Jerry Webman, Chair

Dr. Jerry Webman is a Senior Investment Officer and Chief Economist for Oppenheimer Funds. In this capacity, Dr. Webman provides strategic viewpoints on the overall financial and economic markets to investment management and the financial advisor and investor communities.

For over 25 years, Dr. Webman has been involved in the investment and economic markets — as a researcher, a financial advisor and a portfolio manager. Prior to joining Oppenheimer Funds in 1996, Dr. Webman was Managing Director and Chief Investment Strategist at Prudential Mutual Funds, where he had been since 1986. Previously, he was an assistant professor of politics and public affairs at the Woodrow Wilson School of International Affairs at Princeton University. Dr. Webman is frequently quoted discussing his views on the economy and markets in leading media outlets including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Washington Post and CNBC. Dr. Webman holds a B.A. in Political Science, with Honors, from the University of Chicago, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa, and a Ph.D. in Political Science from Yale University.

Ed Bankole, Treasurer

Ed Bankole is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Structured Risk Analytics LLC in which he advises clients (CFOs and portfolio managers) on risk strategies and quantifying expected loss. He holds a B.B.A., (with honors) and MBA from Howard University and a Ph.d in Economics (ABD) from George Mason University. Mr. Bankole was the authoritative speaker on US consumer credit quality and credit cards and was often quoted inAmerican Banker, The Wall Street Journal and in BusinessWeek. He has appeared on BBC TV, Bloomberg, MSNBC and Nippon TV. Additionally, Mr. Bankole was the first rating agency analyst invited to speak to the US Senate Committee three times as an expert on three subjects: credit risk, consumer bankruptcy, and technology.

Susan Blount

Susan L. Blount is Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Prudential Financial, Inc. and is responsible for overseeing the company’s law, compliance and business ethics matters. Ms. Blount joined Prudential’s Law Department in 1985 as an attorney in the company’s commercial real estate operations.  During her career at Prudential, Ms. Blount has held a variety of leadership positions including Vice President and Secretary for the Company through the period of Prudential’s demutualization in late 2001.  Most recently, Ms. Blount served as Vice President and Chief Investment Counsel, overseeing the Investment Division legal teams. Prior to joining Prudential, Ms. Blount was an associate at the law firm of Kirkland & Ellis. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of Montclair State University and a member of the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education.  She serves on the Board of Directors of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for Legal Reform.  Ms. Blount was recently appointed as Chair of the Committee of Corporate General Counsel of the ABA’s Section of Business Law. She graduated from the University of Texas with a B.A. in history and a J.D. with honors.

Patrick E. Hobbs

Dean Patrick Hobbs graduated magna cum laude from Seton Hall University with a B.S. in Accounting. He received his J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and earned his LL.M. from New York University.  In 1999, he became the Dean of Seton Hall Law School.  Dean Hobbs was recently appointed a Commissioner on the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation by former Governor James McGreevy. He is a member of the Standards Review Committee of the American Bar Association, Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, and has twice chaired the Law School Development Committee.  He also serves as a member of the boards of the Newark Alliance, Lexis-Nexis, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, the New Jersey Commission of Professionalism and the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education.  In 2004, he served as Chair of the Newark, New Jersey Mayor's Blue Ribbon Commission on the Downtown Core Redevelopment.

Jeffrey S. Isaacs

Jeff Isaacs is Managing Director and Chief Operations Officer of the Goldman Sachs & Co. Law Department. Before joining Goldman Sachs, Mr. Isaacs was Vice President and Corporate Counsel and Mergers & Acquisitions and Financial Management for Prudential Financial. In this role, he was responsible for the provision of legal services for Prudential’s mergers and acquisitions activities. Prior to joining Prudential, Jeff was associated with Morgan Lewis & Bockius and then Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal, in New York City, where he worked in their Business & Finance and Corporate departments, respectively, focusing on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and securities offerings. Mr. Isaacs received a B.A. from Colgate University and his J.D. from Columbia University.

