Antitrust and Consumer Protection
Mentorship, Community, and Growth: Highlights from CLA’s Summer Mixers
Eliot Adelson, Chair of the New Lawyers Committee, Antitrust & Consumer Protection Section Executive Committee
This summer marked a milestone for the California Lawyers Association’s Antitrust and Consumer Protection Section as we hosted our largest and most successful Summer Mixers to date. Designed to bring together summer associates, law students, and new lawyers (those in their first eight years of practice), the San Francisco and Los Angeles events offered a unique opportunity to connect with fellow practitioners. Hosted by the Antitrust and Competition Law Section’s New Lawyers Committee, the mixers offered a way to build relationships and explore the dynamic field of Antitrust and Consumer Protection law. Attendees had the opportunity to learn about the Section’s Mentorship Program, which pairs newer attorneys with seasoned practitioners to foster professional development and long-term career growth in our important area of practice. A standout moment from this year’s mixers was the speech by Tom Dahdouh, recipient of the 2025 Antitrust and Consumer Protection Lawyer of the Year Award. This honor recognizes Tom’s extraordinary contributions to the field of antitrust and competition law. Tom spoke passionately about the importance of antitrust and consumer protection law in a well-functioning democracy.
Events like our mixers reflect the Antitrust and Competition Law section’s commitment to supporting its members, including its newest members, through meaningful connections, educational programming, and initiatives like the Mentorship Program. The section will soon award the 2025 New Lawyers to Watch Award, given to lawyers in the first eight years of practice who have exhibited outstanding achievements in the practice of antitrust and consumer protection. We are accepting nominations through August 22. We are grateful to everyone who helped make the summer mixers such a success, and look forward to seeing you at future events.
We are also deeply grateful to all the sponsors whose generous support made these summer mixers possible. Their contributions enable us to continue fostering an inclusive, welcoming, and dynamic community for new lawyers and students interested in antitrust and consumer protection law. Special thanks to our Platinum Sponsors — Axinn, Baker McKenzie, Hausfeld and Morrison Foerster for their leadership and commitment to our mission. We also sincerely thank our Gold Sponsors – Cleary Gottlieb and Vinson & Elkins, and Silver Sponsors – Steno, Benesch, Joseph Saveri Law Firm, Wilson Sonsini, Wolf Haldenstein and Crowell & Mooring; for helping make these events a success. With their support, we’re able to provide meaningful opportunities for mentorship, connection, and professional development. We look forward to building on this momentum and continuing to grow our community in the years ahead.
Finally, we interviewed our talented 2025-2026 Diversity Equity and Inclusion Fellows about their experience at our Summer Mixers, which highlights the meaningful connections and sense of community that can result from bringing people together.
Shriya is a rising 2L at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. She went to UC Berkeley for her undergraduate studies as well, where she earned a B.A. in Political Science. In between college and law school, she worked as a Paralegal Specialist at the US Department of Justice, Antitrust Division. At the Division, she had the privilege of working on historic antitrust cases like US v. Google and US v. Hee which not only inspired her, but also fueled her continuing passion for antitrust work. She is excited to build on her experiences as a CLA Inclusion and Diversity Fellow, and eventually pursue a career in antitrust and unfair competition law.
Can you share a memorable experience from the Summer Mixer that highlights the collegial atmosphere of the event?
There were a few attorneys I had connected with over the phone before the mixer, but when I saw them in person at the mixer, they were very quick to introduce themselves and start a conversation with me, which was incredibly kind. All of the attorneys I spoke with at the mixer were so happy to share and impart wisdom, and be so honest and frank with their advice. It was so refreshing and made the event feel very collegial.
Can you describe a conversation or interaction at the mixer that left a lasting impression on you?
I remember when I first got to the mixer, I did not recognize anyone at the event, so I went up to a group of strangers and introduced myself. Immediately, they were friendly, warm, and kind, and wanted to get to know me and hear about my story. I was so grateful for their welcoming attitude, and it set a great tone for the rest of the evening.
What did you enjoy most about the atmosphere and organization of the summer mixer?
The atmosphere of the mixer was very approachable and friendly overall, which was my favorite part. Law students and attorneys alike were seamlessly mixing and chatting. I also enjoyed getting to hear speeches from some of the more experienced attorneys, especially their reassurance during more politically unpredictable times.
Eugene is a rising 2L at the University of California, Davis School of Law, where he is a member of two academic journals: Business Law Journal, and the Journal of International Law and Policy. Born in Accra, Ghana, Eugene immigrated to the United States under the green card lottery, and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2015. Eugene graduated from The George Washington University with a bachelor’s degree (double major) in Political Science and French. He also worked as a Business Immigration Paralegal for almost 9 years prior to law school and served on pro bono projects related to domestic violence, immigration relief, war veterans, and commercial liability and insurance. His interest in antitrust is informed by his experiences working with corporate and individual clients to navigate immigration sponsorship regulations and compliance, and volunteering at a legal clinic for small businesses and nonprofits.
What, if any, opportunities for collaboration or mentorship arose from your participation in the summer mixer?
I met an incoming law student considering a career in antitrust law. I shared my experience as a CLA fellow thus far, including the mentorship that I have received in navigating a career in this field, and how I have been able to tap into a collegial atmosphere of practitioners in state and federal government, private law firms, and in-house legal departments. Ultimately, I encouraged them to apply for the CLA fellowship, and we exchanged contact information so I could be a resource throughout the application process and beyond!
Did you learn anything new about consumer protection or antitrust law from people you met at the mixer?
I learned that there are also firms that do both plaintiff-side and defense-side work in antitrust, which can provide insight for different approaches to handling complex matters and settlement negotiations.
[Headshot of Meher Mann]
Meher is a rising 2L at the University of Michigan Law School. Meher is an Associate Editor of Michigan Law Review, a student attorney with the Sentence Commutation Project, and a Guardian Ad Litem in custody cases through the Child Advocacy Clinic. Meher graduated from UC Berkeley with a B.A. in Global Studies and a B.S. in Society and Environment. After graduating, she was an Investigator at the Mintz Group, where she conducted due diligence and fraud investigations, and supported litigation involving corporate misconduct. Meher’s experience in corporate investigations, along with her interest in the intersection of unfair competition laws and environmental issues led her to explore antitrust law.
In what ways did the summer mixer help you feel more connected to the antitrust law community?
The atmosphere at the summer mixer was incredibly friendly, welcoming, and collegial. It was great to see all sorts of lawyers greeting each other like old friends and making new connections. Everyone I met was genuine and eager to learn more about each other. I feel much more connected to the antitrust law community after experiencing this atmosphere. Prior to the mixer, the antitrust bar felt like an abstract and removed concept, but after attending the mixer, I felt a sense of community and comradery with like-minded people. It made me really look forward to seeing these people down the line, whether it be as colleagues, opposing counsel, or at future mixers.
Can you provide an example of how the networking opportunities at the mixer have benefited you since the event? Have you reached out to anybody since meeting them at the Summer Mixer?
At the mixer, I connected with a law school classmate whom I had only met once before. The mixer was a great opportunity to get to know each other and helped us realize how much we have in common. Since then, we have met up several times for happy hours with each other’s co-interns and developed a great friendship. I likely wouldn’t have connected with her if it weren’t for the mixer!