Professional Development Conference

Penn State Dickinson Law will hold its third annual Professional Development Conference on Saturday, September 14. This event will bring together students and practitioners to engage in networking opportunities and panel sessions on a variety of career-related topics that help to bridge the gap between law student and legal professional. One common misconception is that people either have what it takes to be a lawyer, or they do not. That is not true! Legal ability and professionalism can be learned and strengthened like any other skill. Ability and intelligence can be developed by collaborating with experienced practitioners, sharing successful strategies, and receiving feedback. This forum will provide an opportunity for students to experience a professional conference designed to provide essential skills needed to thrive in the Practice Greatness mindset.

Event Programming Schedules

1L STUDENTS TRACK

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2024
7:45 to 8:30 a.m. South Street Entrance, Lewis Katz Hall	Registration
8:00 to 9:25 a.m. Ridge Commons, Lewis Katz Hall	Breakfast Topic Tables (Swag bag drawing at 8:50 a.m. and 9:10 a.m.)
9:30 to 9:55 a.m. Apfelbaum Family Courtroom and Auditorium	Welcome by Laura H. Williams, Associate Dean for Administration Introduction of Keynote Speaker Michael Bramnick ’90, General Counsel of NRG Energy (retired) and Penn State Dickinson Law Leadership Council Advisory Board Member Keynote Address Catherine Christian ’88, Partner, Liston & Abramson, and MSNBC and NBC legal commentator
10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Note specific section locations	Section 101 — Room 114, Lewis Katz Hall Mastering Your Job Search, Interviewing and Thriving as a 1L Summer Intern Section 102 — Room 116, Lewis Katz Hall Crafting Your Professional Identity: Articulating Values, Profiling Experience, and Building Your Brand
11:00 to 11:30 a.m.	Coffee Break
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Note specific section locations	Section 101 — Room 116, Lewis Katz Hall Crafting Your Professional Identity: Articulating Values, Profiling Experience, and Building Your Brand Section 102 — Room 114, Lewis Katz Hall Mastering Your Job Search, Interviewing and Thriving as a 1L Summer Intern
12:30 to 2:00 p.m. South Street Faculty/Staff Parking Lot	Lunch for Alumni, Student, and Friends of Dickinson Law

2L/3L STUDENTS TRACK

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2024
7:45 to 8:30 a.m. South Street Entrance, Lewis Katz Hall	Registration
8:00 to 9:25 a.m. Ridge Commons, Lewis Katz Hall	Breakfast Topic Tables (Swag bag drawing at 8:50 a.m. and 9:10 a.m.)
9:30 to 9:55 a.m. Apfelbaum Family Courtroom and Auditorium	Welcome by Laura H. Williams, Associate Dean for Administration Introduction of Keynote Speaker Michael Bramnick ’90, General Counsel of NRG Energy (retired) and Penn State Dickinson Law Leadership Council Advisory Board Member Keynote Address Catherine Christian ’88, Partner, Liston & Abramson, and MSNBC and NBC legal commentator
10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Room 112, Lewis Katz Hall	Optimizing Legal Networking: Effective Strategies and Common Pitfalls to Avoid
11:00 to 11:30 a.m.	Coffee Break
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Room 112, Lewis Katz Hall	Building Legal Influence: Mastering Professional Communication and Personal Branding for Law Students
12:30 to 2:00 p.m. South Street Faculty/Staff Parking Lot	Lunch (Alumni, Student, and Friends of Dickinson Law)

LLM/SDJ/EXCHANGE STUDENTS TRACK

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2024
7:45 to 8:30 a.m. South Street Entrance, Lewis Katz Hall	Registration
8:00 to 9:25 a.m. Ridge Commons, Lewis Katz Hall	Breakfast Topic Tables (Swag bag drawing at 8:50 a.m. and 9:10 a.m.)
9:30 to 9:55 a.m.	Welcome by Laura H. Williams, Associate Dean for Administration Introduction of Keynote Speaker Michael Bramnick ’90, General Counsel of NRG Energy (retired) and Penn State Dickinson Law Leadership Council Advisory Board Member Keynote Address Catherine Christian ’88, Partner, Liston & Abramson, and MSNBC and NBC legal commentator
10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Room 120, Lewis Katz Hall	Toni Jäger Fine Career Seminar, Part 1
11:00 to 11:30 a.m.	Coffee Break
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Room 120, Lewis Katz Hall	Toni Jäger Fine Career Seminar, Part 2
12:30 to 2:00 p.m. South Street Faculty/Staff Parking Lot	Lunch (Alumni, Student, and Friends of Dickinson Law)

ALUMNI CLE TRACK

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2024
7:45 to 8:30 a.m. South Street Entrance, Lewis Katz Hall	Registration
8:00 to 9:25 a.m. Ridge Commons, Lewis Katz Hall	Breakfast Topic Tables (Swag bag drawing at 8:50 a.m. and 9:10 a.m.)
9:30 to 9:55 a.m. Apfelbaum Family Courtroom and Auditorium	Welcome by Laura H. Williams, Associate Dean for Administration Introduction of Keynote Speaker Michael Bramnick ’90, General Counsel of NRG Energy (retired) and Penn State Dickinson Law Leadership Council Advisory Board Member Keynote Address Catherine Christian ’88, Partner, Liston & Abramson, and MSNBC and NBC legal commentator
10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Apfelbaum Family Courtroom and Auditorium	CLE Program 1 — Election Law Update Presented by Professor Stan Brand and Catherine Christian ’88
11:00 to 11:30 a.m.	Coffee Break
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Apfelbaum Family Courtroom and Auditorium, Lewis Katz Hall	CLE Program 2 — The Ethical Use of AI for Practicing Lawyers Presented by Dr. Andrea M. Matwyshyn
12:30 to 2:00 p.m. South Street Faculty/Staff Parking Lot	Lunch (Alumni, Student, and Friends of Dickinson Law)