Deborah Branker, Secretary

Ms. Branker holds a B.A. in English from Swarthmore College, an M.S. in Adolescent Education from Bank Street College of Education, and a M.A. in African-American Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Ms. Branker is an experienced urban educator who has taught at a charter middle school in Jersey City, has worked for the Center for Talented Youth in Newark, and has worked on curriculum development and teacher training for Teach for America. She is currently a language arts teacher at Montclair Kimberley Academy.

Solangel Maldonado

Solangel Maldonado is Professor of Law at Seton Hall Law School. She holds a B.A. from Columbia University, and a J.D. from Columbia Law School. She is a former associate at Sidley & Austin, and she clerked for Judge Joseph A. Greenaway, United States District Court, Newark, New Jersey. Professor Maldonado has published and presented extensively on family law and children’s rights, with a particular focus on the intersection of race with family law. Professor Maldonado is also the Chair of the Diversity Council at Seton Hall Law School.

Heather Butts

Ms. Butts holds a B.A. in African American studies from Princeton University, a M.P.H. from Harvard University, a M.A. from Columbia University Teachers College and a J.D. from St. John's University School of Law. Ms. Butts is a Regulatory Specialist for the Columbia University Medical Center. She sits on the Board of Directors for the Northside Center for Child Development and is the Chair of the Young Executive Board of iMentor, Inc. She is also a long time mentor of youth from underserved communities at Legal Outreach, Inc.

Maria G. Master

Dr. Master holds a B.A. in Political Science from Columbia University, a J.D. from Columbia Law School and an M.D. with Honors in Research from Cornell University. Dr. Master is a former Vice President and Corporate Counsel of Prudential Financial, Inc., and a former financial and economic analyst of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Dr. Master currently serves as a physician and works academically as a medical ethicist. She is also a long time mentor of underserved youth at Legal Outreach, Inc.

James O'Neal

Mr. O'Neal holds a B.A. from Emory University in Political Science and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. In 1982 Mr O'Neal received the Harvard Fellowship in Public Interest Law and in 1983 he co-founded Legal Outreach, a law-related educational organization serving underserved students in New York City. He became a Columbia Unversity Charles Revson Fellow in 1990 where he currently teaches. He is the Executive Director and a member of the Board of Directors at Legal Outreach.

Craig Livermore, Executive Director

Mr. Livermore holds a B.A. from Franklin and Marshall College in Religion and Mathematics, a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard, and a J.D. from Columbia Law School. He worked for several years at Legal Outreach, Inc., in New York City, where he directed law-related and college preparation programs for low-income urban youth. The Legal Outreach model focuses on a rigorous high expectations curricula and character building for urban youth in order to prepare them for competition at elite colleges and universities. In 2006, he founded NJ LEEP, the New Jersey Law and Education Empowerment Project, in partnership with Seton Hall Law School, to bring the Legal Outreach model to urban New Jersey.

Mr. Livermore is the founding Board Chair of Newark Legacy Charter School and is an Adjunct Professor at Seton Hall Law School where he teaches a course on Race, Law and Education. In addition to work on religion, ethics and public policy, Mr. Livermore has published articles on urban educational management, and educational policy and its effects on racially equitable educational outcomes.

Executive Committee (and Governance Committee)

Jerry Webman, Chair

Miguel Pozo

Ed Bankole

Heather Butts

Craig Livermore

Development Committee

Miguel Pozo, Chair

Jerry Webman

Susan Blount

Jeff Isaacs

Craig Livermore

Program Committee

Craig Livermore, Chair

Solangel Maldonado

Heather Butts

Deborah Branker

Maria Master

James O’Neal

Craig Livermore, Executive Director

Mr. Livermore holds a B.A. from Franklin and Marshall College in Mathematics, a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard University, and a J.D. from Columbia Law School. He worked for several years at Legal Outreach, Inc., in New York City, where he directed law-related and college preparation programs for low-income urban youth. In 2006, he founded NJ LEEP, the New Jersey Law and Education Empowerment Project, in partnership with Seton Hall Law School, to bring the Legal Outreach model to urban New Jersey.

