PUBLISHED:February 02, 2012

Professionals offered career advice during two-day symposium

Over 10 years, ESQ, the Business Law Society’s career symposium has developed into one of Duke Law School’s most popular student-organized events. During ESQ 2012, alumni in a range of practice areas and endeavors offered students in-depth advice on topics ranging from specific aspects of practice to work/life balance. The two-day symposium began on Friday, Feb. 3.

Panelists from 36 firms, businesses, nonprofits, and government offices spoke during panel sessions on “Big Law,” “Small/Medium Markets,” “General Counsel,” “Beyond the Law Firm: Business, Public Interest an d Other Avenues,” “Corporate Practice: the Generalist,” “Business Litigation,” “The Transactional Lawyer: M&A, Private Equity, Etc.,” “Career Progression,” “Life Outside the Law (Making it all Work),” and “Raising Money and Creating Funds.” The panels had a global reach, featuring speakers experience working in Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, and London, among other places.

Keynote speaker Dan Scheinman ’87 discussed his varied and successful career as a lawyer, entrepreneur, and business leader in executive positions at Cisco Systems, Inc., Reveal Imaging, Auryn, and Tango.me.

Scheinman’s career has spanned a range of enterprises. He served as general counsel at Cisco before becoming Senior Vice President of Corporate Development, overseeing the merger and acquisitions, venture investment, strategic alliance, and technology incubation functions. Most recently, Scheinman was the Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Cisco Media Solutions Group (CMSG), an internal startup which successfully developed and marketed a hosted software solution to help media owners grow social direct-to-consumer businesses. The relationship between media and technology has been a primary focus of his career.

Scheinman is now an investor, board member and advisor for emerging technology companies in communications, media, green tech and elsewhere. An early investor in Tango.me, the leading mobile video calling company, he is also an advisor to the CEO. In addition, Scheinman has been a board member for Auryn, a leading animation platform company, and an investor in Reveal Imaging, recently acquired by SAIC.

The symposium ended in a networking session, giving students a chance to connect with the panelists on a personal level.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the ESQ Career Symposium. The event was hosted by the Business Law Society, in conjunction with the Career & Professional Development Center and the Alumni & Development Office, and sponsored by Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP and Paul Hastings LLP.