Office of Professional Affairs Administration

Welcome to the Professional Affairs Administration (PAA) page. Our offices oversee the Law School's professional, graduate, and executive education programs. 

The PAA team manages a number of broad initiatives including Columbia Summer Funding, and also has administrative oversight of a number of systems and technology solutions utilized by our students and staff. To see a list of the departments that fall within PAA’s purview, scroll to the bottom of the page. 

Our vision is to connect all of the offices under PAA, and to build a foundation of trust and transparency. We recognize the humanity in each other and deeply appreciate the diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences that each of us brings to the Law School. Above all, we want to create an efficient and harmonious culture for the benefit of all staff and students.

We would love to hear from you!

Department Services

To contact student-facing administrative departments, please follow the links below.

  • Office of Private Sector Careers

    Danielle Schweiloch, Assistant Dean
    Private sector career advising for students and grads, On Campus Interviews (OCI), the Early Interview Program (EIP)/Early Application Program (EAP), and the LL.M. Job Fair. 

  • Office of Graduate Degree Programs

    Julie Sculli, Assistant Dean
    Admissions, advising, and student services for students in the full-year LL.M., Executive LL.M. in Global Business Law, and JSD programs.

  • Office of Judicial Careers

    Advising and application assistance for students and grads seeking judicial clerkships and summer judicial internships. 

  • Office of Public Interest/Public Service Law and Careers

    Erica Smock, Assistant Dean
    Public sector career advising (public interest, government, and human rights) and administration of the Max Berger ’71 Public Interest/Public Service Fellows Program, Human Rights Internship (HRIP) and pro bono programs.

  • Executive Education

    Executive education offerings on a variety of topics for attorneys, summer associates, and other professionals whose work has a legal component.

Contact Us

Petal Modeste

Petal Modeste

  • Associate Dean for Professional Affairs Administration
Brian Juergens

Brian Juergens

  • Director of Operations and Planning
SK headshot

Sherien Khonsari

  • Digital and Communications Strategy Lead
Pamela Escano Headshot

Pamela Escano

  • Continuing Legal & Executive Education Officer
Iliana Ortega

Iliana Ortega

  • Assistant Director of Summer Funding