Fontaine Chambers is a part-time 4L at Quinnipiac University School of Law. She graduated Cum Laude from the University of Connecticut with a bachelor’s in political science and a minor in criminal justice. Fontaine is a New Haven, CT native, the first in her family to attend college, and will be the first lawyer in her family. Prior to serving as Chair, for the Northeast Black Law Students Association (NEBLSA), Fontaine has had the honor to serve as the 2022-2023 Vice-Chair and 2021-2022 Connecticut Sub- Regional Director for NEBLSA. Her support was meaningful because she served as the impetus for success, whether that pertained to behind-the-scenes tasks to ensure programming and events or attending meetings with me directly related to the ‘welfare’ of NEBLSA. From serving as Chair of the Grievance Committee, facilitating events and engagement with corporate sponsors, implementing mental health awareness initiatives, to supporting all things Convention. Before stepping into the role as Chair, Fontaine wanted to serve her local chapter to ensure her “home” was taken care of first. Thus, she served as the President of Quinnipiac University School of Law BLSA from 2022-2023. One word she would describe her term is “fulfilled”. Fulfilled that she accomplished everything she sought out and the legacy will continue with her successor. In addition, she serves as a senator for her school’s Student Bar Association (SBA) and a student member of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Fontaine is a Legal Privacy Intern with T-Mobile in Seattle, Washington aiming to pursue a career in Data Privacy. Fontaine understands the critical impact race, ethnicity, and class play within the legal profession and seeks to increase the 5%. She specifically wants to work within privacy because historically, Black and Brown bodies have been marginalized and disenfranchised regarding privacy and surveillance. Fontaine wants to assist with implementing statutory guardrails that companies should review to ensure that the algorithms are both legal and ethical to protect historically disenfranchised groups. Fontaine previously worked full-time as an Analyst and General Liability Professional for Travelers Insurance Company for 7 years. Prior to law school, Fontaine served on the Greater New Haven NAACP board for 3years and was the Legal Redress Co-Chair for 2 years. Outside of work and school, Fontaine enjoys all things fashion, vacationing across the world (she studied abroad in London, UK focusing on Human Rights) and has since visited 23 countries), and spending time with her family and friends. She is passionate about creating diverse, equitable, and inclusive experiences for communities of opportunity. Fontaine hopes that she will not only be remembered for the work she has done but to be missed because of her impact on the lives of many.
Brianna Gordon is a rising 3L at Columbia Law School. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Brianna now resides in Long Island, NY. She attended Temple University where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a Certificate in Political Economy. Prior to law school, Brianna served as the inaugural Connected Futures Fellow at USTelecom which birthed her interest in Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Law. During her 1L year, she was a participant in the Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition and the FCBA Telecommunications, Media & Technology (TMT) Diversity Pipeline Program. As a first-generation immigrant, college graduate, and law student, Brianna recognizes and understands the difficulties in pursuing a career in law while hailing from underrepresented backgrounds. She has been committed to aiding in diversifying the legal profession and aligned with NEBLSA to help push forth this mission. Brianna served as the Director of Communications of NEBLSA during the 2022-2023 term. Through this role, she recognized the immense value in community, collaboration, and camaraderie among the region and thus returned as Vice-Chair to help to continue to curate spaces for black law students around the Northeast. She currently serves on the Junior Board of Futures & Options and as a 2L Diversity Scholar at Latham & Watkins. She is interested in pursuing a career in TMT Law, aiding in the achievement of universal broadband, digital equity, and the elimination of the digital divide for individuals from disadvantaged communities. In her role as Vice-Chair, Brianna desires to create meaningful relationships among members of our region, equipping us to be authentic advocates and valued additions to the profession. For fun, Brianna loves creating 'law bae' outfits, traveling (especially solo), and house-hunting with no intentions of moving. Brianna desires to strengthen the alumni network and leave a lasting impact on the Notable and Noteworthy Northeast to ensure future generations of change-makers are properly equipped to change the world.
Janelle Williams is a 3L at The University of Connecticut School of Law. She graduated from Binghamton University with a Bachelors's in Sociology and a minor in Africana Studies. She is a first-generation law student from Bloomfield, CT. She is pursuing a law degree because it provides a wide array of professional opportunities. Possessing a J.D. provides a lot of flexibility because the law touches every industry, which enables her to constantly engage with and learn new things. Additionally, she wanted to contribute to the 4% of attorneys in the profession and help create more spaces within the legal field for those who look like her. Currently, she is most interested in doing transactional work after law school. While she is still exploring my interests, she is leaning toward data privacy or cybersecurity. Attending the NEBLSA Convention during her 1L year was the first time she had ever been in the presence of hundreds of black successful professionals, and it was truly inspiring. Janelle hopes to carry on NEBLSA's legacy of fostering a space to promote and support black excellence and looks forward to serving in the role of Secretary.