Mr. Livermore was the founding board chair of Newark Legacy Charter School and is an Adjunct Professor at Seton Hall Law School where he teaches Education Law. In addition to work on religion, ethics and public policy, Mr. Livermore has published articles on urban educational management, and educational policy and its effects on racially equitable educational outcomes. Mr. Livermore's most recent articles include:

• Racial Complexity and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, 26 J. Civ. Rights & Econ. Dev. (2011)
• Centralized Standards and Decentralized Competition: Suggested Revisions for No Child Left Behind to Create Greater Educational Responsiveness Toward Disempowered Minority Groups, 33 Seton Hall Legis. J. 433 (2009)

Matthew Feinstein, Managing Director

Mr. Feinstein holds a B.A. from The University of Maryland at College Park and a J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law, and is a recent graduate of the Rutgers Business School, Institute for Ethical Leadership, Nonprofit Executive and Emerging Leader Certificate Program. Mr. Feinstein has been involved with NJ LEEP from its inception. He worked for NJ LEEP part-time and during the summer as a law student, and then joined the full time staff upon graduation from Seton Hall Law School. Mr. Feinstein is the founder of the Urban Education Law and Policy Initiative at Seton Hall Law School, he is the founding chair of the NJ LEEP Young Professionals Board and he is a member of the Newark Public Schools Law and Public Safety Advisory Board.

Onaje Crawford, Alumni Program Coordinator

Mr. Crawford holds a B.S. in Political Science from Boston University. He has worked in multi-faceted administrative and educational roles for a charter school in Newark, NJ. He has extensive leadership experience with many organizations, including Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He has also worked for a math empowerment program and a mentoring program for urban youth as well as a mentoring program for juvenile offenders in Boston. Mr. Crawford has been with NJ LEEP since the beginning of its College Bound Program in 2007, and he has been an anchoring presence in the community since it began.

Jeffery Key, Director of Legal Education

Mr. Key holds a B.A. in Political Science from Princeton University and a J.D. from the Seton Hall University School of Law. While in law school, Mr. Key participated in the Street Law Clinic, the Tax Law Society, and the VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) Program. He has worked in the non-profit educational arena in several different settings, including a tenure as a Teaching Fellow for Citizen Schools in Newark, and as a graduate assistant for the Summer Institute for Pre-Legal Studies at Seton Hall Law School. Mr. Key is a member of the Newark Public Schools Law and Public Safety Advisory Board.

Elizabeth Abitanto, College Bound Program Manager

Ms. Abitanto holds a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University-Newark, and an M.A. in Public Administration from Rutgers University, where she also earned a certificate in non-profit management. Ms. Abitanto has worked as a manager at a professional tutoring services company, and she has managed volunteer initiatives to serve low-income and homeless New Jersey residents.  Ms. Abitanto has also had leadership roles in political campaigns and academic enrichment programs for urban youth.  Ms. Abitanto is a proud member of a first-generation immigrant family, and she believes passionately in providing urban youth with high expectations modeling which reveals to them the possibilities of college achievement in their lives.

Rashmi Dighe, Finance Manager

Ms. Dighe holds a B.S. in Accounting from New York University's Stern School of Business.  She has brought several years of accounting experience and expertise from the private sector to the table and was an auditor at a Big 4 accounting firm.  Prior to joining NJ LEEP, Ms. Dighe worked in financial reporting at Prudential Financial in the Newark office where she first gained an appreciation for the community of Newark and its potential. Since then, Ms. Dighe has been inspired to become actively involved in transforming the lives of underserved students through NJ LEEP.

