Cohort 3 Presenter and Mentor Bios

Michelle Brown is a Professor of Legal Practice at DePaul University College of Law. She co-directs DePaul's Legal Analysis, Research, and Communication program.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree and JD, University of Illinois

Email: mcue@depaul.edu

Cory Burke is the Assistant Director of Law Admissions and Associate Director of the First Generation Law Program at DePaul University College of Law, as well as a seasoned HR executive and admissions professional with over 15 years of leadership experience across global trading, financial services, and higher education. He supports access-driven initiatives and prospective law students at DePaul, drawing on a deep background in recruitment, compliance, and student advising. Previously, Cory led human resources strategy at several financial services firms and served as Associate Director of Admissions and Financial Aid and Interim Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at Michigan State University College of Law.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Juris Doctor, Michigan State University College of Law 

Email: cburke37@depaul.edu

Education: Bachelor's Degree and JD, DePaul University

Email: kclark@seyfarth.com

Marcos, a first-generation law student, earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois Chicago and a Master of Library and Science degree, with a Special Certificate in Law Librarianship, from the University of Washington. While in Washington, Marcos interned as a Reference Librarian at the Gallagher Law Library where he assisted faculty, students, alumni, and the public with their legal research needs.

Since then, Marcos has been the Government Information Librarian with the Rinn Law Library at DePaul University and has never been prouder to tell people what he has being doing with his life! Inspired by the beauty and brilliance that is law librarianship, Marcos would encourage everyone in the legal community, especially students, to connect with a law librarian because the law library is the laboratory of the law school and law librarians are the scientists that love nothing more than to help you experiment.

Education: Master's Degree, DePaul University; JD, University of Illinois Chicago 

Email: mcoron11@depaul.edu

Natalie has worked as a financial wellness educator for over sixteen years, 14 of which were at DePaul! She has experience in various areas of higher education including graduate and undergraduate financial aid, career development, student success, and wellness programming, Natalie believes the route to financial success includes understanding a student’s background while helping them to develop and reach their financial goals.   

Educaiton: Bachelor's Degree, Sarah Lawrence; Master's Degree, DePaul University

Email: ndaniels@accesslex.org

Zoe will be entering her third year at the DePaul University College of Law this August. She was a part of the DePaul BA/JD 3+3 program, where she received a Bachelors in English before entering the law school. She is a first generation law student and has focused her studies on intellectual property law through DePaul Law. She will also be assisting with the start of the new DePaul Decarceration Collective this coming school year as treasurer for the organization. Previously, Zoe has worked in DePaul University’s Career Center for four years, where she served as a mentor for a first year career readiness program. She is super excited to start as a FGLP fellow and cannot wait to meet the students. 

Education: Bachelor's Degree and 3rd Year Law Student, DePaul University (3+3 Law Program) 

Email: zespino1@depaul.edu

Alexandra places great importance and focus on what each individual client needs and desires from his or her specific family law matter, whether it be allocation of parental responsibilities, maintenance, child support, financial planning, asset division, or post-decree issues.

“I know more often than not, clients are uncertain as to what their ‘best outcome’ looks like for their specific case. It is important to assist each client in working through the particular issues of his or her case to determine that client’s ‘best outcome,’ and to treat each case individually based on the facts and client’s wishes.”  Alexandra demonstrates strength and empathy with each client and is not afraid to zealously advocate for what is in the client’s best interests.

Prior to joining Davis Friedman in November 2020, Alexandra gained valuable experience as an associate attorney at boutique divorce and family law firms in Chicago.  She has successfully negotiated and litigated numerous issues pertaining to pre-decree divorces and post-decree modifications, child-related matters such as attempted relocation and supervision of parenting time, orders of protection, and complex financial issues such as business valuation and determination of parties’ income.

Alexandra has continually pursued every opportunity to further her experience in the field of family law.  Before becoming an attorney, she held an externship with the Domestic Violence Legal Clinic, using her 711 law student license to assist domestic violence victims in obtaining Orders of Protection.

