Brooklyn Law School Takes Center Stage at the NYC Bar “Using Your JD on Wall Street” Program 

05/11/2022
On March 3, 55 law school students and practicing attorneys attended the New York City Bar Association’s second “Using Your JD on Wall Street” webinar, exploring a wide range of topics for those wishing to explore or transition to a career at an investment bank, a hedge fund, or other Wall Street employer. Brooklyn Law School’s Michael Tenenhaus, Associate Director of Career & Professional Development, and Victoria Gokhman, Senior Professional Development Manager, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, moderated a panel of Wall Street professionals. They included Miguel Abugattas, Executive Director, Power & Renewables Investment Banking, J.P. Morgan, and three Brooklyn Law alums, Husain Bazzi ’20, Associate, Consumer Wealth Management, Goldman Sachs; Marija Dabovic ’15, Vice President, Legal & Compliance Division, Morgan Stanley; and Diana LaMorie ’10, Vice President, Legal & Regulatory, Two Sigma. The program was sponsored by the NYC Bar Career Advancement and Management Committee and co-sponsored by its Law Students Perspectives Committee.

Panelists offered insights on their own career paths and how their law degrees and legal training are utilized in their current position, in areas ranging from wealth management to investment banking to regulatory and compliance. They also provided guidance on the importance of staying current on financial industry news and the language of business, taking advantage of internships to expand a network, and how a law degree and experience (whether that be working for a government regulatory agency, as a corporate attorney, or as a litigator), can be leveraged to enter a Wall Street career. Examined were the skills and qualities that employers in the sector are looking for now, and cutting-edge opportunities, such as crypto and fintech, for the next generation of attorneys. “Law school gives you the training in analytical skills,” said LaMorie, who stressed the importance of that ability on Wall Street. All the panelists emphasized that a first job is simply the beginning, creating a base of knowledge for the varied career road ahead.

“The program was very informative for both law students and graduates,” said Tenenhaus. “The featured Brooklyn Law School alumni are a true testament to the caliber of attorneys BLS produces, working at leading investment banks and hedge funds. On a personal note, it was extremely gratifying for me to see Husain Bazzi paying it forward on the panel, as he was a member of my first class of 1L advisees in 2017. Diana LaMorie and Marija Dabovic are leaders in the financial services industry and consistently such good friends to the Career Development Center and the school at large.”