How Can One Woman Influence So Many?
Ask Larraine Segil ’79
Larraine Segil is a seasoned entrepreneurial executive, corporate board member, law professor, mentor, author and much more. She applies her extensive strategic, management, conflict resolution, and leadership expertise in a selective executive coaching practice. She also runs an urban farm.

At Southwestern, Professor Segil has taught Strategic Alliances for several years. She also puts her expertise and impressive professional network to good use in an innovative new course teaching creative and hands-on problem-solving skills, teamwork, and communication skills – Developing Web-Based Startups: Merging Law, Business, and Technology. Her students also learn how to support clients using state-of-the-art technology.  
Professor Segil invites any interested alumni to attend the Developing Web-Based Startups final presentations on April 21st at 10 a.m. on campus (details below).

Ms. Segil generously funds the Larraine D. Segil Award for Strategic Alliance Competency. Recipients join an amazing group of prior LSS (Larraine Segil Scholars) and receive life-long support and guidance.  Forbes.com recently recognized Professor Segil in an article about mentoring’s financial impact. It is clear from the work of LSS’  non-profit organization, Exceptional Women Awardees Foundation (EWA),  that she is in the mentoring game for a more honorable purpose (see below) and for keeps. 

Both the startup course and the LSS program offer unique ways for alumni to contribute to the future success of Southwestern graduates.
 
Developing Web-Based Startups: Merging Law, Business, and Technology
Final Presentations – Saturday, April 21, 2018
10:00 a.m. in the Julian Dixon Court Room
Southwestern Law School – Bullocks Wilshire – First Floor

Dear Southwestern Alumni,

Professors Larraine Segil, Michael Dorff, and John Scully; along with instructors Max Einstein, Melissa Center, and Steve Smyrski cordially invite you to attend the Spring 2018 Developing Web-Based Startups Final Presentation Competition at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 21st. 

In teams, students have built web-based businesses to solve a problem. They have diligently studied Business Organizations, Coding, Finance, Intellectual Property, and Presentation Skills.  On April 21st, they make their final presentations to VCs, startup funders, sponsors, and invited guests. 

Judging the presentations are:

  • Steve Smyrski – Patent Lawyer, Former Senior Counsel IP group, Pillsbury Winthrop (SW)
  • Max Einstein – Software Engineer, DataScience Inc., Artist
  • Denise Sirkot – President/CFO Gracie Films, Executive Producer of The Simpsons/All Gracie Film Projects
  • Jon Vein – Co-Founder Market Share, Former COO AMG /APG
  • Michael Carter – Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of Southwestern School of Law, Former COO/CTO CalArts, CTO AFI

Introductions and presentations begin promptly at 10:00 a.m.  Eight student teams will pitch/present followed by judging and award presentation. Light refreshments/lunch will be served. 

RSVP via email if you are joining us on the 21st or to learn about sponsorship opportunities for the 2019 course.

About Developing Web-Based Startups: Merging Law, Business, and Technology. This new course is one of Southwestern’s most innovative offerings. It satisfies an elective requirement of the Technology Law and Entrepreneurship Concentration (one of five concentrations currently offered) and draws a healthy enrollment despite its weekend timeslot and hefty workload. Starting or advising a growing start-up enterprise requires on-the-ground experience. This course brings theory and case studies examined in entrepreneurship, leadership, and law through development by multi-disciplined teams to develop web-based companies to will solve a particular problem (designed by the student); to learn creative and hands-on problem solving skills, teamwork, and communication skills; and to be inspired to innovate and support your clients with state-of-the-art technology. The course also addresses certain legal issues surrounding the needs of entrepreneurs, such as ownership and fiduciary responsibility, as well as various pertinent agreements, and provides a lawyer’s understanding of financial projects and representations for a start-up.

Larraine Segil Scholars
Professor Segil’s pay it forward mentality began when she noticed a gender gap and lack of resources for women in law school. Her dream of providing the guidance and coaching she never had has come true. Many times over. 

Professor Segil and some of her mentees were featured in a recent Forbes.com article.The Larraine D. Segil Award for Strategic Alliance Competency was established by Southwestern Law School alumna, Larraine D. Segil, as an annual award to recognize an outstanding female JD or LLM student, working in the for-profit business/law sector, showing competency or potential competency in forming strategic business alliances and a commitment to mentoring other women as well as a willingness to be mentored themselves.
The ideal Larraine Segil Scholar must:

  • Walk the road less traveled
  • Be a good student (not necessarily at the very top of the class)
  • Be a woman of integrity
  • Have an interest in partnering and alliances
  • Be willing to be mentored by Larraine for the rest of her life and by the other Larraine Segil Scholars thereafter, and to pay it forward to mentor the other women in the group for the rest of their lives
  • Commit to attend quarterly meetings and all LSS events for two years

This award provides invaluable training, mentoring, and opportunity.  To find out how you can get involved send Ms. Segil an email. 

The 2018/19 Scholar will be announced soon!