Carla Whyte, College Bound Program Assistant

Ms. Whyte, a Brooklyn native, holds a B.A. in Sociology from Lehman College. Passionate about social justice and education, Ms. Whyte brings a variety of work experience to NJ LEEP. She tutored at SCORE Educational Center and taught English to Korean middle school students while studying in Seoul. She also worked as a Research & Policy Intern at the Ministry of Education in Liberia. Immediately before her start at NJ LEEP, Ms. Whyte conducted recruitment for a college transition program at Kingsborough Community College. A daughter to immigrant parents, Ms. Whyte is a trailblazer for her family and she sees higher education as the key to socio-economic success. Carla hopes to impart this knowledge onto students living and learning in the urban community.

• Kathryn Bedard, Grammar and Writing Instructor
• Peter Basso, Grammar and Writing Instructor
• Stephen Bonime, Tutor
• Makini Brice, Grammar and Writing Instructor
• Kawana Harris, Grammar and Writing Instructor
• Kristen O'Neal, Tutor
• Kara Olidge, Grammar and Writing Instructor
• Samantha Saint-Germain, Grammar and Writing Instructor
• Clais  Daniels-Edwards, Law-Related Education Program Assistant
• Shanique Adams, Law-Related Education Program Assistant
• Yesenia Rodriguez, Law Student Program Assistant
• John Salierno, Law Student Program Assistant
• Frank Gonnello, Law Student IT Director
• Amanda Van Hoesen, Law Student Program Assistant
• Audrey Day, Law Student Program Assistant

Akinyemi T. Akiwowo

Akinyemi Akiwowo is an associate at Genova, Burns and Giantomasi, and former associate at Coughlin Duffy LLP. He concentrates in commercial litigation and construction litigation. After receiving his law degree in 2005, Mr. Akiwowo served as Assistant Prosecutor in Union County whe re he represented ttate of New Jersey in criminal trials. He joined Coughlin Duffy LLP in January 2007. Mr. Akiwowo holds a B.A. from Loyola College, and a J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law. He is a member of the American, Union County and the Garden State Bar Associations.

Jason Mark Anderman

Jason Mark Anderman is the founder of whichdraft.com, an on-line contract drafting service. Formerly, Jason served as counsel at Becton, Dickinson and Company, a Fortune 500 medical technology company with headquarters in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey. Mr. Anderman also practiced at the law firms of Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker and Goodwin Procter. Mr. Anderman's prior practice includes: providing general advice to business units comprising several hundred million dollars of revenue annually, managing procurement agreements for a diverse array of goods and services, negotiating life sciences and diagnostic instrument sales transactions, providing health privacy law advice, as well as facilitating litigation and dispute management. Mr. Anderman graduated in 1992 from Washington University in St. Louis (with honors). He received his J.D. and M.A. in Cultural Anthropology from Duke University School of Law (with honors) and Graduate School, respectively, in 1997. At Duke, he served as Research Editor of the Duke Journal of Comparative & International Law.

Alison Banks-Moore 

Alison Banks- More is the Chief Diversity Officer for Horizon BCBSNJ. She has over 25 years of experience as a Human Resources professional. Ms. Banks-Moore joined Horizon in March 2005 as a Human Resources Business Partner supporting the Market Business Unit Division. Over the past two years, she has led the effort to revitalize the Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey diversity initiative, which has culminated in the development of a comprehensive diversity management action plan for Horizon. Prior to joining Horizon BCBSNJ, Ms. Banks-Moore held various Human Resources positions at AT&T, KPMG, Cablevision, and 32 BJ Benefit Funds where her scope of responsibilities ranged from the creating and executing Corporate policies, launching HR initiatives, Staffing/Workforce Planning, Union Negotiations, Succession Planning, Training/Organizational Development, Employee Relations, AA/EEO audit and compliance, as well as the design and implementation of Horizon's strategic Diversity initiative. Ms. Banks-Moore has a BA in Communications and is a member of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association Diversity Alliance, the Northeast Regional Corporate Industry Liaison Group and the Society for Human Resource Management.

