Power the Pipeline Conference

Third Annual Power the Pipeline Conference

Monday, October 27, 2025 | 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
 
The Office for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (ODEIB) invites attorneys, managing partners, DEI professionals, educators, students, corporations, bar associations, and all champions of equity to our Third Annual Power the Pipeline Conference and D&I Champion Awards. Join us for a full day of events! Registration begins at 9:00 a.m., with welcome remarks at 9:30 a.m.
 
We’re bringing stakeholders back to the City Bar to continue strengthening the pipeline into the legal profession. Pipeline programs create meaningful opportunities for students and professionals who do not have equitable access to the profession, helping them gain experience, build skills, and chart a path to a successful legal career. 
 
This full-day, in-person convening is your opportunity to: 
 
  • Connect with leaders, innovators, and changemakers from across the legal and DEI ecosystems
  • Gain insight into the state of the law and DEI programming in a shifting legal and political landscape
  • Learn about and engage with the up-and-coming National Association of Pipeline Organizations (NAPO) 
  • Celebrate legacy, vision, and progress through our D&I Champion Award 
  • Earn CLE credit during featured sessions 
 
This is more than a conference—it’s a movement to power the future of legal equity. Whether you’re new to pipeline work or a long-time advocate, this is your moment to take action, forge connections, and help shape a profession—and society—that reflects the values of justice, access, and belonging.

Past Diversity & Inclusion Champion Award Winners

Past Fire Starter Award Winners

2024 Diversity & Inclusion Champion Awardee & Fire Starter Awardee

ODEIB Champion 

David Levine 

Bloomberg  

Fire Starter 

Legal Innovators 

Accepted by Bryan Parker, Co-founder & CEO 

 

2023 Diversity & Inclusion Champion Awardee & Fire Starter Awardee

ODEIB Champion

Cleary Gottlieb

Washington Irving Campus Program

Fire Starter

Aliza Shatzman

2022 Diversity & Inclusion Champion Awardee & Fire Starter Awardee

ODEIB Champion

Michelle Phillips

Principal, Jackson Lewis

Fire Starter

Leah Goodridge

NYC Department of City Planning

 

2021 Diversity & Inclusion Champion Award Winners

Sapna W. Palla
Partner, Allen & Overy LLP

2020 Diversity & Inclusion Champion Award Winners

Mylan L. Denerstein
Partner, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Sandra Leung
Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Bristol Meyers Squibb
Cecilia B. Loving
Deputy Commissioner and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer,
Fire Department of New York City

2019 Diversity & Inclusion Champion Award Winners

Juan Arteaga
Partner, Crowell & Moring LLP
Lisa Linksy
Partner, McDermott Will & Emery LLP

2018 Diversity & Inclusion Champion Award Winners

Sheila Kearney Davidson
Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and General Counsel, New York Life Insurance Company
John Mbiti
Director & Counsel, Credit Suisse Asset Management LLC
Susan L. Shin
Partner, Arnold & Porter

2017 Diversity & Inclusion Champion Award Winners

Ricardo A. Anzaldua
Executive Vice President & General Counsel, MetLife, Inc.
Zachary W. Carter
Corporation Counsel, New York City Law Department
Carmelyn P. Malalis
Chair & Commissioner, New York City Commission on Human Rights
Richard E. Meade
VP, Chief Legal Officer – International, Prudential

2016 Diversity & Inclusion Champion Award Winners

Dennis C. Hopkins
Partner, Perkins Coie LLP
Hon. Rosalyn Richter
Associate Justice, New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department
Conway S. Ekpo & Joseph A. Tillman
Founding members of 1844

2015 Diversity & Inclusion Champion Award Winners

Kathy Hirata Chin
Partner, Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft LLP
Hon. Fern Fisher
Deputy Chief Administrative Judge, New York City Courts and Director, New York State Courts Access to Justice Program
Darryl Gibbs
Lead Director and Associate General Counsel, AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company
Taa Grays
Assistant General Counsel and Chief of Staff to the General Counsel, MetLife

2014 Diversity & Inclusion Champion Award Winners

Michelle J. Anderson
Dean, CUNY School of Law
Joseph M. Drayton
Partner, Cooley LLP
Natalia Martín & Karla G. Sanchez
Co-founders, “Cafecitos Network”

2013 Diversity & Inclusion Champion Award Winners

Larry Chanen 
Senior Vice President and Associate General Counsel, JPMorgan Chase
Asim Rehman 
President, Muslim Bar Association of New York & Corporate Counsel, MetLife, Inc.
Alita T. Wingfield
Executive Director, Morgan Stanley

2012 Diversity & Inclusion Champion Award Winners

Steven Banks 
Attorney-in-Chief, The Legal Aid Society
Eric J. Friedman 
Executive Partner, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
Don H. Liu Lorraine S. McGowen
Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary, Xerox Corporation
Lorraine S. McGowen
Partner, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP

2011 Diversity & Inclusion Champion Award Winners

Sheila S. Boston
Partner, Kaye Scholer LLP
Vincent T. Chang
Partner, Wollmuth Maher & Deutsch LLP
S. Jeanine Conley
Partner, Baker & Hostetler LLP
Andrew T. Hahn, Sr.
Partner, Duane Morris LLP

2010 Diversity & Inclusion Champion Award Winners

George Cheeks & Andra Shapiro
Executive Vice-Presidents, Co-General Counsels, MTV Networks
Duane L. Hughes
Executive Director, Morgan Stanley
Marissa C. Wesely
Partner, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

2009 Diversity & Inclusion Champion Award Winners

LaShann DeArcy
Associate, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Hon. Charles J. Hynes
Kings County District Attorney
James R. Silkenat
Partner, Arent Fox LLP

2008 Diversity & Inclusion Champion Award Winners

Michael A. Cardozo
Corporation Counsel, New York City Law Department
Hon. Juanita Bing Newton
Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for Justice Initiatives; Administrative Judge, Criminal Court of the City of New York
James B. O’Neal
Co-Founder & Executive Director, Legal Outreach, Inc.

2007 Diversity & Inclusion Champion Award Winners

Sharon Y. Bowen
Partner, Latham & Watkins LLP
Laurie N. Robinson
Assistant General Counsel, CBS Broadcasting Inc.
Zakiyyah T. Salim
Associate, Heller Ehrman LLP
Hon. John E.H. Stackhouse
Judge, New York Supreme Court

2006 Diversity & Inclusion Champion Award Winners

Hon. Daniel M. Donovan, Jr
District Attorney, Richmond County
William Malpica
Associate, Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw LLP
Elizabeth D. Moore
Partner, Nixon Peabody LLP