Career Planning Center Staff
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Elizabeth “Beth” Acevedo serves as the assistant dean of the Career Planning Center at Fordham Law School. She oversees all operations of the Career Planning Center including student counseling services and employer outreach. She also oversees a department of 11 administrators and career counselors.
Prior to joining Fordham Law, Acevedo was the assistant dean for Career Development at Rutgers Law School. At Rutgers, Acevedo served on the Chancellor’s Career Leadership Team, the Alumnae Network Executive Committee, and the Minority Student Program faculty committee.
Prior to joining Rutgers Law, Acevedo was the deputy chief of the Domestic Violence Bureau at the Office of the Bronx District Attorney, where she supervised a team of trial attorneys, oversaw all aspects of case management from investigations to hearings and trials, and played a critical role in the recruitment of assistant district attorneys.
Acevedo is a graduate of the American University, Washington College of Law. She has served as an adjunct professor teaching a course on domestic violence law theory and practice.
Employer Relations
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Mitchell Weitz is the Senior Manager of Employer Relations and Legal Recruiting in the Career Planning Center at Fordham University School of Law. He is responsible for the day-to-day management of the various on-campus recruiting programs and employer-sponsored events at Fordham.
Mitchell is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (SB in Chemistry), Harvard’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (MA in Chemistry), and Harvard Law School (JD cum laude). After graduation from law school, he practiced commercial litigation for twelve years, first as an associate with Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison (New York, NY), then as associate and partner with Davis & Gilbert (New York, NY), and finally as Counsel with Porzio, Bromberg & Newman (Morristown, NJ). Immediately prior to joining Fordham, he worked for eleven years in the legal search field in New York, recruiting associate- and partner-level attorneys for positions with law firms, investment banks, and alternative investment firms. He is a member of NALP, The Association for Legal Career Professionals.
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Victoria is an Assistant Director for Employer Outreach in the Career Planning Center. She is responsible for employer outreach to small and mid-size law firms, corporations and non-traditional employers. Victoria joined the CPC in the Fall of 2020 and is a graduate of U.C.L.A. School of Law and the University of Delaware. Following law school, Victoria practiced as a litigator at Kaye Scholer LLP (now Arnold & Porter) in New York City for nine years, focusing on intellectual property matters, including trademark, trade dress and copyright infringement, false advertising and consumer fraud disputes. Victoria has also worked as in-house counsel for an e-learning school, for LexisNexis as an author and editor for their Lexis Practice Advisor product, and as a mediator for Metropolitan Mediation Services in Boston Municipal Court. Prior to joining Fordham Law, Victoria served as the Assistant Director for the Private Sector at Boston University School of Law, where she counseled students and alumni and connected with employers in the private sector. Victoria also worked with all students and graduates, regardless of their career interest, in the basics of career development and job search strategies.
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As the CPC’s Assistant Manager of Legal Recruiting, Joy is responsible for engaging with and onboarding employers (in private sector, public interest, and government) who want to connect with and recruit at Fordham Law School. Joy is also the liaison for law school job fairs as well as point person for external resources and programs presented to FLS law students and alumni. She also handles reciprocity requests from FLS students and alumni and other law schools. Joy has spent nearly 20 years as an editorial research director and taught as an adjunct instructor at NYU’s School of Professional Studies before joining Fordham Law School.
Counselors
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Ann Murray is a Director in the Career Planning at Fordham University School of Law. She counsels all JD students and alumni and is the Point Counselor for Sections 1 & 2. In addition, Ann acts as the CPC’s primary point of contact for transfer and visiting JD students.
Ann received her law degree from Temple University Law School and an MSW from the University of Pennsylvania. Upon graduation from law school, Ann worked as a staff attorney and legal director for the Homeless Advocacy Project in Philadelphia where she represented homeless adults and children in civil legal matters and supervised lawyers and law students at free legal clinics throughout Philadelphia. As a representative of the Homeless Advocacy Project, Ann was an active member of the Open Door Coalition, working on a variety of policy matters affecting Philadelphia’s homeless community. Ann was also responsible for hiring and supervising law student interns and staff attorneys for the Homeless Advocacy Project. After leaving practice, Ann became an associate director in the Office of Career Planning and Placement at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. During her eight-year tenure at Penn Law, Ann worked with students and alumni seeking both public and private summer and permanent legal employment. In addition, she was the primary administrator of the Greater Philadelphia Area Law Schools’ Public Interest/Public Service Job Fair. Although she was the point person for students seeking public sector employment, Ann counseled and educated all students and graduates in the basics of career development and all-sector job search strategies.
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Marianne Carroll is a Director in the Career Planning Center. She counsels all JD students and alumni and is the Point Counselor for Sections 3 & 4. Marianne manages Judicial Internship Resources and Programming, including drafting and revising judicial internship related guides and other materials, maintaining judicial internship webpages and resources for students, and working with judges regarding their summer and term-time internship needs.
Marianne received her undergraduate degree from Hofstra University (BA, Psychology). Immediately prior to joining the CPC, she was the Legal Recruiting Manager at Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP (formerly Dewey Ballantine LLP). While at Dewey & LeBoeuf, Marianne recruited at and visited various law schools (including Fordham Law) to conduct on-campus interviews and managed the summer associate program. She also managed the lateral hiring process and mentored summer and junior associates. Marianne also developed professional development training programs. She is a member of NALP: The Association for Legal Career Professionals.