Lawrence Wint is a candidate for Juris Doctor at Harvard Law School, class of 2025. Lawrence was originally born on the beautiful shores of Ohio Rios Jamaica; however, he grew up in Orlando, Florida, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, Cum Laude, from the University of Central Florida. Before law school, Lawrence worked in an executive role at a non-profit organization, overseeing marketing, leadership development, and volunteer recruitment, among other things. Lawrence’s legal interest is in corporate law, particularly private equity M&A, and he is passionate about helping people and serving his community – especially those from underrepresented backgrounds. Lawrence is the recipient of the LCLD Diversity Scholars Program Scholarship and will spend his summer in big law. In his spare time, Lawrence enjoys long walks on the beach, board games, traveling, food, and is a movie enthusiast.
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Rebeca Lafond is a third-year student at the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law where she served as the 22-23 President and 21-22 Vice President of the Black Law Students Association. Rebeca received her Bachelor's Degree in Sociology at Brooklyn College, where she double minored in Criminal Justice and Political Science. Before enrolling in law school, Rebeca served as the Director of Constituent and Support Services in the New York State Assembly. Rebeca enjoys supporting others who aspire to go to law school and manages an Instagram and Youtube channel where she shares her law school experience. In the future, Rebeca plans to pursue a career in law and policy.
Freddy Davis serves as the National Association of Black Law Students’ Northeast Regional Parliamentarian. Prior to his regional service, Freddy was the President of the Association of Black Law Students at Rutgers Law School – Newark. Freddy first felt passion for Robert’s Rules of Order when he attended Municipal Council meetings during his employment as a paralegal in a municipal law department. He gives back to the community and hones his parliamentary procedure practice through his local chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated. When he finds free time, Freddy likes to read philosophy, watch music videos, and play chess.
Kamani Cook-Christian is a Newark, NJ native who is currently a 3L at Rutgers University School of Law-Newark. At Rutgers she spent time working closely with the Association of Black Law Students as a Student Representative & Treasurer. Kamani is also an affiliate of the Minority Student Program. Kamani spent her 1L summer, she spent time working with the firm Chasan Lamparello Mallon, & Capuzzo working on various matters involving land use, personal injury, insurance claims, and employment. Kamani spent the Spring of her 2L year interning for the Honorable Carolyn E. Wright, J.S.C. in New Jersey’s Superior Court - Essex Vicinage in the Criminal Division and spent her 2L summer interning with the Army in their Judge Advocate General Corps. During her 3L year, Kamani will be engaging in important advocacy work with children in Rutgers’ Child Advocacy Clinic as well as serving as a senior editor for Rutgers Race and The Law Journal. Before Rutgers Law, Kamani became a Posse Scholar which afforded her a full tuition leadership-based scholarship at Lafayette College. She studied and double-majored in English and Anthropology & Sociology there and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts. Kamani spent a lot of time organizing with the Association of Black Collegians and a social justice peer education group called Kaleidoscope. After college, she taught Kindergarten full-time while working on her Master’s in Teaching with a concentration in Special Education. As a result, she is a certified General and Special Education teacher in the state of New Jersey for grades K-6. She often implemented practices in her classroom that helped not only her, but her Kindergarten babies, distress, engage critically with their work, and feel fulfilled. Kamani is passionate about equality, social justice, and health & wellness. She enjoys being active (Pilates and long walks specifically), spending time with her family and friends, her own version of carpool karaoke, and enjoying the world of a good book.
Akia S. Callum, a proud daughter of Jamaican immigrants and a Brooklyn native, is a 2L Evening Student at the University of Connecticut (UConn) School of Law. She lives by her self-guided quote, “Titles & Positions may get you into rooms, but who you are as a person is what keeps you there.” Akia strongly believes in the power of relationships and values them deeply. In 2020, she was selected as one of 20 inaugural Yale Law School ‘Access to Law’ fellows. With over a decade of experience working in leadership roles with and for cross-sector organizations at the local, state, regional, and national levels, she has a proven record of success in moving organizations from systems change to system transformation. Currently, she serves as the Deputy Director for Waterbury Bridge to Success (BTS) Community partnership and Adjunct Faculty for the John P. Burke School of Public Service at Post University. Ms. Callum has a deep commitment to community advocacy and social justice. She was appointed to serve as the 64th Parliamentarian for the Student Bar Association (SBA) at UConn Law for the 2023-24 school year. In her free time, Akia enjoys spending quality time with those she loves as well as traveling. She holds a Bachelors Degree in Legal Studies as well as a Master of Education with a concentration in curriculum and instruction from Post University.
