From L to R: Patrick Burke, Elise Dolan, Bill Edwards, Matthew Majkut, Matthew Marchiori, and Kelsey Vincent
Six Catholic Law alumni returned to campus on February 19th at 5 pm to discuss “Career Opportunities in Compliance and Investigations in the Corporate and Non-profit Worlds.” The event was co-sponsored by the Compliance, Investigations and Corporate Responsibility Program (CICR), the Securities Law Program (SLP), and the Office of Career Placement and Development (OCPD). John Polanin, Associate Director of CICR, opened the program by welcoming speakers and guests and introducing student co-moderators CICR certificate candidate Adam Wambold (3L) and SLP certificate candidate Robert Hill (3L). Assistant Dean Julie Dietrich, Director of OCPD, also extended a welcome.
After the introductions, Adam Wambold explained the program's format and introduced the panelists: Patrick Burke ’18, Office of the General Counsel, Archdiocese of Washington; Elise Dolan ’02, Counsel, Investment Management, Davis Polk & Wardell LLP; Bill Edwards ’07, Assistant General Counsel, Cybersecurity, Legal Ethics & Compliance, Constellation Energy Corporation; Matthew Majkut, Senior Privacy & AI Compliance Specialist, Amazon Worldwide Operations; Matthew Marchiori ’21, Associate, Hogan Lovells, Investigations, White Collar and Fraud Group; and Kelsey Vincent ’20, Associate, Barnes & Thornburgh LLP, Healthcare, Government Investigations and Claims.
Robert Hill began the discussion by asking panelists to share how they built their careers. The conversation covered the wide range of opportunities in compliance and investigations, including emerging risks such as growth in False Claims Act cases, AI compliance, changes in the legal landscape under a new presidential administration, healthcare compliance, and data privacy. Panelists highlighted the dynamic nature of their work and the chance to tackle new challenges almost daily.
In the final segment, Adam Wambold asked for advice for law students entering legal careers during a time of federal government change. Panelists recommended exploring opportunities in state and local governments, as well as in for-profit and non-profit organizations in industries like finance and healthcare. They emphasized that many roles involving legal expertise don’t have “lawyer” in the title. Panelists also stressed the importance of developing “soft skills,” such as leadership and client engagement, and showcasing accomplishments beyond law school to stand out in interviews. They highlighted networking as more than exchanging business cards or LinkedIn connections—it’s about showing genuine interest in others and their work.
Professor Sarah Duggin, CICR Director, concluded the program just before 6 pm. The audience gave the panelists enthusiastic applause before joining them for a networking reception in the atrium. A recording of the program will be available soon on the CICR website.
