Many students at the Syracuse University College of Law aim to work as general counsel at some point in their careers. And, while most have a sense of what that job title entails, Syracuse University College of Law students who participated in the General Counsel Symposium, sponsored by the Corporate Law Society (CLS) in Dineen Hall, had a unique opportunity to network and gain face-to-face insights from prestigious alumni and guests willing to share their own experiences working as general counsel for leading corporations around the globe.
“Every single alumnus I reached out to said ‘yes’—a true testament to the Orange alumni network.”
—Brett VanBuren L’25
The concept started last February when Brett VanBuren L’25, president of the CLS, proposed the idea of organizing a General Counsel Symposium to Lily Yan Hughes, assistant dean of career services and student experiences. After getting the green light, VanBuren and his team of Nicholas Troia L’25, Gabriella Amaturo L’25 and Dana Krinsky L’25, as well as Director of Alumni Relations Adrienne Lutz, started to assemble a diverse lineup of alumni and a few others with outstanding experience working as general counsel.
“Every single alumnus I reached out to said ‘yes’—a true testament to the Orange alumni network” said VanBuren.
Alumni Paired With Student Organizations on Current Issues
Early in the day, alumni and other guests were paired with various Syracuse Law student organizations based on areas of interest and expertise.
Students from the Bankruptcy Clinic had the opportunity to meet with Melanie Gray L’81, former chair, Syracuse University College of Law Advisory Board and Syracuse University trustee, who practiced complex commercial law and was lead attorney on behalf of Enron during its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, which, at the time, was the largest corporate bankruptcy in U.S. history.
Leslie Park L’95, assistant general counsel and senior vice president, legal & business affairs, Hallmark Media, explained some of the challenges faced by her company, primarily due to its extensive movie library, to the Entertainment and Sports Law Society (ESLS). “Leslie Park provided such an eye-opening perspective on the different ways in which the law intersects with the entertainment industry,” said Krinsky, president of the ESLS. “She shared candid advice about how to break into the industry and truly took the time to listen to members’ goals and respond with tailored recommendations.
A former lead articles editor of Syracuse Law Review, Aaron Tidman L’07 met with current editors outlining his non-traditional career path that eventually led him to his current work as assistant general counsel and director of compliance at Pinterest.
Rebecca Peters ’00 MPA (MAX), L’00, director of public policy, semiconductor policy, Samsung, met with the Women’s Law Student Association for a conversation about her own career path, along with changes being made in the legal profession today.
Jim Dixon, retired senior vice president and chief legal officer, RWE Clean Energy, met with students from the Veterans Law Society and the Environmental Law Society. “We were allotted about 30 minutes, but Jim conversed with us for over an hour-and-a-half,” said Luke Overdyk ’22 (Falk), L’26. “Much of our career pursuit is internet based, and it can be difficult to navigate. It was encouraging to hear from a professional like Jim in person and speak candidly. He welcomed our many questions and offered his best advice for aspiring environmental lawyers.”
Panel Discussions Gave Students Practical Insight From Prestigious Thought Leaders
In the afternoon, Syracuse Law Dean Terence J. Lau L’98 welcomed attendees to the Melanie Gray Ceremonial Courtroom.
“This symposium is an outstanding example of the bonds that Syracuse Law forges between students, alumni and industry partners through mentorships that span generations and philanthropy that opens doors for the next wave of legal minds,” said Lau. “To our students here today—look around. These accomplished professionals were once where you are now. And, they’re here today because they believe in you and your potential to change the world.”
Following the dean’s remarks, four discussion sessions were offered to students, including Syracuse Law’s JDinteractive (JDi) students, who were able to participate through a livestream. Each session was comprised of a panel of several alumni or other guests with specific expertise as general counsel. These sessions included:
Welcome to In-House: The Role of General Counsel with panelists Dixon, Mary Snyder L’02, executive vice president & general counsel, SRC; and Prashanth “PJ” Jayachandran ’98 MPA, L’98, senior vice president & chief supply chain counsel, Colgate-Palmolive, and a distinguished lecturer at Syracuse Law. This session helped clearly define what a general counsel does, as well as understand how a solid knowledge of business can influence senior leadership by offering new ideas or measures that mitigate risk.
Getting to the Boardroom: The Path to In-House Success with panelists Park, Tidman and Kris Kiefer L’05, assistant general counsel and director, National Grid. Many students attending this session were interested in hearing about what companies are looking for when hiring a general counsel, as well as the importance of developing excellent soft skills, like listening, communicating and wanting to do the right thing.
Legal Competency in Tech: Let’s Talk Semiconductors with panelists Peters and Richard Thurston, current chairman, CEO and chief legal officer, Hudson Valley Fast Fab; founder of RLT Global, a semiconductor consulting firm, and retired senior vice president, general counsel, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., was particularly valuable, as the Syracuse community prepares for Micron Technologies to build a $100 billion chip manufacturing facility in Central New York.
Leadership Challenges: Handling the Best and the Worst Days of a Company with panelists Gray and Hughes, who, before joining Syracuse Law, was a former chief legal officer at Arrow Electronics and vice president and associate, general counsel for corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions at Ingram Micro, a former Fortune 100 New York Stock Exchange-listed company. Students heard how every successful career comes with some mistakes along the way and were encouraged to “own up to it and disclose it,” by Hughes, who said most problems have solutions if they are identified quickly.
Evening Session Focused on Negotiations, Competition
After a reception where students were able to further engage with participating alumni and guests, Jeff Gewirtz, executive vice president, business affairs chief legal officer, Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment Global, Zoomed in from New York City to speak to the group on negotiations, as well as how his law degree has set him up for success in the business world.
Bringing the day to a close was the final round of the inaugural Corporate Law Society’s Business Negotiation Competition (BNC), sponsored by local firm Bousquet Holstein. Two teams of law students who made it through to this final round negotiated a real world business scenario in front of judges that included Gray, Park and Thurston.
Sixteen competitors in teams of two participated in the BNC, which is a hallmark of Syracuse Law’s intercollegiate advocacy competitions. Through three preliminary rounds held earlier in the month, students worked on fictitious legal scenarios until two teams made it to the finals. Austin Dewey L’26 and Gregory Patrick L’26 went head-to-head against Krinsky and James Cameron III L’25 in a scenario involving negotiating a new terminal, additional routes and a percentage of local hires for an airline establishing a new hub. In the end, the team of Cameron and Krinsky walked away with the win.
Overall, the first General Counsel Symposium was a great accomplishment, according to VanBuren. “I think it was a success thanks to the openness of our alumni who were willing to share their own stories,” he said. “I knew every one of them was going to be a hit, as each person not only has already had an accomplished career but was honest, passionate and humorous. I think the outcome of the day was witnessing how wide-ranging the work of a general counsel can be. There was something for everyone—from employment law to legal ethics to emerging technology. I hope the General Council Symposium continues to happen every year and only grows in impact.”