Hadiyah Cummings is a 2020 Sumna Cumma Laude Graduate of Howard University with Political Science and Criminology degrees. During her time at Howard University, she had the pleasure of interning at nine different nonprofit and public service organizations, with the most notable being a Howard University Congressional fellowship in the former Senator Kamala D. Harris’ office and an investigative internship with the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia. During her sophomore year, Hadiyah was selected and participated in Harvard Kennedy’s School Public Policy and Leadership Conference. Additionally, Hadiyah received the Locke Scholar Award, the Key into Public Service Award from Phi Beta Kappa, and the ETS Presidential HBCU Scholarship. In the summer of 2019, she studied social justice and activism as a Lucy Moten fellow in Cape Town, South Africa. Hadiyah is a proud alum of the Howard University Mock Trial, Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity International, and a Patricia Roberts Harris Fellowship Program. Hadiyah is also actively involved in her community. When she is home, she spends most of her time organizing for the police divestment campaign she founded, Reinvest In Conway. Hadiyah currently attends Yale Law School, in her third year, pursuing her Juris Doctorate Degree. While at Yale, Hadiyah has interned at several public interest/ public service organizations, including the ACLU, the MacArthur Justice Center, and the Chambers of the Honorable Judge Bacharach. She has also gained experience in the private sector through her work as a Summer Associate at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe and Susman Godfrey law firms. Additionally, Hadiyah has also worked as a research assistant to Dean Heather Gerken, a clinical student in the Criminal Justice Clinic and Access to Law School Clinic and is currently serving as the Northeast Pre-Law Director for the National Black Law Students Association. Ultimately, Hadiyah hopes to return to Arkansas to found and establish the state’s first racial justice center.
Janette Nweme-Singley is honored to be appointed for the role of Constance Baker Motley Trial Competition Director for the Northeast Black Law Student Association. Janette is a NJ native and grew up in Woodbridge NJ. She received a double B.A in Political Science and Legal Studies with a minor in Philosophy from William Paterson University. While in college, she received the award of outstanding student in the pre-law program. Before coming to law school, Janette worked as a paralegal at several law firms ranging from boutique to large, handling matters in landlord-tenant, foreclosure, evictions and personal injury. At Rutgers Law School, Janette has been selected to compete as a team member on the Rutgers National Mock Trial Team. She has also been selected to assist 1L students as a Minority Student Program Teaching Fellow for Torts. Janette enjoys being involved and furthering her mission of black excellence through leadership. She has served as a 1L representative and Chief Operating Officer of the Student Bar Association, 1L Representative and Vice President of Fundraising of the Association of Black Law Students, 1L Rep and Events Chair for the Entertainment Arts Sports Law Society and a Barbri Representative. During her 1L summer, Janette interned at a global pharmaceutical company working in compliance, commercial contracts, and commercial real estate alongside the Senior Vice President and Corporate Secretary. During her 2L summer, she worked as a Summer Associate at a NJ Insurance Litigation Defense firm. In her final year of law school, Janette plans to continue to pursue her interest in entertainment and IP law by serving as a Clinical Research Assistant for the Intellectual Property Law Clinic. After graduation, Janette hopes to work in a law firm or corporation that handles entertainment and intellectual property law.
Keishia Dormena was born and raised in Brooklyn to Haitian immigrants. As a rising 2L at Roger Williams School of Law where she currently holds a position as a 2L Black Law Student Association’s 2L representative. Prior to law school, Keishia received her Bachelor’s degree in John Jay College School of Criminal Justice with a major in Forensic Psychology. After matriculating her undergraduate degree, she was a trial paralegal for the United States Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Unit where she assisted trial attorneys prosecute criminal cases. As NEBLSA’s Director of the Thurgood Marshall Moot Court Competition, Keishia hopes to help the next generation of Black law students sharpen their oral advocacy skills as it may reward them in assisting their constituents and beyond. This summer, Keishia is interning at a federal appellate courthouse. In her free time, Keishia enjoys attending festivals, traveling overseas, singing Whitney Houston ballads at karaoke and indulging in fine dining and self-care.