Webinar: Career Paths for LGBTQ+ Law Students and Young Attorneys

This webinar will feature a diverse group of legal practitioners, including members of the Board of the LGBTQ+ Law Section, who will discuss their backgrounds, career paths, and their current roles. The panel will provide perspectives on what it means to be a LGBTQ+ legal practitioner and will also discuss their involvement with and in the LGBTQ+ community.

Presented by the LGBTQ+ Law Section

Registration is Closed

Panelists

Kaliko Fernandes

Kalikoʻonālani Fernandes is a Deputy Solicitor General for the State of Hawaiʻi. Her practice is focused on constitutional law and appellate litigation in state and federal courts. Prior to joining the Hawaiʻi Attorney General’s office, Kaliko was in private practice, and served as a law clerk to the Honorable Richard R. Clifton of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the Honorable Susan Oki Mollway of the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaiʻi. Kaliko was named one of the Best LGBTQ+ Lawyers Under 40 by the LGBT Bar in 2021, and serves on various Hawaiʻi State Bar Association and Federal Bar Association boards and committees.

Melissa Gohlke

Melissa is an Associate with Cooley LLP. She has extensive experience representing corporations, financial institutions and service providers, investment funds, and individuals in responding to regulatory enquiries and investigating self-identified issues.  She has represented clients before a variety of domestic and international authorities, including the U.S. DOJ, SEC, FINRA, CFTC, and the UK SFO and FCA.  She also provides crisis management advice to companies and individuals faced with complex legal and reputational issues.

Prior to joining Cooley, Melissa was an associate in Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton’s DC and London offices. She was also seconded to HSBC Holdings plc in London in 2017, where she worked in the Litigation and Regulatory Investigations team of HSBC Group Legal. Melissa earned her JD from Georgetown University Law Center and graduated from Texas Christian University magna cum laude. She is a member of the Women’s White Collar Defense Association, the Hispanic National Bar Association, the National LGBT Bar Association, and the Hispanic National Bar Association of DC.

Jacob Puhl

Jacob is a Manager of Tax Policy at Meta, formerly Facebook. He leads Tax Policy for the Middle East, Africa, and the US States. Based in Washington, DC, he serves as a liaison between policymakers, business lines, and tax functions to remove friction and anticipate challenges. His portfolio spans the globe, with a focus on promoting workable and consistent tax policy.

Before Meta, Jacob was a Manager at Deloitte’s Washington National Tax practice focusing primarily on US Federal tax policy. He contributed to legislative updates for clients as well as advised foreign entities and embassies on US policy matters. Prior to Deloitte, Jacob served as a legal intern at the US Treasury Department, in the Office of the International Tax Counsel. Jacob also served as a law clerk with the tax team for the Senate Finance Committee.

Jacob received his LL.M. in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center, his J.D. from Ohio State University, and his B.A. in Economics from University of Maryland – Baltimore County.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I access the virtual webinar?
A: Each webinar will have a unique link to watch the live broadcast. Registered attendees will receive login instructions via a calendar invitations 24 hours prior to the webinar.

Q: Will recordings of the sessions be available after the event?
A: Approved sessions will be available for registrants to view live and on-demand following the webinar.

Q: Who do I contact for more information?
A: Please contact sections@fedbar.org for any other questions.

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If you have any questions regarding this program, please contact Daniel Hamilton, Program Coordinator, at dhamilton@fedbar.org