Her passion and dedication to the area of family law transcends into continually representing the best interests of her clients in the most efficient and effective manner.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree, Vanderbilt University; JD, DePaul University College of Law

Email: agreenberg@davisfriedman.com 

Tristan Gunn is a partner in the firm of TAPIA-RUANO & GUNN PC, based in Chicago, IL. Tristan is a Chicago native, born in Lincoln Park and his office is located in the Chicago downtown loop. He is a second-generation Cuban immigrant. Tristan earned his Juris Doctorate from DePaul College of Law in 2011. He became licensed to practice law before the Supreme Court of Illinois in 2012. Tristan's law practice is Immigration Law. His focus is on family-based immigration benefits, removal defense, asylum applications, waivers of inadmissibility, U visas, applications for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), and Naturalization. Tristan is an active member in the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) where he is currently the Secretary on the Chicago Chapter Executive Board Committee. Tristan has served as a member of many AILA committees for both his local chapter and at the national level for the past 12 years. He has been a contributing author for an article on immigration law for AILA publication on naturalization and has served as class instructor for a University of AILA class on Marriage Based Adjustment Applications. Tristan is also the past chair for Immigration and Nationality Committee for the Chicago Bar Association. Tristan has been recognized as a “Super Lawyer” for Super Lawyers in Illinois and has been selected by his peers to be included in “Leading Lawyers of Illinois” by the Leading Lawyers Network Magazine – Immigration Edition, a publication of the Law Bulletin Media.

Education: Bachelor's Degree, Illinois Wesleyan University; JD, DePaul University 

Email: tgunn@trgpc.com

Abi graduated from DePaul University College of Law in 2020 with her Juris Doctor and a Certificate of Criminal Law. During her time at DePaul, Abi took advantage of DePaul’s Summer Abroad Immersion Program in Berlin, Germany focusing on “Law and Critical Social Justice” in relation to the migrant crisis. Abi also participated in DePaul’s Criminal Appeals Legal Clinic and successfully overturned her client’s conviction in a published decision from the First District while she was still in law school. Since graduating, Abi has taken and passed three separate state bar exams and is admitted in many federal district courts. She started her career at an Am Law 100 firm known for its strength in litigation after having clerked with the firm since the summer of her 2L year. Abi currently works as an associate at Cozen O’Connor where she specializes in coverage analysis and complex litigation. One fun fact about Abi is that she decided to go to law school after obtaining a Fine Arts degree. 

Education: Bachelor's Degree, Ohio Wesleyan University; JD, DePaul University

Email: AHorvat@cozen.com 

Julie D. Lawton joined DePaul in 2011. She previously taught at Georgetown University Law Center. She received her JD, cum laude, from Howard University School of Law, LLM from Georgetown University Law Center, and BS in Business Administration (Finance), magna cum laude, from Florida A&M University. She also worked as an attorney and development consultant in residential real estate development in Washington, D.C., including owning a real estate development company. Prior to her career in real estate, she practiced for a number of years in the Financial Services group at Morrison & Foerster in Washington, D.C. providing legal counsel on consumer credit issues to large banks and credit card issuers. Prior to her legal career, she worked as a financial analyst in the Commercial Banking group at Bank of America in Atlanta, GA and in summer positions at a Wall Street investment bank and multiple commercial banks.

Her work has appeared in the Michigan Journal of Race and Law, the Indiana Law Review, the UMKC Law Review, and the Washington University Journal of Law and Policy. She authored the textbook, Business Fundamentals for Law Students, which introduces law students to foundational concepts in business. Her media appearances include CBS News Chicago, Fox News Chicago, and ABC News Chicago.

Since joining DePaul, she has served in several leadership capacities including as Associate Dean for Experiential Learning, Chair of the University Faculty Council Budget Committee, member of the University Faculty Council Executive Committee, and as Chair of the law school Curriculum Committee.

