in which multiple defendants were charged with and convicted of conspiracy to murder U.S. nationals overseas and the 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.

Ilene Gordon, Chairman, President, and CEO of Ingredion Incorporated. Ms. Gordon has been Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of Ingredion Incorporated since May 4, 2009. She joined Ingredion from Rio Tinto Alcan where as President and CEO of Alcan Packaging she led a $6.5 billion global packaging business based in Paris, France. Over her 10-year tenure with Alcan and Pechiney, which was acquired by Alcan in 2003, she held various leadership positions, starting as Senior Vice President of Pechiney Plastic Packaging.

About William & Mary Law School

Thomas Jefferson founded William & Mary Law School in 1779 to train leaders for the new nation. Now in its third century, America's oldest law school continues its historic mission of educating citizen lawyers who are prepared both to lead and to serve.