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Deborah is a Director in the Career Planning Center providing counseling to all J.D. students and is the Point Counselor for Sections 5 & 6. In addition, she acts as project lead for the CPC’s Career Development Programs working in collaboration with the other Associate Directors. Deborah also assists with the development of CPC’s guides and resources.
Deborah received her law degree from Fordham University School of Law and her undergraduate degree from Binghamton University.
After graduating from Fordham, Deborah practiced as an associate at a small New York law firm specializing in Education and Labor Law. She later moved to London and joined an elite British legal search firm where she began her career as a legal recruiter. After a few years in London, Deborah moved back to New York where she helped establish the first US office of a renowned global legal recruitment boutique firm. She has assisted large law firms with strategic searches and has placed partners and associates.
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Bryna is Director of Career Planning & Diversity in the Career Planning Center. She counsels all JD students and alumni and is the House Liaison for House 9 and the Point Counselor for all Evening Division JD students. In addition, Bryna coordinates with JD students in applying to various diversity internships, fellowships, and scholarships and handles the law school’s participation in the NYC Bar Association’s Diversity Fellowship Program. She is also involved in career development programming for all students and serves as a liaison for the law school’s affinity groups in the career planning space.
Bryna is Director of Career Planning & Diversity in the Career Planning Center. She counsels all JD students and alumni and is the House Liaison for House 9 and the Point Counselor for all Evening Division JD students. In addition, Bryna coordinates with JD students in applying to various diversity internships, fellowships, and scholarships and handles the law school’s participation in the NYC Bar Association’s Diversity Fellowship Program. She is also involved in career development programming for all students and serves as a liaison for the law school’s affinity groups in the career planning space.
Bryna has over 25 years of experience in the fields of Recruitment/Talent Acquisition, Diversity & Inclusion and Professional Development. Prior to joining Fordham Law School, she was the Senior Manager of Recruiting & Diversity at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP and prior thereto was the Director of Recruitment and Professional Development at Parker Chapin Flattau & Klimpl, LLP as well as Jenkins & Gilchrist. Before her transition into legal recruiting, Bryna was a corporate associate at Parker Chapin Flattau & Klimpl, LLP focusing on mergers and acquisitions and securities transactions. Throughout law school Ms. Beckler-Knoll worked at Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP.
Bryna received a B.S. in Industrial & Labor Relations from Cornell University and a J.D. from Hofstra Law School, where she was a Member and Staff Editor of the Hofstra Law Review. In addition, she received a Diversity and Inclusion Management Certificate from Cornell University through the University’s Human Capital Development Program as well as Certificates from Fordham University School of Law for participation in the Academy for the Advancement of Women in Law. She has spoken on a number of panels on recruiting and diversity, equity and inclusion and is a member of the Bar of the State of NY, the National Association of Law Placement, the NYC Bar Association Diversity Pipeline Initiatives Committee, the NYC Bar Association Committee on Recruitment & Retention of Lawyers, and the Professional Development Consortium. She is also an RYT® 200 Hour Certified Yoga Instructor as well as a member of the Board of Directors of PALS (Practicing Attorneys for Law Students Program).
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Rachel is an Associate Director in the Career Planning Center, providing counseling to all J.D. students, and is the Point Counselor for Houses 7 and 8.
Rachel received her J.D. and LL.M. degrees from Fordham Law and her B.A. in English from Tufts University. After graduating from Fordham, she worked as an intellectual property and litigation associate in the New York office of Arnold & Porter LLP. Prior to joining the CPC, Rachel was a career counselor in the Career Services Office at The University of Texas School of Law.
CPC Evening Division Consultant
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Kaitlin Bello Betancourt '12 is our Evening Division Consultant who is available for evening and weekend counseling sessions for Evening Students only. She is available to provide advice and guidance on the job search, review resumes and cover letters, and to conduct mock interviews. Kaitlin is a Vice President and Corporate Counsel in the legal department of the Chief Investment Office of Prudential Financial, Inc., where she provides legal advice to the Alternative Assets Group and Impact Investments on alternative asset investments, including private equity, hedge fund and real estate investments. Prior to joining Prudential in 2018, Kaitlin was Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer for Garrison Investment Group, a multi-billion dollar alternative asset manager, where she managed fund formation and the firm-wide compliance program for Garrison’s private funds, an affiliated publicly traded business development company and an affiliated broker dealer. Before joining Garrison, Kaitlin was a Vice President in the legal and compliance department of GSO Capital Partners LP, the credit-oriented arm of The Blackstone Group, where she was responsible for various legal, compliance and regulatory matters. Prior to Blackstone, Kaitlin was an Investment Funds Associate at Latham & Watkins LLP, representing private investment fund sponsors in the formation and operation of private funds. Before and throughout law school, Kaitlin worked at Sandell Asset Management Corp., a hedge fund manager, as a Paralegal and Compliance Specialist. Kaitlin received her J.D., cum laude, from Fordham University School of Law, her M.A. in Russian Translation from Columbia University and her B.A., summa cum laude, from The George Washington University. Kaitlin continues to serve as a Director of the Fordham Urban Law Journal Alumni Association.
To make an appointment with Kaitlin, email [email protected].
J.D. Alumni Career Consultant
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Carroll Welch is an Alumni Career Consultant whom the CPC has engaged to assist with experienced alumni counseling. Carroll is a graduate of the John Hopkins University (BA) and University of Virginia School of Law (JD). She is the Founder and Principal of Carroll Welch Consulting, and formerly served as the Associate Director of New Directions, an attorney re-entry program at Pace Law School, providing career counseling and coaching support to attorney-participants on career development, employment search strategies and re-entry issues.