There's more to JD life than bright lights and BigLaw! In this episode, Olivia Robinson, Esq. talks about her career journey through the ever-changing practice of law; what keeps her interested in the profession; the strategy she used to land her first post-grad law job; and, the moments we all have, including "Can I just live?!" and "As per my last email..." Tune in for useful tips on pursuing a career in healthcare law or healthcare compliance, plus insight on what it's like to be in-house counsel at a major healthcare company. About Olivia: Olivia Robinson is Associate General Counsel at CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield. Prior to joining BCBS, Olivia represented healthcare facilities in regulatory and compliance matters related to Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement disputes. Her regulatory experience also involves litigation before the Maryland Office of Administrative Hearings, informal dispute resolution with the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, administrative appeals with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, and reimbursement of Medicare and Medicaid claims. Olivia also assisted healthcare facilities in establishing and evaluating their Medicare and Medicaid compliance efforts and handled negotiations with government agencies.Olivia earned her B.A. in Political Science and English from Howard University, her J.D. from Valparaiso University School of Law, and her LL.M. in Law and Government from American University Washington College of Law. Support the show (https://linktr.ee/AfroLAWtina)

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Insight into In-House: Associate General Counsel Olivia Robinson Talks Healthcare Law and "As Per My Last Email"

Are you a licensed attorney or international law student in another country and thinking about pursuing an LL.M. in the United States? This episode is for you. This week’s episode features two phenomenal AfroLAWtinas. Ely Cossio and Yuly Campiño are two Afro-Colombian attorneys who work in international human rights law. Tune in to hear a deep discussion on what motivated Ely and Yuly to pursue a career as a lawyer in Colombia; the journey of applying to and completing an advanced law degree (LL.M.) in the United States; the unexpected experiences of being underestimated in the classroom; and, the obstacles (both financial and administrative) that can come with being an international student/attorney trying to break into the U.S. job market. You don’t want to miss this.Got questions for Ely and Yuly? Please email afrolawtina@gmail.com to connect!Support the show (https://linktr.ee/AfroLAWtina)

Pursuing an LL.M. as an International Lawyer: A REAL Convo with Afro-Colombian Lawyers Ely Cossio and Yuly Campiño on What You Need to Know

Engaging with bar associations is more than just attending panels! In this episode of AfroLAWtina, we hear from newly-elected President of the Dominican Bar Association, Doralyn De Dios, on why networking is one of the ultimate tools you need in your law school and legal career toolbox. Hear about Doralyn's path to becoming a prosecutor in New York, the power of the "follow-up" email, and her agenda for her year as President of DBA. About Doralyn De Dios: Doralyn De Dios is an Assistant District Attorney at the Kings County District Attorney’s Office. She earned her J.D. in 2016 from New York Law School and her Bachelor’s degree from St. John’s University in 2013. She is admitted to the New York State Bar and is the newly sworn-in President of the Dominican Bar Association, as well as a Board Member of the Association of Black Women Attorneys.Doralyn was born in the Bronx and raised both in Jersey City, NJ and in the Dominican Republic. Ms. De Dios enjoys reading books, exercising, traveling and dancing. Support the show (https://linktr.ee/AfroLAWtina)

Why Networking & Bar Associations NEED to be in Your Toolbox: A Conversation with Dominican Bar Association President Doralyn De Dios