Monica de los Rios

Monica is an Associate at Patton Boggs LLP in the firm’s New Jersey office. She concentrates her practice in general litigation matters. Before joining the office, Ms. de los Rios practiced with a New Jersey insurance defense firm for four years.  In addition, she served as a judicial clerk for U.S. District Judge (Hon.) Susan Wigenton from 2006-2007, after having earlier clerked for Judge Wigenton during her time as a U.S. Magistrate Judge.  Her clerkship experience also includes service at the Office of Administrative Law and at the New Jersey Superior Court (for the Hon. Harold Fullilove).  Monica holds a J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law, Newark and a B.A. from Rutgers College.

Margaret Davino 

Margaret Davino is a partner at Kaufman, Borgeest & Ryan LLP in New York, NY. She holds a B.S.N. from the University of Michigan, an M.B.A. from Seton Hall University, and a J.D. from Vanderbilt University School of Law.
Ms. Davino has served as General Counsel of St. Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center of New York and as General Counsel for St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Paterson, New Jersey. She has lectured on multiple healthcare legal topics, and has written various articles and a chapter on the legal issues associated with managed care. Ms. Davino has a special interest in the topic of youth and legal rights, and she has volunteered her services extensively to help youth with difficulties in this area.

Angela Foster 

Angela Gunter Foster is Chief of Staff for the Department of Law for the City of Newark. In this capacity, she manages the Labor Section and is responsible for maintaining and keeping abreast of developments and negotiations pertaining to the twenty-three unions that represent various City departments and its employees. She also manages and oversees all personnel matters for the Department of Law including the interviewing and hiring of attorneys, paralegals and support staff. Ms. Foster, a native of New York City, graduated from Barnard College, Columbia University, and obtained her law degree from New York University School of Law.

Elissa Glasband

Ms. Glasband is a partner at Patton Boggs LLP in Newark, New Jersey. She concentrates her practice in the areas of complex civil litigation, including product liability, toxic tort, consumer fraud and securities litigation. Ms. Glasband has extensive experience in information management issues, including coordinating and supervising teams of attorneys in interviewing witnesses and developing the appropriate protocols for locating and collecting documents, including electronic data. Ms. Glasband clerked for The Honorable Jaynee LaVecchia, Supreme Court of New Jersey and the Honorable Dennis Cavanaugh of the United States District Court of New Jersey. Ms. Glasband holds a J.D., with honors, from Rutgers University, and a B.A., cum laude, from the University of Delaware.

Katie A. Gummer 

Katie Gummer is a partner at DLA Piper LLP (US) in New Jersey. Ms. Gummer has represented leaders in the financial services industry, including life and health insurance companies, since she began her career. On behalf of her clients, Ms. Gummer has litigated in federal and state courts and before regulators in individual, multi-district, and class action cases involving disputes concerning ERISA, policy and plan interpretation, ESOPs, benefit entitlements, consumer complaints, managed care contracts, and sales and marketing practices. Ms. Gummer has successfully tried jury and non-jury cases to verdict. Ms. Gummer also has represented the media in First Amendment and defamation matters. Ms. Gummer graduated from Bryn Mawr College, summa cum laude, and the Yale Law School. She has been a member of the Brennan-Vanderbilt Inn of Court since 1992 and currently serves as a Master.

Marc Merriweather 

Marc Merriweather is Vice President- Legal for Wyndham Worldwide Corporation, where he is part of the Company's Litigation Team. He has been at Wyndham and its predecessors for seven years and his responsibilities primarily focus on the company's Hotel Group business unit. Marc is a founding member of the Company's Pro Bono and Diversity Committees. Prior to joining Wyndham, Mr. Merriweather was an associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Kramer Levin in New York, NY. Mr. Merriweather received a J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School and a B.S. from Cornell University.

