Diversity, Inclusion & Self-Care: Los Angeles [Virtual Summit]

Yumna Daimee is a Director at Equinix in its Commercial Transactions Legal Department. She leads a team that handles a range of commercial and technological transactions and negotiations for Equinix customers & partners in the central-west regions of the US.  Yumna has previously worked in-house at other Silicon Valley technology companies in structuring, negotiating and closing deals. Previously, Yumna has sat on the board of a local minority bar association, and has spent her spare time volunteering and raising funds for local, domestic and international charity and civil rights causes. Yumna received her J.D. from Southwestern School of Law, and her B.A. from UC Berkeley, and is licensed to practice law in California.  

Mira Wolff is Chief Human Resources Officer and General Counsel for Venbrook Group, LLC. Venbrook operates a portfolio of privately held insurance organizations engaged in the the major insurance marketplace platforms including: retail brokerage, wholesale and MGA, underwriting, reinsurance, and third party claims administration. In this role, Mira has management responsibility for Human Resources, Legal, Facilities and Administration and is responsible for upgrading the Human Resources and Legal infrastructure to support growth through acquisitions while creating and implementing programs to support a great company culture.

Mira’s 28 year career includes a wealth of experience as both a human resources executive and legal counsel. Prior to joining Venbrook, Mira served as Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Legal for Confie Seguros, a nationwide insurance distribution company (known for the brand name “Freeway Insurance”). Other prior roles have included Head of HR positions for two Software/Technology companies, Senior Director of HR and Senior Counsel- Litigation and Employment for online retailer Newegg.com, in addition to In House Counsel and HR roles with two national retail mortgage lender and brokerage companies.

During her tenure at Confie, Mira was responsible for leading and building nationwide and international Human Resources (US and Mexico), leading and building the company’s first full service in-house Legal Department and Talent Acquisition Departments, and growing the Payroll Department to accommodate 23 employer subsidiaries. Mira was instrumental in helping Confie to grow from 1500 to 4500 employees while supporting over 80 acquisitions through due diligence and integration. Other major accomplishments included: Sales Recruiting Pilot Program, Leadership Training Program in Tijuana; Supervisor 101 training for district and branch managers nationwide; member of the Quality Initiative Team that created the WE CARE philosophy, programs, and annual awards; and implementation of a goal and metric based Performance Management Program.

Mira earned a Juris Doctorate from Southwestern Law School and a Bachelor’s Degree (Theatre Arts) and Human Resources Management Certificate from California State University, Long Beach.

Funmi Akinmulero is an entertainment transactions attorney, with over six years in the entertainment industry across the areas of intellection property, corporate law, film and television production, and digital marketing. Funmi currently works in Business Affairs at Apple, Inc., on the marketing side of its music service in the areas of licensing and original production. Funmi’s experience includes work at major and independent entertainment, marketing and start-up companies. Prior to Apple, she worked in Legal Affairs at Disney-ABC Television Group and served as In-House Counsel for a marketing and manufacturing company.

Funmi received her Juris Doctorate from Drake University School of Law and is licensed to practice in the State of California. While she is now happy to call herself a Southern Californian, Funmi was born in London, England and immigrated to the United States as a teenager. As an immigrant and a woman of color, Funmi has long taken a keen interest in examining and navigating inequitable power structures in professional spaces and in the media. As a law student, Funmi interned with the Des Moines NAACP Legal Redress Committee working on racial discrimination cases in the hiring of local firefighters.

Funmi is affiliated with several diversity-led organizations and bar associations in LA, currently sitting on the Emerging Leaders Board of the Association of Music and Entertainment Counsel. Her work in these organizations includes mentoring college and law students from underrepresented communities. 

Christianne Kerns is the Managing Partner of Hahn & Hahn LLP, a full service law firm based in Southern California. In addition, she currently sits on the Boards of Five Acres (Board Chair 2018-2020; Board 2013 to present) and the Hastings Foundation (2019 to present). She previously sat on the Board of Villa Esperanza Services (2002-2008) and the Commission leading Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (2001-2005).

As Managing Partner of Hahn & Hahn, she provides strategic leadership, direction, business development and operational responsibility with dedication and integrity. Responsibilities include hiring and management issues, partnership issues, branding and business development efforts, all aspects of finance, accounting and budgeting, and developing and strategically overseeing implementation of Risk Management and Human Resources policies and processes. Her experience includes organizational/strategic planning and direction, consensus building, decisive problem solving, strategic advice and counsel and financial acumen.