We're baaaccckk!! Welcome to Season 3 of AfroLAWtina! In this episode, Angela Manso (Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs at NALEO Educational Fund - Washington, DC) talks about your Constitutional right to take up space and be counted! The 2020 Census is approaching and the response process is much different than it was 10 years ago. The African American and Latino populations are chronically undercounted and it's up to us to get the facts and get engaged! Tune in to hear Angela answer questions about the Census, what they will be asking (there is no citizenship question, period), and resources for those who may have to translate or explain things to family & friends. Also, the Census is hiring! One way to be engaged and counted is to become a 2020 Census taker (Enumerator). The application is quick and easy, hours are flexible, and pay is competitive (usually around $20+/hour). Apply here: https://www.2020census.gov/en/jobs.htmlResources mentioned in the episode (free flyers, fact sheets, answers to questions) - 1) NALEO Census site: https://naleo.org/census/2) National Urban League - Make Black Count!: https://nul.org/basic-page/make-black-count3) Census Bureau: https://www.2020census.gov/4) Census Counts: https://censuscounts.org/----About Angela: Ms. Angela Manso is the Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs at NALEO Educational Fund in Washington, DC. A seasoned advocate with extensive Executive Branch and Capitol Hill experience, Angela serves as the organization's primary representative and chief policy advocate in the nation's capital. In this capacity, she works to pro-actively create and set the direction of critical policy initiatives relating to issues affecting Latino access to the political process. Angela previously served as the Senior Policy Advisor in the Western Hemisphere Affairs Bureau at the U.S. Department of State, and the Chief of the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs at the U.S. Census Bureau. Prior to serving in the Obama Administration, Angela worked for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, American Association of Community Colleges, U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer and former U.S. Rep. Charlie Gonzalez.Support the show

Your Right to Take Up Space: A Conversation with NALEO's Angela Manso on the 2020 Census

Happy New Year and Welcome Back! Can you believe it's Season 3 already?!Tune in to hear a hint about our first guest on the show, plus some expansion and administrative updates. The link to everything mentioned, really anything at all, can be found here: https://linktr.ee/AfroLAWtinaSupport the show

Welcome Back! It's Season 3 of AfroLAWtina!

On this week’s episode of AfroLAWtina, I spoke with Bärí A. Williams - a tech and internet law rockstar. By the way, she’s the attorney that shut down a rapper on Twitter when he tried to mansplain about the Fyre Festival ? Tune in to hear a REAL conversation on tips to negotiate your salary (cut down on that wage gap!), tools like books that address everything “Lean In” DIDN’T, and entering spaces like tech law where Black and Hispanic women are heavily underrepresented. About Bärí: Bärí A. Williams is VP of Legal, Business, and Policy Affairs at All Turtles, a startup advisor in the tech industry, and published author in the New York Times, WIRED, Fortune, and Fast Company. She is the former Head of Business Operations Management for North America at StubHub, where she was responsible for business planning and operations to manage and oversee technical internal and external metrics, product innovation, and partnerships and drive P&L results across the company. Prior to StubHub, Bärí was a senior commercial attorney at Facebook supporting internet.org connectivity efforts, building drones, satellites, and lasers, and supporting the company's supply chain. She also successfully took on the passion project of creating and implementing Facebook’s Supplier Diversity Program, launched in October 2016.  Bärí is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley (BA, Mass Communications), St. Mary’s College of California (MBA), the University of California, Los Angeles (MA, African-American Studies), and the University of California, Hastings College of Law (JD).Support the show

Did You Get the Memo? Bärí A. Williams Gets Real About Diversity in Tech, Tools, and Priorities in Negotiating Salaries

This week, AfroLAWtina spoke with Willmary Escoto, an AfroLAWtina herself! Listen to hear about her decision to study intellectual property law & trade law, what it means to work in regulatory compliance (and how she discovered the option in the first place!), her experience as an AfroLatina in the legal field, and why it’s so important to have representation on all levels of law. ⠀⠀About Willmary: Willmary Escoto is a Junior Regulatory Compliance Consultant for a health, safety, and environmental global consulting firm in the DC area. She was born in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic and grew up in central Florida. She earned her B.A. from Florida International University (FIU) and her J.D. from Howard University School of Law. While in law school, Willmary focused on intellectual property and trade law. She clerked at the U.S. International Trade Commission and is a former Google Public Policy Fellow at Public Knowledge. She also recently started @tucafecitolegal - an Instagram platform that aims to inspire melanin-based future lawyers throughout the law school struggle.Support the show