Fruqan Mouzon

Fruqan Mouzon is the Director of Business and Commercial Litigation at Gibbons PC.  Before joining Gibbons, he was Assistant Counsel to Governor Jon S. Corzine.  In that post, Mr. Mouzon reviewed and advised the Governor on legislation involving consumer affairs, education and civil rights, in addition to serving as the Governor's designee on the State House Commission and as a Project Manager for the State's search for a Newark Public School Superintendent.   Mr. Mouzon is also an Adjunct Professor at Seton Hall Law School, where he has taught Legal Research and Writing, and New Jersey Practice.  Mr. Mouzon earned a B.A. in Accounting from Old Dominion University in 1995, and a J.D., magna cum laude, from Seton Hall Law School in 1998.

Scott B. Murray

Mr. Murray is a Member at Sills, Cummis, & Gross P.C. His practice focuses on complex litigation, especially matters involving antitrust, intellectual property and technology issues. He has represented and advised clients including technology companies, commodity and luxury product manufacturers, commercial landlords, health care providers and a major lending institution. Prior to joining Sills, Cummis & Gross, Mr. Murray spent several years practicing antitrust law in Washington, D.C. with Clifford Chance. Before entering private practice, he spent almost three years with the Telecommunications Task Force of the Antitrust Division at the Department of Justice. Mr. Murray holds a J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law-Camden and a B.S.E. from Princeton University.

A. Ross Pearlson 

Mr. Pearlson is the Co-Chair of the Litigation Group of Wolff & Samson P.C.  He is a form Member of the Corporate Internal Investigations and Business Crimes and Litigation Practice Group at Sills, Cummis & Gross P.C.  He has over nineteen years of experience in a broad range of civil and criminal litigation matters.  From 1990 to 1994, he served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of New York, where he prosecuted federal felony cases in areas including mail, wire and securities fraud and RICO violations.  In 1993, he received the Director’s Award from Attorney General Janet Reno for Sustained Superior Performance as an Assistant United States Attorney.  Mr. Pearlson holds a J.D. from Harvard University Law School, cum laude and a B.A. from Wesleyan University, with high distinction.

Suzette T. Rodriguez

Suzette T. Rodriguez is Associate Counsel at Jackson Hewitt Tax Serivce, Inc.  She is a former associate in LECLAIRRYAN’s Labor and Employment Department.  She earned her Bachelor of Arts, cum laude in English Literature from Hunter College, City University.  She received her J.D. in May 2003 from Rutgers University School of Law – Newark.  While in law school, Ms. Rodriguez served as the Managing Articles Editor of the Rutgers Race and the Law Review and was awarded a fellowship from Equal Justice America.  In addition, Ms. Rodriguez served as a judicial extern for the Honorable Marina Corodemus, Civil Division-Mass Torts, in the Superior Court of New Jersey.  After graduating, Ms. Rodriguez clerked for the Honorable Travis L. Francis, Chancery Division, General Equity, in the Superior Court of New Jersey.  Ms. Rodriguez is admitted to practice law in the State of New Jersey, and United States District Court for the State of New Jersey.  Ms. Rodriguez is a member of the Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey, Middlesex County Bar Association, and the New Jersey State Bar Association.  She has also been appointed to serve as Trustee-at-Large of the Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey.

Jelani Roper

Jelani Roper is Vice President and Corporate Counsel at Prudential Financial Inc. His work focuses on securities law, investment management law and contract law and negotiations. Prior to joining Prudential, Mr. Roper practiced at the law firms of Sutherland Asbill & Brennan, in Washington D.C. and Carter Ledyard & Milburn, in New York City. Mr. Roper holds a B.A. from the College of William and Mary, and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. While at Georgetown he participated in the Juvenile Justice Clinic, where he served as legal defense counsel for minors charged with crimes in the District of Columbia. Mr. Roper has worked for the public good in various capacities, ranging from volunteering as an election-monitor, teaching at a school for children diagnosed with autism, and serving as a mentor to both children and adults.