Education: Bachelor's Degree, Florida A&M University; JD, Howard University; LLM, Georgetown 

Email: jlawton1@depaul.edu

Prior to joining the College of Law, Professor Jody Marcucci served as a law clerk to Illinois Appellate Court justices David A. Erickson and Rodolfo Garcia, where she drafted judicial decisions encompassing several areas of criminal and civil law including post-conviction, medical malpractice and contract cases. She also taught at DePaul as an adjunct legal writing instructor. Professor Marcucci received her BA in political science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and earned her JD, magna cum laude, from DePaul, where she served as an associate editor of DePaul Law Review and as a legal writing teaching assistant. Professor Marcucci also served as a law clerk at the Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago and the Chicago Legal Clinic.

Education: Bachelor's Degree, University of Wisconsin-Madison; JD, DePaul University

Email: jmarcucc@depaul.edu

Gregory Mark joined the College of Law in July 2011, serving as dean until July 2014. A noted legal historian, he has extensive experience in academia, administration and the professional world. From 1996 until joining DePaul, he was a vice dean, professor of law, center director and Justice Nathan L. Jacobs Scholar at Rutgers University School of Law in Newark, New Jersey, where he taught Business Associations, Contracts, Corporate Finance, Corporate Governance and Legal History. He was an assistant professor at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law from 1992 to 1996 and a visiting faculty member at Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1994. Professor Mark also was a member of the graduate faculty in history at Rutgers and a teaching fellow in the history department at Harvard University.

Prior to his academic career, Professor Mark served as associate counsel for the office of Independent Counsel in the Iran-Contra affair. In that role, he helped develop a case against Duane Clarridge, a former high-ranking official of the CIA, who later received a presidential pardon. He also led a project on foreign intelligence and national security concerns in the prosecution of government officials and acted as liaison to the White House Counsel’s office, the U.S. Senate, the National Security Agency and the CIA.

Professor Mark’s scholarship focuses on the areas of corporate finance, corporate governance and American legal history.

Education: Bachelor's Degree, Butler University; JD, University of Chicago; Master's Degree, Harvard University 

Email: gmark@depaul.edu

Bradley A. Mueller, J.D. is the Senior Pre-Law Advisor at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). Brad earned his J.D. from The John Marshall Law School n/k/a UIC School of Law and upon admission to the Illinois Bar joined the Chicago law firm Righeimer, Martin & Cinquino, P.C. where he practiced for over 25 years in the areas of health care law, adult guardianships, and minors’ estates. Brad became the Pre-Law Advisor at UIC in 2016 where he advises UIC students and alumni from all UIC colleges in connection with their law school journey, from exploring the legal profession to the law school application process. In addition to one-on-one advising, Brad produces and organizes workshops, experiential activities, and brings guest presenters/panels to UIC. Brad is a 2019 winner of the UIC Provost’s Excellence in Undergraduate Advising Award. From 2023-2025, Brad served on the Law School Admission Council’s (LSAC)Prelaw Advisory Council. Brad was recently appointed to serve on the American Association of Law Schools, Pre-Law Education and Admission to Law School, Pre-Law Advisor Ad Hoc Committee (AALS PLEALS PLA Committee). 

Education: Bachelor’s Degree, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire; JD, The John Marshall Law School n/k/a University of Illinois Chicago School of Law

Email: muellerb@uic.edu

Amanda Noascono returned to the College of Law as Assistant Dean and Director of Admissions in 2017, bringing with her over a decade of higher education admissions and recruitment experience. Amanda began her career in higher education at DePaul University College of Law after graduating in 2006 and has been the director of admissions at Northern Illinois University College of Law, North Park University and Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. She has been a member of the Law School Admission Council Finance and Legal Affairs Committee, Midwest Association of Pre-Law Advisors, Illinois Association of College Admission Counseling, Illinois Medical School Admissions Consortium, and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association. Amanda has presented at university campuses and prospective law student forums across the country and has taught pre-law students in college. Amanda has a particular interest in diversity and inclusion in legal education.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; JD, DePaul University

