Wednesday, April 8
3:00 PM - Registration Opens (Waterloo Ballroom Foyer 5th Floor)
3:00-5:00 PM - General Counsel Pre-Meeting (Rooms 604-605 on 6th Floor) led by Beth Hecht with Xeris Pharmaceuticals and Betty Ungerman with Lennox International. Featuring Deb Wymess, executive coach and LinkedIn specialist.
5:30 PM - Opening Session (Waterloo Ballroom 5th Floor, Salons 1-3)
Welcome by Center for Women in Law Executive Committee President Hilda Galvan & Texas Law Dean Bobby Chesney.
Opening Keynote by Cynt Marshall, former CEO, Dallas Mavericks. Marshall will talk about her life and leadership role at AT&T, her move to CEO of the Dallas Mavericks in a crucial time for the organization, her strategy for values-based leadership and why putting people first matters the most. Marshall’s trailblazing leadership and contagious optimism will set the tone for an inspiring summit.
6:30 PM - Welcome Reception (Moontower Hall, Level 2) hosted by Finnegan
7:30 PM - Optional Dine Around Dinners (registration for dinners occurred prior to event)
Thursday, April 9
7:30 AM - Breakfast (Waterloo Ballroom 5th Floor, Salons 1-3) hosted by Paul Hastings
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM - Kendra Scott Jewelry Pop-Up Booth (Waterloo Foyer 5th Floor)
8:30 AM - 12:00 PM & 2:15 PM – 5:30PM - Deb Wymess LinkedIn Specialist - Profile Reviews (Waterloo Foyer 5th Floor)
8:30 AM - Power Summit on Law and Leadership Opening Comments (Waterloo Ballroom 5th Floor, Salons 1-3). Welcome from Power Summit Co-Chairs Stacey Doré and Gina Shishima
8:45 AM - Opening Keynote: Leading in a Crisis: Communicating with Clarity, Credibility and Trust. Featuring Shahed Fakhari, founder and CEO of UNLMTD Los Angeles and former Skadden Arps M&A lawyer. Moderated by Nadira Clarke, a partner with Hogan Lovells.
In an era where the rule of law is routinely challenged and social media crises can cause reputational damage faster than litigation creates financial exposure, legal and communication strategies can no longer operate in silos. This discussion explores how a top-tier crisis expert and former lawyer manages strategic positioning, litigation, leadership transition and other legal, reputational and social crises.
- Approved for .75 hours of CLE (ethics) with the State Bar of Texas (TX,CA,PA,OK)
9:30 AM - The Modern CLO: Leading with Clarity in Uncertain Times. Featuring chief legal officers Jill Mulligan with BNSF, Jennifer Salinas with Cerence and Laurie Hill with Altos Labs. Moderated by Cecily Gooch with FTI Consulting and former General Counsel of TXU Energy.
Today’s CLOs are strategic business leaders—guiding organizations through uncertainty, strengthening trust, and shaping sound governance. This panel will explore how CLOs lead through disruption with clarity, address ethical and accountability pressures, and anticipate emerging challenges, including the impact of AI.
- Approved for 1 hour of CLE with the State Bar of Texas (TX,CA,PA,OK)
10:30 AM - Coffee Break (Waterloo Foyer 5th Floor) hosted by Alexander Dubose & Jefferson
11:00 AM - Leading with AI by Liz Ngonzi, Board Member and Founding Ethics Chair, American Society for AI I Originator and Editor-in-Chief, the AI for Humanity Anthology and Platform | Adjunct Assistant Professor, Center for Global Affairs, New York University.
In this interactive session, Ngonzi will translate complex AI issues into practical, people-centered decisions that will help senior leaders navigate AI-driven change with clarity, responsibility and strategic intent.
12:15 PM - Leadership Luncheon (Waterloo Ballroom 5th Floor, Salons 4-6) hosted by Jones Day.
2:15 PM - Managing the Modern Law Firm: Leadership Through Disruption and Growth. Featuring managing partners Yvette Ostolaza with Sidley Austin, Kalpana Srinivasan with Susman Godfrey and Casey Ryan with Reed Smith. Moderated by Susan Blount, chair, UT Law School Foundation and former General Counsel of Prudential Financial.
This panel will explore how law firm managing partners are redefining firm leadership by balancing client demands and market change, leading through national challenges and uncertainty, and shaping firm culture to drive success, innovation and the development of future leaders.
