Feb. 13, 2008 – The Corporate & Securities Law Association and the Brooklyn Law School Career Center on Jan. 31 organized a panel discussion at which practitioners from various fields advised students on how to break into legal and non-legal professions on Wall Street. The overall theme of the discussion was the myriad of professional opportunities open to law school graduates and the various paths that can lead to successful careers.

Kenneth Epstein ’00, an associate director in structured finance ratings at Standard & Poor’s, began the discussion with an overview of his background, and then discussed his transition from law firm life at Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft to his current position at S&P. Epstein emphasized the benefits that come from building a strong network early in one’s career. He noted how his own networking had played a large part in helping him to discover his next career move after spending a number of years practicing law.

Darren Esser ’94 currently serves as the vice president for commercial real estate CDOs for Wachovia Securities. Esser said his BLS law degree was instrumental in taking advantage of a variety of career opportunities and explained how the same basic principles that make a good lawyer can also help one become successful in the business world.

Joycelyn McGeachy Kuls, director of and senior counsel in Merrill Lynch’s Employment Law Department, was the final speaker on the panel. As a practicing attorney, Kuls brought balance to the panel, explaining that she decided to study law because it offered a variety of professional opportunities. She said the skills that she developed and utilized as an assistant district attorney in the Bronx were instrumental in forming her career at Merrill Lynch, where she specializes in employment law and securities litigation.

In addition to talking about their own experiences, the panelists also advised students on which securities and finance courses to take during law school to help prepare for a career in business, as well as how to best make the transition from a career in law to a career in business. The current state of the financial markets was also discussed, and the panelists told the students they should remain optimistic about future job prospects in the industry, as the markets are cyclical in nature.

By Brandon Fleischman ’09