On Monday, October 22, AABANY in collaboration with the Disney Lawyers of Color presented a career information session on what working for the Walt Disney Company and its various subsidiaries and affiliates, such as Disney Theatrical Group, Marvel Entertainment, and ESPN, is like. The event took place at the New Amsterdam Room in the New Amsterdam Theater on 42nd Street and Broadway (where “Aladdin” is currently playing) and featured the following panelists:

• Naila McKenzie, Disney Theatrical Group
• Seth Stuhl, Disney Theatrical Group
• Michael Wong, ESPN
• Greg Pan, Marvel Entertainment
• Di Li, Marvel Entertainment
• Sara Goldschmidt, Marvel Entertainment

The speakers shared with the audience how each of them got to where they are today and how much they enjoy the work and the colleagues they have at their respective Disney companies. The main takeaways: It is possible to go straight to an in-house counsel position from law school. It takes persistence and a strong desire to work at the company you wish to join, in addition to showing that you can be a valuable member of the team. Also, in transitioning from a law firm setting to an in-house position, networking is important in connecting to in-house opportunities and learning more about them, from an insider’s perspective, by talking to people who are already working at the company you want to join or who may know people there.

After the panel discussion, audience members got to ask their own questions. Following the q&a, many of the attendees stayed behind for the networking session, going beyond the allotted two hours set aside for the program.

We thank all the speakers from Disney Lawyers of Color who took time out of their busy schedules to meet with AABANY members and friends in attendance. We hope that attendees received useful information and insights and that many helpful connections were made.

Thanks to AABANY’s Intellectual Property Committee and Student Outreach Committee for leading the organization of this event.