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Bar Exam Decoded: J.D. Alternative

Meet our Panelists:

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Laura Picott, JD
Senior Strategy Manager
Corporate Strategy, UPS

Laura Picott ("Pico") is a business and legal strategist with more than a decade of experience advising C-suite leaders across Fortune 50, 100, and 200 companies. She is recognized for her expertise in crisis management, international business operations, and strategic legal insights that bridge compliance with enterprise growth. Laura currently serves as the Global Healthcare Sales Operations Supervisor for UPS Healthcare, a $14 billion enterprise. In this role, she partners with the President of Global Healthcare Sales to align strategy, performance, and global business priorities across more than 430 sellers worldwide. She also manages an international team of analysts and administrative professionals supporting business operations and strategic initiatives.

Throughout her tenure at UPS, Laura has worked across several divisions-including UPS Legal-building a unique cross-functional perspective that integrates business strategy, legal compliance, and operational excellence. Her legal experience extends to The Coca-Cola Company, where she supported the global privacy and cybersecurity teams, and Tractor Supply Company, where she designed and delivered legal training for business professionals and drafted commercial and licensing agreements to strengthen corporate compliance initiatives. A proud Double Dawg, Laura obtained a bachelor's degree in Economics from the Terry College of Business and a bachelor's degree in Political Science from the School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Georgia. She holds a Juris Doctor from Mercer University School of Law.

Laura's leadership and impact have been recognized through numerous awards and speaking engagements. Most notably, she is a 2024 Terry Trailblazer Award recipient-one of only four alumni honored annually by the Dean of the Terry College of Business at The University of Georgia. She is among the youngest recipients in the program's history and the second legal professional to receive this distinction. The award celebrates graduates who exemplify professional excellence and make meaningful contributions to their organizations and communities.

She has served as a featured speaker and panelist for programs including the Eversheds Sutherland Scholars Program, UGA Women in the Workplace Mentorship Dinner, and the Minority Student Success Conference, where she shares her passion for mentorship, leadership, and empowering the next generation of leaders.

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Amber Payne
Senior Law Fellow, Vanderbilt University Office of the General Counsel

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Amber Payne is a proud Chicago native but made Nashville her new home after she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Policy Studies and Spanish from Vanderbilt University. She received her Juris Doctor from Belmont University. In her role as a Senior Law Fellow in Vanderbilt University’s Office of the General Counsel (OGC), Amber Payne supports the office by drafting agreements, advising on legal matters related to university operations, conducting legal research on a wide array of topics, and collaborating on special and strategic projects for the university. She primarily works with the university’s athletics department on matters involving student name, image, and likeness (NIL), and partners closely with the university’s brand team on intellectual property issues, including brand protection and related strategy. Amber’s unique experience as a Vanderbilt alumna has been instrumental developing sound university policies, fostering partnerships, and advancing the university’s mission.
Amber is admitted to practice law in Tennessee. Amber is also fluent in Spanish. In her free time, she enjoys experimenting in the kitchen or taking dance lessons.

Ariel Jefferson is a compliance professional with a Juris Doctorate, dual compliance certifications (CCEP and CHPC), and over a decade of experience in healthcare regulatory compliance, privacy oversight, and health law application across major hospital systems and managed care organizations.

Ariel Jefferson, JD, CCEP, CHC
Compliance Manager, Piedmont 

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The Southern Region of the Black Law Students Association ("SRBLSA") is a regional affiliate of the National Black Law Students Association (“NBLSA”), a student-run, national organization formed to articulate and promote the needs and goals of Black law students.

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