In-person Pass

Michael E. Kenneally is co-leader of the firm’s appellate litigation practice. He helps clients tackle complex legal issues on appeal and throughout all stages of a case, drawing on deep experience across many federal and state courts. Clients often turn to Michael when they face high-stakes litigation or novel questions of constitutional, statutory, and administrative law. Before joining Morgan Lewis, Michael clerked for Justice Antonin Scalia and Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr. at the Supreme Court of the United States and for then-Judge Neil M. Gorsuch at the US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.

Michael regularly defends clients in class action litigation, especially in employment and securities disputes. He has particular experience with lawsuits under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), frequently giving presentations on the US Supreme Court’s ERISA docket, and with litigation over the enforceability of arbitration agreements and arbitration awards under the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA). Michael also represents companies in litigation connected to administrative agency proceedings, including appeals from rulings by such agencies as the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the US Department of Labor (DOL), and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). And he helps businesses develop creative strategies to challenge unlawful agency regulations and administrative procedures. A seasoned oral advocate, Michael is trusted by Fortune 500 companies, trade associations, and others to argue critical motions and appeals. Michael is equally dedicated to the craft of legal writing and regularly authors amicus curiae briefs on issues of concern to the business community as well as pro bono clients. Beyond his legal practice, Michael co-teaches a course on statutory interpretation at the Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law and has published articles on topics in copyright law. Intellectual property issues have been a fixture of Michael’s academic writing, including in his Ph.D. dissertation at Harvard University.

As co-chair of the Appeals and Issues Team, Jonathan helps clients design winning legal strategies in appeals and high-stakes litigation. Jonathan has argued nine cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and filed more than 150 briefs at the merits and certiorari stages before the Court. He has handled appeals and dispositive motions in other federal courts and state courts across the country. He has significant experience nationally in assisting clients in formulating appellate strategy, both in pending appeals and at the trial court level before judgment. And he has challenged and defended federal agency actions at every level of the federal judiciary.

Before joining McGuireWoods, Jonathan served in the Office of the Solicitor General in the U.S. Department of Justice. As an Assistant to the Solicitor General, Jonathan represented the federal government before the Supreme Court and helped oversee the government’s appellate litigation in lower courts throughout the country. He briefed and argued cases involving patent and copyright law, constitutional law, administrative law, ERISA, international arbitration, securities regulation, and other areas of federal law.

Jonathan graduated first in his class from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and has served as a lecturer at the school. After graduation, Jonathan served as a law clerk to John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice of the United States, and to Judge A. Raymond Randolph of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. He also previously served as a Bristow Fellow in the Office of the Solicitor General. He holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from North Carolina State University.

Jocelyn Samuels is Vice Chair of the Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), appointed by President Biden in 2021 and confirmed for a second term ending in 2026. Prior to joining the Commission, she served as the Executive Director of the Williams Institute, the leading research center on sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy. During the Obama administration, she served as the Director of the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and as the Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Justice where she supervised enforcement of civil rights laws through litigation, rulemaking, policy development, and public education across a range of civil rights issues and was an architect of numerous government policies applying federal law to remedy discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. She previously served as a Vice President of the National Women’s Law Center, Labor Counsel to Senator Edward M. Kennedy, and a senior attorney at the EEOC in the Office of Legal Counsel. She received a J.D. from Columbia Law School and a B.A. from Middlebury College.

As the CEO and Founder of D. Howze Solutions, LLC, a D&I consultancy, Delphia drives innovative strategies to cultivate inclusive workplaces. Mrs. Howze currently serves as Chief Inclusion Officer for a large-scale national organization, spearheading initiatives to promote diversity and foster belonging. With over two decades of distinguished leadership, Delphia possesses extensive expertise in optimizing human capital and D&I frameworks across diverse sectors including retail, banking, energy, logistics, government, and higher education. Her visionary outlook and dynamic leadership continue to shape inclusive environments that empower individuals and propel organizational success.  She has recently emerged as a new author with her new book, "Including You! Leading Inclusion From Where You Are."

Hon. Toby Moffett is a Partner at Mercury based in Washington, DC, joining the firm with an extensive career in government service as well as the private sector, including six years as the leading Democratic government affairs professional at the global law firm Mayer Brown, as well as serving as Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Environment, Energy and Natural Resources and as the top government affairs executive at The Monsanto Company.

