Applied Improvisation for Lawyers

Jennifer Chou is a Partner in Peiffer Wolf Carr Kane Conway & Wise, LLP’s Los Angeles office.  She works primarily in the firm’s IVF Clinic/Fertility Misconduct practice group.    

Jennifer graduated with Honors from Stanford University with a Bachelor’s Degree in English in 2000, a Master’s Degree in English in 2001, and a J.D. with distinction in 2005.  Following law school, she clerked for the Honorable Barry G. Silverman on the Ninth Circuit United States Court of Appeals. Subsequently, Jennifer worked as an attorney on Hillary Rodham Clinton’s first Presidential campaign and in private practice as a litigator.  Jennifer later served for over 17 years in Los Angeles as an Assistant United States Attorney with the United States Attorney’s Office in the Central District of California.  As a federal prosecutor with the Violent and Organized Crime Section she promoted public safety and sought justice for victims of crime by investigating and trying complex cases involving RICO, gangs, firearms, drug trafficking, child exploitation, sexual assault, and murder. Jennifer served as a Deputy Chief in the General Crimes Section and has briefed and argued numerous appeals before the Ninth Circuit.

Jennifer teaches trial advocacy at USC Gould School of Law.  She also teaches applied improvisation at law schools and offers professional improv workshops for all industries. 

Jennifer is a member of numerous professional associations, including the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, the Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association, and the American Constitution Society.  She is an active volunteer with the Stanford Alumni Association, and she has served as a trustee for non-profit and independent schools.  

In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys spending time with her family, baking, jogging, and performing improv with her group, Now Town, known for its annual winter improv show.

Paul Marchegiani is a Los Angeles-based performance coach, former entertainment lawyer and BigLaw litigator, and Founder/CEO of Vox Vera, LLC.

Prior to launching Vox Vera, Paul worked for over 15 years in Hollywood as a studio executive and dealmaker at Warner Bros., NBCUniversal, Miramax, and Amazon Studios, leading business and legal affairs teams, advising top producers, showrunners, and studio heads, and negotiating rights and talent deals for film and television stars, writers, directors, casting directors, and producers. Paul began his legal career as a litigator at Orrick and Morrison & Foerster in San Francisco after receiving his J.D. from U.C. Berkeley and a B.A. (History) and B.Mus. (Voice & Opera) from Northwestern University.

Paul is an experienced stage performer with credits ranging from classical (LA Opera, SF Symphony Chorus, Chicago Symphony Chorus) to jazz, theatre (Ensemble Shakespeare Company), and improvisation (Groundlings, UCB, Impro Theatre, Second City, Studio ACT). Paul has studied acting at Northwestern, Juilliard’s Summer Drama Intensive, and Studio ACT, and is the only U.S. lawyer and senior business executive to hold a P.R.A. teaching certification from world-renowned voice, presence, and Shakespeare coach Patsy Rodenburg. 

In addition to his consulting, coaching, and entertainment industry work, Paul frequently speaks at conferences and organizations nationwide, and develops and teaches popular and highly-rated courses on communication skills and public speaking at top law schools, including Stanford Law School, Berkeley Law, and the University of Chicago Law School.