Faculty
MEET OUR FACULTY
Dr. Sharon Meit Abrahams
President
Legal Talent Advisors
Plantation, Florida
Sharon is a legal talent development expert with 30 years of experience helping lawyers and law firms improve their productivity and profitability. She is a frequent author and has written three ABA-published books and penned over 120 articles related to professional and business development in the legal profession. In addition, she has conducted over 300 seminars on a wide variety of topics for the ABA, ALA, NALP, Harvard, Yale, Cornell, Northwestern, University of Virginia, University of Chicago, and Duke Law Schools, as well as other prestigious institutions. She has also served as chair to the Professional Development Committee of the Law Practice Division of the ABA.
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Merrick J. Benn, Esq.
Vice Chair, Executive Committee
Womble Bond Dickinson
Baltimore, Maryland
Merrick is vice chair of Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP and leads the firm’s capital markets practice group. Equipment finance companies and banks rely on Merrick to provide real-world solutions to everyday business challenges, balancing risk management with helping companies grow. He received his law degree from Pennsylvania State University. WBD has more than 1000 lawyers at 30 office locations.
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Joshua R. Driskell, Esq.
Managing Partner
Lagerlof LLP
Pasadena, California
As Managing Partner, Josh brings his background representing businesses and individuals and a keen attention to detail in leading Lagerlof’s future strategy. Lagerlof is 100 years old, and, emphasizes an innovative, team-oriented approach to the practice of law. Josh’s practice focuses on business, tax, estate, fiduciary, and related matters.
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Makda Fessahaye
Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief Human Resources Officer
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Makda is Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief Human Resources Officer for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where she oversees all human resources initiatives and functions for UWM, which employs over 6,700 staff and serves more than 24,000 students. Her recognitions include Wisconsin Law Journal Up and Coming Lawyer, Madison365's Most Influential Black Leaders and Milwaukee Business Journal’s 40 Under 40. She is a frequent speaker on law firm management topics.
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Lourdes M. Fuentes, Esq.
Chief Executive Officer
Sanabria & Associates
Silver Spring, Maryland
Lourdes is a seasoned litigator with decades of experience in state and federal courts, as well as a background in technology and process methodologies. Born and raised in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, Lourdes attended Georgetown University School of Foreign Service where she graduated with honors. She then attended the University of Pennsylvania Law School and became a litigator in New York City.
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Uri Gutfreund
Senior VP and Managing Principal
Ames & Gough
New York, New York
Uri is Senior Vice President, Managing Principal at Ames & Gough, a leading national specialty insurance brokerage firm. He helps law firms navigate through the complexities of liability and health insurance policies. As a Registered Professional Liability Underwriter, he is a frequent speaker and writer on insurance and risk management issues for law firms. He is a frequent speaker at MPF programs, including The MPF Webinar Series.
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Benjamin Hunter
National Director
Truist Legal Specialty
Atlanta, Georgia
Ben has spent the entirety of his professional career in the financial sector serving the needs of domestic and global businesses and executive families. In 2011, he joined the Legal Specialty Group within Private Wealth Management, serving the corporate banking needs of law firms and the comprehensive advisory needs of their attorneys. In 2017, Ben was appointed to lead the Legal Specialty Group nationally as the Line of Business Managing Director.
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Donald L. Mrozek, Esq.
Chairman Emeritus
Hinshaw & Culbertson
Chicago, Illinois
Don served as chairman of Hinshaw & Culbertson from 1989-2015. Under Don's leadership, Hinshaw grew from a small Chicago-area law firm to a national firm with 25 offices, approximately 500 attorneys and more than $225 million in revenues. Today, he serves as chair of the firm's Consultants & Coaches for the Profession Practice, he helps law firm leaders address complex business and management-related challenges and opportunities involved in effectively managing their firms, including succession planning. He is a frequent speaker at MPF programs.
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John Remsen, Jr.
President and CEO
Managing Partner Forum
Atlanta, Georgia
John is widely recognized as one of the country’s leading authorities on law firm leadership, management, marketing and business development. Since 1997, TheRemsenGroup has worked with more than 430 law firms to help them develop and implement long-term strategic objectives to improve cohesiveness, performance and profitability. In 2002, John created The Managing Partner Forum, a highly acclaimed conference series for law firm leaders. He Is a Fellow of the College Practice Management.
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Robert D. Seabolt
President
Robert D. Seabolt, LLC
Richmond, Virginia
Bob brings substantial experience integrating key processes to best-fit firms of varying sizes to put them on a solid path to responsible administration and growth. He has served as COO of IST Management Services, COO of Troutman Pepper, and Managing Partner of Troutman’s predecessor firm in Virginia, Mays & Valentine. He is also former chair of the Virginia Bar’s Law Practice Management Division.
Click here to learn more about Bob.
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