- Approved for 1 hour CLE with the State Bar of Texas (TX,CA,PA,OK)
3:15 PM - Snack Break (Waterloo Foyer 5th Floor) hosted by Latitude Legal
3:45 PM - Inside the Supreme Court: Leadership, Decision-Making and High-Stakes Advocacy. Featuring former U.S. Solicitors General Noel Francisco with Jones Day and Elizabeth Prelogar with Cooley. Moderated by Michael Qian with Haynes Boone, former Supreme Court clerk and Department of Justice attorney.
This lively conversation will offer insights into the evolving dynamics of the U.S. Supreme Court, how high-profile matters are managed inside the nation’s most influential legal institution and leadership lessons from their tenure representing the United States in the highest court.
- Approved for 1 hour CLE with the State Bar of Texas (TX,CA,PA,OK)
4:45 PM - Closing Comments by Jennifer Banda, Director, Center for Women in Law
5:00 PM - Center for Women in Law Founders & Power Circle Annual Photo (Front Stage, Waterloo Ballroom 5th Floor, Salons 1-3)
5:30 PM - Cocktail Reception (Waterloo Foyer 5th Floor) hosted by Vistra Corp. & Norton Rose Fulbright
6:30 PM - Legacy Dinner (Waterloo Ballroom 5th Floor, Salons 4-6) hosted by Vistra Corp. and Norton Rose Fulbright.
Keynote Speaker Amy Purdy hosted by Toyota. Paralympic medalist and best-selling author Amy Purdy will share how her journey back to competitive snowboarding shaped her philosophy of courageous, purpose-driven leadership.
Friday, April 10
7:30 AM - Breakfast (Waterloo Foyer 5th Floor) hosted by Latham & Watkins
8:30 - 11:30 AM - Deb Wymess LinkedIn Specialist - Profile Reviews (Waterloo Foyer 5th Floor)
8:30 AM - Opening Comments (Waterloo Ballroom 5th Floor, Salons 1-3) from Power Summit Co-Chairs Stacey Doré & Gina Shishima
8:45 AM - Federal Judicial Panel Discussion on the Foundational Pillars of the American Legal System including the Honorable Nancy Atlas, the Honorable Diane Wood and the Honorable Vanessa Gilmore. Moderated by the Honorable Barbara Lynn.
This insightful discussion of four former federal jurists will explore the government’s third branch and rule of law as a bedrock principle and stabilizing force, the necessity of independence and structural protections in judicial decisions, and the power of the written word.
- Approved for 1 hour of CLE with the State Bar of Texas (TX,CA,PA,OK)
9:45 AM - Building Bridges by Professor Steven Collis of Texas Law and author of Habits of a Peacemaker: 10 Habits to Change Our Potentially Toxic Conversations into Healthy Dialogues.
Praised as a much-needed voice of reason and compromise, Professor Steven Collis researches and teaches on religion law, productive discourse, and other First Amendment topics. He is the founding faculty director of the Bech-Loughlin First Amendment Center and its Law & Religion Clinic. His latest book provides habits for developing the skill to engage in productive discourse and navigate difficult topics in challenging times.
- Approved for .75 hours of CLE with the State Bar of Texas (TX,CA,PA,OK)
10:30 AM - Transformative Career Journeys: A conversation with women whose paths began in the law and led to extraordinary leadership roles outside the traditional legal field. Featuring Tina Tchen with the Obama Foundation, Sarah Shadonix with Scout & Cellar Wines and award-winning author Pamela Samuels Young. Moderated by Beth Hecht with Xeris Pharmaceuticals.
This insightful and motivational panel will reflect on pivotal career moments, discuss how legal training shapes governance styles and decision-making, explore the transferable skills lawyers bring to diverse industries, and highlight lessons learned on leadership, innovation and professional impact.
- Approved for 1 hour of CLE with the State Bar of Texas (TX,CA,PA,OK)
11:30 AM - Closing Comments by CWIL President Hilda Galvan
11:45 AM - Adjourn. Thank you for attending the Power Summit on Law and Leadership. See you in 2028!
This course has been approved for Minimum Continuing Legal Education credit by the State Bar of Texas Committee on MCLE in the amount of 7.50 credit hours, including 0.75 credit hours that apply to legal ethics/professional responsibility credit.
The University of Texas School of Law is a State Bar of California approved MCLE provider (#1944), an Oklahoma Bar Association MCLE presumptively approved provider (#169), and a Pennsylvania Accredited Provider. Approved hours may vary by jurisdiction.