Randy Haimovici L’00 has always challenged himself to find his passion. A self-admitted “average” student in high school, he joined the California Army National Guard and made a deal with himself: never get below a 3.0 GPA at the University of California, Davis, or join the military full time — the latter something he wasn’t eager to do.
Haimovici rose to the challenge, earning his undergraduate degree at UC Davis and setting his sights on a new goal. Believing he could make a greater impact by helping people through the law, he left the West Coast and enrolled at Syracuse University College of Law with plans to become a litigator.
“It was a practical way to interact with the world, have an exciting career, and still enjoy pro bono work and helping people,” he says. “I’ve never regretted becoming a lawyer.”
That path eventually led him to one of the most transformative companies of the 21st century: Uber. Today, Haimovici serves as associate general counsel, litigation and regulatory, for Uber, and, as of September, he is also a new member of the College of Law’s Board of Advisors.
Looking back at his law school foundation, he credits Syracuse Law’s Moot Court and Criminal Defense Clinic for developing his desire to pursue litigation and practice his legal talents in the courtroom.
“Syracuse was a great fit for me. I made three of my closest friends there, and it gave me the skills and opportunities to be an effective litigator,” he says, noting that Syracuse Orange sports were also an exciting draw.
After graduation, Haimovici worked in San Francisco as an associate at Sedgwick LLP and a year later joined Shook, Hardy & Bacon as an associate litigating commercial and liability cases in state and federal courts. Through these roles, he gained vital experience in trials and negotiating settlements. He also developed and chaired the firm’s first digital crime practice. In 2009, Haimovici was named partner, continuing to represent high- profile clients like Starbucks, Ford Motor Company, and Microsoft.
A few years later in 2016, he had the opportunity to join an emerging company that didn’t even exist when he graduated from law school: Uber. At the time, Uber was still finding its footing, having been established in 2009 and launching its first cars in 2011.
“It was as fast-paced as you could ever have imagined, which made me fall in love with being a lawyer all over again,” explains Haimovici, who joined Uber as director of litigation at a time when the company was going through some growing pains. “Sometimes, it was like going to lawyer bootcamp because the technology and the products were changing daily and the legal issues were, and are, incredibly complex.”
As Uber expanded, so did his career. Haimovici was named associate general counsel, U.S. mobility and Canada, in 2021. His work has since evolved to provide legal counsel to business teams and company executives, manage domestic litigation and regulatory matters, ensure that complex legal challenges are handled with strategic foresight, drive industry innovation, and challenge regulations that negatively impact mobility, delivery services, and business operations.
“In my early days here, my job was about whether Uber could exist and operate, and today it’s about how Uber functions. Uber wants to provide great service and minimize laws that negatively impact our industry or how we run our business,” Haimovici says.
“Uber has become a part of American culture, and we’re still protecting our interests under the law as we move into artificial intelligence and testing autonomous vehicles, which comes with its own set of legal challenges,” he adds.
Despite his success, Haimovici has never lost his passion for helping others. In fact, he implemented a national legal advice initiative for Uber drivers who were impacted by executive orders issued by the president.
“It’s a privilege to have a skill set to offer people who need it,” he says. “It’s something I’ve always been passionate about and intend to continue for the rest of my career.”
As a board member of the College of Law, Haimovici is committed to giving back.
“I’m looking forward to helping Syracuse Law best serve its students in keeping up with various changes, challenges, and opportunities,” he says, noting that he is also eager to be a resource to students pursuing more non-traditional careers. “I like to tell students to follow their passions, find their piece of this profession, and love every day of it.”