Sheila Rostiac 

As Director Human Resources - Client Relations, Sheila is the lead business partner for several members of PSEG’s Executive Officer Team including: the CFO, the General Counsel, and the EVP Strategy, Development & President-Energy Holdings. She provides counsel and direction for leveraging talent around the business strategies. Ms. Rostiac originally joined PSEG in 1997, and has held a variety of management positions in the finance organization and human resources department. Her additional work experience includes human resource management at Schering Plough and financial roles with Jersey Central Power & Light and the accounting firm Arthur Anderson & Co., LLC.Ms. Rostiac holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Lehigh University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Centenary College. Ms. Rostiac was a licensed Certified Public Accountant and has a SHRM designation as a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources. She is also certified in M.B.T.I. She is a 2011 TWIN (Tribute to Women in Industry) Honoree and is currently a board member of the Madison Cooperative Nursery School.

Heather Taylor 

Heather is a partner at McCarter & English LLP in Newark, NJ where she focuses on Business and Financial Services Litigation. She has handled all phases of complex commercial litigation appearing in state and federal courts in New Jersey, Connecticut and New York. Heather has participated in civil jury and bench trials and argued before appellate courts. Her cases have involved many different areas of the law, including financial services, sales practices, health care, ERISA and telecommunications law. Heather's practice focuses both on the defense of large clients in class actions, as well as the representation of smaller companies and individuals in general business litigation.  Heather holds a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and a B.S. summa cum laude from Syracuse University.

Walter Timpone 

Mr. Timpone is a partner at McElory, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter LLP. He received a Bachelor's degree from St. Francis College in New York in 1972, a Master's degree in Special Education from New York University in 1974, and his Juris Doctorate from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1979. He joined the United States Attorney's Office in Newark where he served for eleven years. His major accomplishments were as the Chief of Special Prosecutions, where he led the prosecutions and convictions of public officials for corruption and fraud against the public. Mr. Timpone has served as the first Federal Election Monitor in Passaic County where he was charged with ensuring the voting rights of the County’s Hispanic citizens and the County’s compliance with Federal and State consent orders. He has also served, at the appointment of N.J. Attorney General John Farmer, on the panel to investigate problems surrounding the Department of Motor Vehicles Inspection Program. He presently serves as a Commissioner on the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission.

Alice Turinas 

Ms. Turinas is a business attorney in private practice, and is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Montgomery Academy, a private school serving students with special needs. She is active in her local college and law school alumni associations, and occasionally glimpses her husband, an advertising and strategic marketing executive who specializes in Internet-based media, and their son, a high school student, at their home in northern New Jersey. Ms. Turinas' legal practice focuses on corporate and commercial transactions such as licensing and co-development joint ventures, as well as the purchase, growth and sale of businesses, with particular emphasis on internet, life sciences and other technology-based service industries. A 1987 graduate of Harvard Law School, Ms. Turinas received a BA from Duke University in 1984.

Amy Winkelman

Amy Winkelman is Associate General Counsel at Moody's Corporation. Prior to this position, Ms. Winkelman served as the Chief of the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey. She has investigated and prosecuted a wide range of cases, including those involving corporate and securities fraud, insider trading, health care fraud, tax evasion, credit card fraud, money laundering, procurement fraud, labor union corruption, drug trafficking and violent crime. Before entering into government service, Ms. Winkleman worked as a litigation associate at the law firms of Clapp & Eisenberg in Newark, New Jersey and Palmer & Dodge in Boston, Massachusetts. She served as a law clerk to the Honorable W. Arthur Garrity of the United States District Court in Boston. Ms. Winkleman is a graduate of the University of Michigan, where she received a BA with Highest Distinction, and of Harvard Law School, where she received her J.D.