Options for your JD, from A to Z: Willmary Escoto talks Growing up in Santo Domingo, Career Options for her JD, and Battling Mansplaining

Nobody ever really talks about 2L... until now! Tune in to this episode of AfroLAWtina to hear from Brianna Vaughan, Esq. about her 2L experience, how she prepared for her interviews to become an Assistant District Attorney, and some of the raw moments that made her realize she wanted to work in her own community.Key fact: Prosecutors decide when to bring a case or drop charges. They also decide how and when to bring charges, as well as the level of charges and sentences to pursue. In 2015, there were over 2,400 prosecutors in the United States.79% of them were white males.16% of them were white females.4% of them were black males.1% of them were black females.We need more representation and diversity in prosecutorial roles.About Brianna Vaughan, Esq.: Brianna Vaughan is an Assistant District Attorney in the Nassau County District Attorney's Office. She is a first-generation college and law school graduate, having earned her J.D. from Albany Law School in New York. In law school, she interned at a private civil rights litigation firm and was also a Student Attorney in her school's Family Violence Litigation Clinic. In addition to being an attorney, Brianna is also a Life Coach, helping individuals meet their goals all over New York.Support the show

Why You Never Hear About 2L: Assistant District Attorney Brianna Vaughan Gets Real About the Busiest Law School Year

On this episode of AfroLAWtina, we get to speak to Hermanas in the Law Creator and law clinic Professor Paulina Vera, Esq.! Join us as Paulina talks about what inspired her to become an immigration attorney and advocate, her experiences becoming a law clinic professor, and her openness on the importance of mental health awareness. As always, the conversations are REAL and the advice is legit. Tune in and subscribe anywhere you get podcasts!About Paulina Vera, Esq.: Paulina Vera, Esq. is originally from Tucson, Arizona and is the daughter of immigrants from Peru and England. After spending the summer of 2010 interning for Congressman Raul M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and defending his opposition to Arizona's SB-1070 "show me your papers" law, Paulina decided she wanted to become an immigration attorney. She currently supervises GW Law Immigration Clinic students and provides legal representation to asylum-seekers and respondents facing deportation in Immigration Court. For the 2019-2020 academic year, she is also the Acting Director for the Clinic and will teach Immigration Law I. She previously served as the only Immigration Staff Attorney at the Maryland-based non-profit, CASA. As many of you also know, Paulina is an influencer!! She is the Founder and Creator of Hermanas in the Law - the phenomenal social media platform on Instagram and Facebook that features Latinas in the law and provides advice for those considering law school.Support the show

Professor, Advocate, Hermana: Paulina Vera, Esq. talks Immigration Law, Overcoming Imposter Thoughts, and Mental Health Awareness

Girl, you know you better watch out... ♫ Time to address something you rarely hear about when entering law school: battling negative body image and the hookup culture. Join AfroLAWtina as we have a real conversation with body-positive activist and health educator Felicia Hernandez. We talk about the very real thoughts that may pop up after a few months of sitting and studying without much movement, as well as how to be mindful that a hookup culture may exist at your school and how to be safe about it. Disclaimer: This episode discusses the subject of negative body image and sexual health. This may be triggering to those who have had difficulty with eating disorders. About Felicia Hernandez: Felicia Hernandez is a Health Educator in Chicago, Illinois and works to educate residents on issues like safe sex, HIV, STIs, and Hepatitis C. She also works with Women for PASEO, which empowers and supports women to take charge of their sexual health by providing support with linkage to care services, mental health services, substance abuse counseling, housing, other referral services. Finally, Felicia founded Gordita's Way, which aims to challenge the intersection of Latinx culture, complexities of diet culture, and the fight for body acceptance. As a body-positive activist, Felicia highlights a love for food while tackling issues of body image in today’s society. Support the show