Email: ANOASCON@depaul.edu

A recognized and accomplished global corporate legal executive and business operations thought leader, Haydee Olinger combines both pragmatism and passion around guiding global organizations to succeed. Haydee leverages her well-tested business acumen to identify and implement best practices for strategic planning, development, joint ventures, franchise and licensee management, food safety, enterprise risk management, regulatory and corporate compliance and privacy. Handpicked by McDonald’s CEO and General Counsel as its first ever Global Chief Compliance and Privacy Officer, she is credited with successfully architecting and implementing best-in-class compliance and ethics programs.

Haydee has extensive international business experience having been responsible for leading teams consisting of finance, franchise, tax and operations personnel in McDonald’s new markets in Europe, Asia and Latin America. Acknowledged as an effective business strategist and master negotiator with strong people skills, Haydee is credited with playing an instrumental role in McDonald’s entry into and ongoing growth throughout multiple Latin America markets. From negotiating real estate and super franchise/license agreements to handling due diligence, security breaches, litigation and corporate governance matters, Haydee has directed organizations through a myriad of complex and challenging legal circumstances. As a member of McDonald’s Latin America and Great Lakes Division senior management team, she participated in the design and implementation of their strategic business plans regarding restaurant operations.

As the Chairperson and Chair of the Governance and Nominating Committee of the Board of Directors of Transact Technologies, Inc. (TACT: NASDAQ) and board member of The One Group Hospitality, Inc. (STKS: NASDAQ), Haydee contributes her expertise to discussions relating to key corporate initiatives, strategic and financial planning, enterprise risk, executive compensation and governance. She has also participated in discussions with key institutional investors. As chair of the governance and nominating committee, Haydee has interviewed candidates for select open board positions and has helped identify qualified candidates for board consideration. Haydee Is a member of the Board of Trustees at DePaul University (Chicago, IL) and a former member of the Board of Directors of the National Hispana Leadership Institute (Alexandria, VA), Illinois State Lottery Board, Resurrection High School (Chicago, IL) and Advisory Board member at Northern Illinois University College of Business, (Dekalb, IL), DePaul University Institute of Business and Professional Ethics (Chicago, IL) and Cristo Rey High School (Chicago, IL).

Education: Bachelor's and JD, DePaul University; Master's Degree, Duquesne University

Email: haydeeo1628@gmail.com

Bruce L. Ottley is a professor of law at DePaul University, where he has taught since 1978. He also directs the DePaul University/University College Dublin Cooperative Program, and serves as a co-director of the International Aviation Law Institute. Professor Ottley served as associate dean of the College of Law for nine years, acting dean in 2006 and interim dean during the 2014-2015 academic year.

Professor Ottley's areas of teaching include torts, civil procedure, remedies and products liability. He is the co-author of Illinois Tort Law (4th ed., LexisNexis 2011), Product Liability Law in Illinois (4th ed., Law Bulletin Publishing 2009), Understanding Products Liability Law (2d ed., LexisNexis 2013), and Arson Law and Prosecution (Carolina Academic Press 2009). He also worked with the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts for 20 years conducting seminars on tort law for Illinois judges.

Prior to joining DePaul, Professor Ottley was a member of the University of Papua New Guinea Faculty of Law from 1972 to 1977. While in Papua New Guinea, he also practiced law and was a judge of the National Capitol District Court from 1976 to 1977.

