(From L to R) Will Troost '10, Jack Delaney '09, Kathy England '81, David Lipton, Michael McDonald '16, and Katy C. Gordon '01

Five alumni of Catholic University's Securities Law Program returned on March 21 to participate in a career discussion panel for current students at the Columbus School of Law. The panelists included Jack Delaney '09, The Rock Creek Group, Kathy England '81, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Katy C. Gordon '01, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, Michael McDonald '16, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP, and Will Troost '10, Bloomberg.

The alumni on the panel had a strikingly impressive array of talents and past and present positions. One panelist was a senior counsel in the Chief Counsel's Office and the Disclosure Review and Accounting Office of the Division of Investment Management of the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Another panelist was an Assistant Director of the Office of Market Supervision, Division of Trading & Market Supervision, Division of Trading & Markets and responsible for oversight of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). A third panelist was a Partner in a Criminal Defense & Internal Investigations practice. Those credentials just touch on the highlights of some of the backgrounds of those speaking at the forum. All of these speakers took many of the securities courses offered by the Securities Law Program while at the Law School.

The program was sponsored by the Securities Law Program and the Office of Career and Professional Development and drew a crowd of current and prospective securities program students. The panel was arranged and moderated by CUA Law Professor and director of the Securities Law Program, David Lipton.

The panelists discussed how to prepare for an interview, how to obtain an internship or summer associate position, which classes to take while in school, and offered advice on life after graduation. "A lot of law schools do not offer the specific courses that CUA Law does," Delaney said. "My current boss was interested in the fact that I had a background not just in general regulation, but I had taken specific course work related to what she wanted me to do."

The importance of connections was strongly emphasized. "It is very important to connect with higher up attorneys as an intern and as a new attorney," Gordon said. "Those contacts will help you throughout your career." Job seekers were advised to try to identify CUA Law alumni at any firm or organization at which they are applying and to make direct appeals to those individuals.

Following the panel, students were invited to a reception with alumni in the Keelty Atrium for a chance to network and engage in conversations.