Winter 2024 Speaker Series Line-Up
Jennifer Salvatore - Founding Partner at Salvatore Prescott Porter and Porter, PLLC
On February 6th, we will welcome Jennifer Salvatore, a founding partner at Salvatore Prescott Porter and Porter, PLLC. Ms. Salvatore is a highly respected lawyer known for her client-centered advocacy in employment and civil rights law. Holding an AV rating, the highest from Martindale Hubble, and having chaired the Labor and Employment Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan, she navigates challenging cases with effective negotiation. Specializing in sex discrimination cases, Jennifer has a successful track record, securing a $1.1 million verdict in a First Amendment retaliation case in 2012. She also teaches employment law at the University of Michigan Law School and serves as an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association.
As a trial attorney, Jennifer, along with colleagues, was a finalist for Public Justice’s "Trial Lawyer of the Year" award in 2020, securing an $80 million settlement with the Michigan Department of Corrections for sexual abuse cases. Jennifer holds a B.A. in Political Science and Journalism from Miami University and earned her J.D., cum laude, from The University of Michigan Law School.
Debra Chopp - Associate Dean for Experiential Education, Clinical Professor at Michigan Law, and Director of the Pediatric Advocacy Clinic
Debra Chopp will join our Speaker Series on February 13th. Chopp is the associate dean for experiential education, clinical professor of law, and director of the Pediatric Advocacy Clinic at Michigan Law. Her research, teaching, and legal practice focus primarily on education law, family law/domestic violence, and cross-cultural communication. Chopp has presented on these and other topics at local, state, and national conferences. She also provides regular trainings to medical providers on patient advocacy, special education, and social determinants of health.
As the director of the Pediatric Advocacy Clinic, Chopp works with medical providers and law students to provide free legal services that address the social determinants of health of families and improve child health. She is the Law School faculty representative to the Child Health Evaluation and Research Center at the University of Michigan. Immediately before joining the Pediatric Advocacy Clinic, Chopp was a staff attorney with the Pediatric Advocacy Initiative at the Law School. She has represented survivors of domestic violence as an attorney for Sanctuary for Families: Center for Battered Women's Legal Services in New York.
Ambassador Susan D. Page - 1st U.S. Ambassador to South Sudan & Professor from Practice at Michigan Law
Kappa Alpha Pi is delighted to host Susan D. Page on February 20th. Susan D. Page, a professor at Michigan Law, has had a distinguished diplomatic career, notably as the first US ambassador to South Sudan and in senior roles at the United Nations, such as deputy special representative in Haiti. Her impactful contributions include steering South Sudan through instability and civil war and playing a key role in the Security Governance Initiative for Ghana. Page's extensive government service encompasses positions in the State Department and USAID, earning her prestigious awards. Beyond government roles, she served in civil society as the regional director for Southern and East Africa at the National Democratic Institute. Page's expertise in international relations, particularly in Africa, is evident through her senior-level positions, awards, and memberships in esteemed organizations.
Christopher Knight - Clinical Assistant Professor of Law at Michigan Law
On Monday, March 4th Christopher Knight will return to Kappa Alpha Pi. Christopher Knight is a clinical assistant professor of law at the University of Michigan Law School, specializing in teaching within the Legal Practice Program. Prior to joining the Michigan Law faculty, he served as a senior associate in the litigation and dispute resolution practice at Mayer Brown LLP's Chicago office, where he focused on antitrust and mass tort litigation. Knight brings extensive experience in the litigation process, having assisted clients at every stage, from drafting pleadings to trying cases in federal court. Notably, in 2019, he served as trial counsel in Saget v. Trump, a case challenging the US government's decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status for over 50,000 Haitian nationals, earning Mayer Brown's Litigation Pro Bono Matter of the Year award.
Mahesh Nayak - Member and International Practice Group Co-Chair at Dickinson Wright
Mahesh K. Nayak will join Kappa Alpha Pi on March 19th. Nayak specializes in litigation and business law with a focus on international and cross-border matters. Before entering private practice in 1999, he served as Assistant Attorney General with the Michigan Attorney General's Office and as a criminal prosecutor with the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office in Detroit, gaining extensive trial experience. Nayak has garnered recognition for his successful practice and is consistently ranked among the best in his specialty by independent reviewing publications. His litigation expertise spans Fortune 500 corporations, government bodies, small businesses, and individuals, covering diverse areas such as corporate disputes, patent infringement, environmental class actions, and cross-border litigation.
As a corporate counsel, Nayak serves as a trusted advisor to business owners and executives, providing practical advice on a range of operational issues for various businesses. Additionally, Nayak leads Dickinson Wright's International Practice, representing both foreign businesses entering the U.S. market and overseeing the firm's North American clients' interests abroad.
Ryan Estes - Employment Attorney at Kaplan Law Firm, Kappa Alpha Pi Alumni
Estes is a proud University of Michigan and KAPi Alumni. He was a student at Michigan when Kappa Alpha Pi was founded, prior to his graduation in 2010. Ryan has practiced employment and civil rights law exclusively since 2013 and devoted his practice to advocating for employee rights. Ryan has represented clients harmed by workplace discrimination, retaliation, unpaid wages/overtime, and contractual disputes.
Ryan has handled all aspects of litigation, including drafting complaints, arguing motions in court, questioning high-level executives at depositions, and cross-examining witnesses before a jury. Ryan’s favorite experiences as an attorney have been the multiple times the jury has found in his client’s favor after difficult trials. Ryan has also successfully negotiated numerous settlements on behalf of his clients, including severance agreements and in mediations.
Dana Thompson - Clinical Professor of Law, Director of the Transactional Law Clinics Program, and Co-Director of the Zell Entrepreneurship Clinic
On April 2nd, Dana Thompson will join us. Dana A. Thompson is a clinical professor of law at Michigan Law, overseeing the Transactional Law Clinics Program, the Community Enterprise Clinic, and the Zell Entrepreneurship Clinic. Devoting her legal career to advancing economic, racial, and social justice in urban communities, Thompson represents community-based organizations and small businesses. She teaches in the Community Enterprise Clinic, focusing on nonprofits, cooperatives, and small businesses in disinvested urban areas, and is the founding director of Michigan Law's Zell Entrepreneurship Clinic. With a background in commercial real estate and corporate law, Thompson previously practiced at Morrison & Foerster LLP and Miller, Starr and Regalia before joining academia and contributing to various boards and committees, including the Wayne State University Board of Governors.
Nicholas Stasevich- Chair of International Practice, Member of the Board of Directors at Butzel Long
Nicholas J. Stasevich is a Shareholder and Vice President at Butzel's Detroit office, also serving on the firm's Board of Directors. A graduate of the University of Michigan Law School, he specializes in international, corporate, antitrust, technology, and labor and employment law. Stasevich, appointed H.M. Consul-Honorary of the United Kingdom to the State of Michigan in 2002, is recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for Corporate Law. His practice includes advising companies with domestic and multi-national operations, mergers and acquisitions, antitrust issues, employment matters, and global corporate compliance, with extensive experience in various regions worldwide.