Event

6th Annual CUBE Innovators Competition

Blank Rome LLP is proud to be a sponsor of the 6th Annual Center for Urban Business Entrepreneurship at Brooklyn Law School (“CUBE”) Innovators Invitational, a legal tech startup competition for New York City-area law students that will be held from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 11, in the Moot Court Room at Brooklyn Law School. The competition will be followed by a reception to honor the winners.

Andrea J. Markstrom, Blank Rome’s Chief Information Officer, will join a panel of judges composed of seasoned industry professionals, entrepreneurs, and investors to evaluate the legal tech proposals put forth by this year’s nine competing teams from Brooklyn Law School, Cardozo School of Law, Cornell Tech, and Fordham University School of Law. The final submissions will include a five-page proposal or business plan and an accompanying five-minute pitch or presentation, that a) identifies a problem in legal practice, legal administration, or lawmaking, and b) proposes an innovative technological solution or approach that effectively and feasibly addresses the problem presented. The winning team will receive $10,000 in funding as well as receive Brooklyn Law Incubator and Policy Clinic support to help launch their winning legal tech venture.

In addition to Andrea’s role as a judge for this competition, Blank Rome attorneys Ory Apelboim, Morgan Barry, Greg Cronin, Andrew Hambelton, Brian William Higgins, Michael Lupton, Nick Tambone, and Rachel Sims, as well as professional staff members Ori Portnoy, Erica Rovinsky, and Josh Troy, served as mentors to the competing law school students and teams, offering ongoing guidance and input into their proposals to help them succeed with their final pitches.

“I am thrilled to serve as a judge for this year’s CUBE Innovators Invitational, and that our Firm’s attorneys and professional staff have been so actively involved in mentoring and guiding the students in preparation for the final competition,” said Andrea. “Blank Rome is committed to advancing innovative legal tech platforms and programs such as the CUBE Innovators Invitational, to not only meaningfully engage law students in forward-thinking and technology-driven industries, but to also help launch new business development prospects and opportunities across the legal industry.”

CUBE offers global opportunities for students to work with businesses, startups, and social entrepreneurs; consultation sessions with small businesses in Brooklyn; networking events that give students the “Brooklyn-edge” in their career paths; and programs such as the CUBE Innovators Invitational. Its three core functions are to train lawyers to represent entrepreneurs and startups, fuel economic growth and development in Brooklyn, and innovate legal education for the 21st century.