Education: Bachelor's Degree, University of Missouri-Kansas City; Master's Degree and JD, University of Iowa; LLM, Columbia University

Email: bottley@depaul.edu

Prior to teaching, Martha Pagliari was a partner at Cassiday Schade & Gloor practicing in the areas of medical malpractice, products liability, property damage, construction accidents, toxic torts and general negligence. She represented management in employment law cases before the federal courts, the EEOC, State of Illinois Department of Human Rights, Cook County Commission on Human Rights and the City of Chicago Commission on Human Relations. She is licensed to practice law in Illinois and is a member of the Federal Trial Bar. At DePaul, she teaches Legal Analysis, Research & Communication.

Education: Bachelor's Degree, University of Notre Dame; JD, DePaul University

Email: mpagliar@depaul.edu

Xareni is entering her third year of law school at DePaul. She is a member of DePaul University’s BA/JD 3+3 program. She received her undergraduate degree in Communication and Media with a minor in French. She also holds a certificate in Global Fluency. She is a First-Generation College graduate and Law Student. She is passionate about Intellectual Property Law and has experience working in immigration law. She enjoys being involved in her school community and creating a welcoming environment for incoming law students. She is the current President and former Secretary of the Latino Law Student Association and cares deeply about creating a path for Latinos in law.  She looks forward to meeting the students participating in the FGLP program and hopes to serves as a resource for them. 

Education: Bachelor’s Degree, DePaul University; 3L, DePaul University College of Law

Email: xpalacio@depaul.edu

2012-Present: Senior Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary, Loyola University Chicago

2006-2012: Associate, ArentFox Schiff LLP (formerly Schiff Hardin LLP)

Education: Bachelor’s Degree, University of Michigan; JD, DePaul University College of Law

Email: jschietinger@luc.edu

John A. (Jay) Stefani is the Managing Partner at Levinson and Stefani Injury Lawyers, a Chicago-based boutique firm concentrating on helping victims of truck and automobile crashes. He is active member of the American Association for Justice, the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, and the Chicago Bar Association.

Jay has been recognized as a Leading Lawyer for Illinois every year since 2018, and honored as an Illinois Super Lawyer each year since 2020 – including being listed on the Illinois Super Lawyer Top 100 for 2024.

A DePaul graduate (undergraduate and law school), Jay continues to be a part of the university acting as a mentor within the DePaul University and College of Law communities. He is a past President of the DePaul Law Alumni Engagement Board, and currently serves on the Dean’s Advisory Council.

Education: Bachelor's Degree and JD, DePaul University 

Email: jay@levinsonstefani.com

Raven Villegas is a graduate of DePaul College of Law (2019), where she earned a certificate in Public Interest Law and served as Vice President of BLSA. After graduating, she worked at Sidley Austin as a Staff Recruiting Coordinator and subsequently at Beacon Hill Legal Chicago as a Legal Staffing Consultant. Raven joined Perkins Coie in 2021 as the Legal Recruiting Coordinator for the Chicago and Madison offices, supporting the recruiting efforts for law students and lateral hires. Since joining, her responsibilities have expanded to include supporting Perkins Coie headquarters in Seattle and running the Chicago Summer Associate program.

Education: Bachelor's Degree, University of South Florida; JD, DePaul University 

Email: rvillegas@perkinscoie.com

Prior to joining DePaul, Anthony G. Volini was an associate at a Chicago intellectual property firm, where he primarily handled patent prosecution and infringement analyses in a variety of technology areas, including extrusion and other mechanical devices, plastics, household products, surgical navigation equipment and insecticides.  Volini is a member of DePaul’s Center for Intellectual Property Law & Information Technology (CIPLIT®).  He is an inventor on U.S. Patent 7,308,992, assigned to S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc., concerning aerosol actuating technology.

Since completing his M.S. in Cybersecurity, Volini has focused his scholarship and teaching on the intersection of technology and the law, and he regularly contributes to interdisciplinary initiatives between the law school and other DePaul colleges.

Education: Bachelor's Degree, Benedictine University; Master's Degree, DePaul University; JD, Loyola University Chicago

Email: avolini@depaul.edu

Education: Bachelor's Degree, Marquette University

Email: donovanjwalsh@gmail.com