Kara Richardson Whitely is the CEO of The Gorgeous Agency, as well as a plus-size adventurer and advisor. Her book, Gorge: My Journey Up Kilimanjaro at 300 Pounds, is being made into a movie produced by and starring ‘This Is Us’ actress, Chrissy Metz.

Kara has partnered with brands such as Peloton, Jolt Film, L.L. Bean, Keen and Discover Puerto Rico to showcase diversity and inclusion, and build positive brand sentiment in the plus-sized community. Her mission to encourage people of all sizes and abilities to get active outside made her a great fit for Come Alive Outside’s Board of Directors, and she has inspired teams and individuals to overcome obstacles and bet on their own success at companies such as J.M. Smucker, Pfizer, Google and Uber. Here is a link recapping her Body Appreciation Panel with Peloton. 

She has also been featured in countless media outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, Good Morning America, The Today Show, She Explores, and more. 

Before entering into leadership coaching, Daniel Olexa was a highly successful sales rep who understood that sales success, like business success, is based on collaborative communication and building relationships grounded in trust.

As a Master Certified Coach (MCC), LPI Trained Coach, and Certified DiSC Practitioner, his expertise in transforming leadership is centered on improving communication through building awareness, authenticity, and collaboration. 

Daniel has trained over 3,500 individuals around the world to embrace a coaching-approach to their conversations and relationships.

Daniel was featured in the 2018 bestseller Stop Selling and Start Leading by James Kouzes, Barry Posner, and Deb Calvert, and has co-authored three Amazon #1 Bestsellers, including My Two Minute Journal.

Christopher “CJ” Gross is the author of the best-selling book What's Your Zip Code Story? Understanding and Overcoming Class Bias in the Workplace and the highly acclaimed Harvard Business Review article, A Better Approach to Mentorship. He is a TEDx Speaker and founder of Ascension Worldwide, a firm dedicated to DEI and cultural transformation consulting based in the Washington, D.C. area. CJ has 20-years of experience as an international organizational development consultant specializing in leadership development, and DEI transformation. CJ is a certified Social + Emotional Intelligence coach, trainer, Keirsey Temperament professional, and Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) Administrator.

Jessica (she/her) is the Director of Educational Equity at the Center for Equity and Inclusion in Portland, Oregon. She's been an educator, facilitator and creative leader for more than a decade. Jessica's expertise lies at the intersection of strategic leadership, curriculum design, engaging facilitation, and developing organizational culture. With a track record in facilitating equity-focused training and guiding organizations through transformational journeys, she brings a strategic lens as well as a holistic approach to development and learning. Her dynamic leadership and service in school districts and consulting firms underscore her ability to drive impactful change in diverse settings.

Shan Foster is the Co-Founder and CEO of Fostering Healthy Solutions, LLC, focusing on diversity solutions through education and execution. With experience spanning various sectors, he's regarded as a visionary leader in the fields of entertainment, finance, technology, media, environment, and law enforcement. A passionate advocate for diversity, Foster has made significant contributions to news, corporate EDI efforts, higher education, and non-profit organizations. He authored "What Hurt Didn't Hinder," an inspiring story of perseverance and embracing diversity. As Executive Director of AMEND Together, he leads a nationally recognized program engaging men and boys to end violence against women. Foster's leadership expanded AMEND Together to multiple states. A charismatic speaker and facilitator, he explores the intersections of race, gender, and identity, addressing audiences from corporations to sports programs. Foster's basketball achievements at Vanderbilt University include numerous awards and induction into halls of fame. He actively serves on various boards and has received accolades for his influential work.

Chris Diaz is a dedicated professional who began his academic journey by obtaining a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Texas State University. Recognizing the importance of data-driven decision-making, he obtained his MS in Business Analytics from TAMU-Commerce, acquiring the skills to leverage data for strategic HR planning. Driven by a passion for continuous improvement, Chris earned the Project Management Professional (PMP) and the Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) certifications. He has also recently completed the MSHRM program with TAMU-College Station. This pursuit of knowledge demonstrates his commitment to staying at the forefront of HR best practices.