With more than 30 years of experience as a business lawyer, her legal representation focuses primarily in the areas of real estate, finance and general business matters. She is a trusted Board Member and Advisor to boards of directors, equity holders, and C-suite executives with a track record of identifying and effectively addressing strategic and operational challenges with the overarching goal of optimizing results, value, and return on investment. Expertise includes Board Governance and organizational structuring. She is skilled at calmly assessing a wide range of complex data, goals, points of view, and ideas from a wide range of stakeholders to help executive teams create solutions to business challenges.

Chris was named as one of Los Angeles’ most influential female lawyers by the Los Angeles Business Journal in 2018 and 2019.

Chris earned her J.D. at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, and completed Harvard Business School’s Women on Boards: Succeeding as a Corporate Director Program. She lives in Pasadena, California, with her husband Charlie; they have two adult children.

Tracey Lesetar-Smith was named General Counsel and Senior Vice President of NASCAR in September of 2019.  In that role, she oversees all legal and public affairs operations for the company, including its three national competition series and international operations.  Prior to NASCAR, Lesetar-Smith was General Counsel and Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs for Bellator MMA, a Viacom property. She played an integral role in Bellator’s emergence as one of the world’s fastest-growing sports organizations, broadcast in 145 countries throughout the world, including on Paramount Network and DAZN in the United States.  She served as the primary business and legal affairs executive for Bellator MMA, Bellator Kickboxing, and other Viacom combat sports programming and events, including oversight over all fighter and talent contracts, in-show sponsorships, production, venues, negotiations, litigation, immigration, intellectual property/licensing, digital and social media content, regulatory/boxing commission matters, and global distribution. Lesetar-Smith was the first and only woman to ever serve as General Counsel for an MMA promoter in the history of the sport. She is a graduate of The George Washington University Law School and received her B.A. from Duke University.

Victoria Friedman is an IP attorney specializing in client counseling, procurement, and management of intellectual property. Her day-to-day practice involves patent and trademark preparation and prosecution, opinions of counsel, portfolio strategy and management, licensing, business transactions and much more. Her technical background is in Computer Information Systems and her patent practice primarily focuses on software, telecommunications, computer, search, email, and social network arts.

In her trademark practice, she manages international portfolios for top global brands in various industries. Friedman is one of a handful of attorneys who have been successful in registering a color mark. She enjoys developing and implementing efficient, practical solutions to her clients’ IP challenges.

Victoria Friedman speaks English and Russian and has been active in the field of IP since 2003.

Julie R. F. Gerchik is a partner in the Litigation Department at Glaser Weil. Ms. Gerchik litigates all types of complex commercial matters including financial institution matters, securities litigation and regulatory matters, real estate and developer disputes, technology and IP matters, and entertainment matters. She has considerable experience in all aspects of motion practice, discovery, mediation and both trial and arbitration work in both federal and state court.

Ms. Gerchik represents major domestic and international financial institutions, private equity firms, hedge funds, financial advisory firms, and currently or has represented JP Morgan Chase, Deutsche Bank, Societe Generale, the Carlyle Group and the Yucaipa Companies. 

She also has successfully defended accounting firms in civil litigation, including  Ernst  & Young  LLP,  Deloitte & Touche  LLP and KPMG LLP.  Ms. Gerchik has represented numerous other clients not mentioned here. 

Additionally, Ms. Gerchik has experience in litigating matters involving skilled nursing affiliates, the affordable housing industry, trade associations, the music industry, video game companies, the entertainment industry, and property developers and property management companies.

Over the course of Ms. Gerchik’s career she has been involved in a wide range of pro bono matters, including supervising the Holocaust reparations project, drafting the Bill of Rights for a newly created government, leading the representation of a group of low-income individuals in a slumlord action and guardianship cases.

Prior to joining Glaser Weil, Ms. Gerchik practiced with Latham & Watkins in Los Angeles for more than  decade. Ms. Gerchik is also a dual citizen of both the United States and Great Britain, and is admitted to both the California and New York bars.

Ms. Gerchik is a member of the Board of Governors of the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, a member of the Executive Committee of the Litigation Section of Los Angeles County Bar Association, is past Co-Chair of the Executive Committee of the Bet Tzedek New Leadership Council and a current member, and previously was appointed to the Los Angeles County Bar Access to Justice Committee. Additionally, Ms. Gerchik is a member of the Litigation Section of the American Bar Association and the Association of Business Trial Lawyers.