That Thing, That Thing, That Thing - Battling Negative Body Image and Being Mindful of Hookup Culture in Law School with Felicia Hernandez

Join us AfroLAWtina for another amazing episode, this time, featuring Neena Speer, Esq. Tune in to hear a real conversation about what it's like to attend an HBCU versus a PWI (and what those terms mean), the lessons learned in having to re-take the bar exam (not just the ones in the test booklets), the journey of starting your own law firm, and living a faith-centered life & legal career. About Neena Speer: As a purpose-driven, inspiring, and dedicated professional, Neena Speer is a solo practitioner, published writer, and inspirational speaker. In her published book, 'Dear Future Lawyer,' Neena recorded her raw, authentic experiences as a minority law student and also provides readers with tools to apply to the law school journey. She is also the Founder and Executive Director of the Step 1-2-3 Mentor for Life Initiative, a non-profit organization geared towards developing lifelong mentors for students in grades K-12 and college. Ms. Speer has already written three published articles and been asked to speak on various topics ranging from diversity and leadership to the importance of integrity. She earned her B.A. in French and B.S. in Psychology, from Howard University. She earned her J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law. Support the show

Real Talk with a Solo Practitioner: Neena Speer, Esq. Talks HBCUs, Solo Atty Life, and Grace

Join us on AfroLAWtina as we kick off Season 2 with a phenomenal episode with WMU Cooley Law Professor Joseline Hardrick. Tune in as we discuss things Black and Hispanic women should take into consideration when deciding where to go for law school, a fantastic breakdown of what a judicial clerkship is and why you should do one, and tips on how to navigate the On-Campus Interview (OCI) process successfully. Listen and subscribe to episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and anywhere you get your podcasts!Support the show

Getting the Job and Staying True to Yourself: Navigating Law School, OCI, and Clerkships with Professor Joseline Hardrick

Welcome back to AfroLAWtina! To celebrate the start of law school and the upcoming Season 2 launch, we did a bonus episode! Tune in to hear incoming 1L Natasha Alvarado interview me about law review (what's that?!), things you should do early in the semester to prepare, and the key to success in law school: hustle. Make sure to like and subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and anywhere you get your podcasts!Support the show

Bonus Episode - Incoming 1L Natasha Alvarado Interviews Gidget Benitez - AfroLAWtina

It's episode 9 and we are closing out season 1 with Karima Mariama-Arthur, Founder of WordSmithRapport. As Founder and Chief Executive Officer of WordSmithRapport™, Karima brings more than two decades of comprehensive, blue chip experience in law, business, and academia to the field of human capital asset growth and professional development. Join us for a real conversation on living authentically as a lawyer and woman of color, from beating the expectations of others who want you to fail to a mindset shift on the "natural hair in professional spaces" debate. Support the show

Ep. 9 - Living Your Authentic Self as a Lawyer and WOC with Karima Mariama-Arthur

College and law school are expensive! Meet Yaritza Gonzalez, College Money Chica, who used scholarships to pay for her entire college and master's degrees! Tune in to hear about scholarship application strategies, tuition reimbursement programs (where your employer pays for your degree!), and how to find scholarships for undocumented students! Support the show

Ep. 8 - Secure the Bag, Secure the Degree! Scholarships with Yaritza Gonzalez

Created by D.C. “Lawtina” Gidget Benitez, the AfroLawtina podcast was created to address several topics that Black and Latina law students face including: strategies to succeed in law school; how to "adult" throughout the process; knowledge you don't always hear about (like the fact that you can get a law firm to pay for your bar exam preparation or that you can work for a judge); time management and organization tools; multiple career paths, and more. "AfroLAWtina" is specifically geared towards Black and Latina students thinking about law school, currently in law school, and recently graduated from law school. The goal? To answer all of the questions that make you say, “Why didn’t anyone tell me that?” Let's do this.Plus, check out the AfroLAWtina website for scholarships, internship listings, and other stuff you need to know.

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