Daniel K.
5.0
(41)
Admissions Committee at Stanford Law School
Hiring Manager at Latham & Watkins
Available Sunday at 2:00 PM UTC
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About Daniel
Daniel Khalessi served as President of the Stanford Law Review and is a startup and venture capital lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP in San Francisco. He is passionate about helping others turn their personal experiences into powerful stories and achieve their dreams. Having lost his Dad at a young age, Daniel understands what it is like to overcome challenges. A product of Bay Area public schools, Daniel earned a B.A. from Stanford, M.A. in Global Affairs from Yale, M.A. in Economics (China Studies) from Peking University, and his J.D. from Stanford Law School, where he served as a Teaching Assistant in constitutional law and earned prizes for outstanding performance. He previously worked as a startup lawyer at Latham & Watkins LLP and as a China analyst at Harvard's Belfer Center.
Work Experience
Attorney
Latham & Watkins
October 2022 - June 2025
Advise founders, startups, and venture capital clients as a member of the firm's Emerging Companies & Growth Practice. Represent startups through the entire corporate life cycle, from formation through exit. Industry specializations include defense tech, artificial intelligence, and video games. Maintain an active pro bono practice, representing clients ranging from refugees to small businesses. Previously served as a Latham Law Preview Scholar, 1L Summer Associate, 2L Summer Associate, 3L Law Clerk, and Latham Ambassador.
President
Stanford Law Review
January 2021 - June 2022
Admissions Committee
Elected by my peers to serve as President of Stanford Law School’s flagship peer-reviewed law journal. Served as Editor-in-Chief, providing substantive edits to articles by lawyers, legal scholars, and jurists on subjects ranging from corporate governance to presidential power. Subscribers included lawyers, judges, law professors, and all nine sitting Supreme Court Justices. Managed team of 127 editors and published 6 issues. Ran 30+ executive board meetings and managed relations between the journal, legal scholars, and Stanford’s Office of the General Counsel. Led the journal during the COVID-19 pandemic and skillfully navigated disagreements between progressive and conservative students and scholars.
Head Research Associate to Graham Allison
Harvard Kennedy School
July 2017 - July 2019
Hiring Manager
Served as Chief of Staff to Graham Allison, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense and Founding Dean of the Harvard Kennedy School. Managed nine full-time researchers analyzing U.S. policy toward China, Russia, and North Korea. Traveled with Dr. Allison on domestic and international trips and prepared policy memoranda for senior U.S. government officials. Increased research output by 30%. Delivered 5+ briefings per week to Dr. Allison on issues spanning defense, intelligence, and emerging technology.
CEO
Public Lobby
July 2015 - June 2017
Hiring Manager
Co-founded a mobile app that served as a bipartisan, digital town hall. Led team from idea-phase through product launch. Recruited eccentric founding team, including a nuclear submariner, an artist, political organizer, and Stanford Computer Science graduates. Recruited a world class Advisory Board, including General Stanley McChrystal (Ret.), Governor Howard Dean, Dr. Amy Zegart, and Dr. Lanhee Chen.
Education
Stanford Law School
Doctor of Law - JD
2019 - 2022
Activities and societies: President, Stanford Law Review; President, Stanford Law Democrats; John Hart Ely Prizes for Outstanding Performance; Teaching Assistant in Constitutional Law; Franke Fellow in Global Business Law; Research Assistant to Professor Bernadette Meyler
Peking University
Master's Degree (M.A.), Economics & Management (China Studies)
2015 - 2017
Selected as 1 of 20 Americans and 1 of 100 scholars globally for the inaugural class of the Yenching Scholars Program, a global leadership program at China’s premier university. Research on China’s venture capital and startup sector.
Yale University
Master of Arts (M.A.), Global Affairs
2013 - 2015
Activities and societies: Brady-Johnson Program in Grand Strategy; Merit Scholarship; Teaching Assistant for three courses, including to Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean; traveled across the Silk Road for independent capstone project
Stanford University
Bachelor's Degree (B.A.), International Relations
2009 - 2013
Stanford Award of Excellence (top 10% of graduating class), Firestone Medal (best thesis in department), Stanford-in-Oxford, Stanford-in-Washington, Undergraduate Senate; Research for Former U.S. Secretary of Defense William J. Perry; Directed Reading with Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
University of Oxford
Study-Abroad, Military History
2012 - 2012
Stanford Bing Overseas Studies Program; Oxford Union Debating Society
41 Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
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