Made Possible by a Substantial Gift From Distinguished Alumnus James Tricarico Jr. ’77, the Institute Will Prepare Law Students and Practitioners for the Future of In-House Counsel Roles
New York, NY (February 10, 2021) – New York Law School (NYLS) Dean Anthony W. Crowell today announced the launch of the James Tricarico Jr. Institute for the Business of Law and In-House Counsel.
The Tricarico Institute—made possible by a generous lead gift from Trustee and distinguished alumnus James A. Tricarico Jr. ’77—will provide best-in-class business, legal, and technology skills training to current and aspiring in-house counsel. Its programming will also seek to advance greater diversity in these roles.
“In-house counsel roles are highly rewarding—in large part because they are increasingly complex and data-driven,” said Anthony W. Crowell, NYLS Dean and President. “The Tricarico Institute will prepare students to enthusiastically meet these challenges, while offering practicing lawyers curated programming at the forefront of this rapidly-changing profession. We view these initiatives as critical opportunities to advance racial diversity in the profession, which will greatly benefit the institutions our graduates serve.”
The Institute is working on these and other projects:
- A “Mini M.B.A.” intensive for practicing lawyers and students that includes substantive business topics, professional development seminars, and networking events.
- A Tech Incubator and Startups Clinic in which students will develop technology solutions and software applications for corporate counsel and law firms and provide legal assistance to tech startups, under expert guidance.
- A Tricarico Scholars program, offering students paid opportunities to assist nonprofits and startup organizations in the Institute’s specialty areas.
- Engagement with industry leaders through the appointment of an experienced Board of Advisors, including an Institute Director and a Senior Fellow.
- A specialized curricular pathway, beginning with a new gateway course that debuted in Spring 2021: Legaltech, Legal Operations, and the Future of Practice.
- Programming to increase racial diversity in the field by engaging corporate counsel professionals from underrepresented groups as student mentors and thought leaders.
“I am proud to establish this new Institute for New York Law School students to be the legal and business leaders of the future,” said James A. Tricarico Jr. ’77. “Throughout my career, I have seen the transformation of in-house counsel roles, which now require deep knowledge of and experience in law, business, management, and technology. The Tricarico Institute will give students marketable and substantive skills to excel as legal counsel and in other legal and management roles. This will also be an indispensable hub for current in-house counsel, strengthening their networks and professional development, and providing a community to exchange the latest ideas and trends.”
The Tricarico Institute is housed within NYLS’s Center for Business and Financial Law, and its work will be aligned with the School’s other successful business law initiatives. The Institute will also collaborate with NYLS’s Innovation Center for Law and Technology, including on the Tech Incubator and Startups Clinic.
“The Tricarico Institute is a natural complement to the Center for Business and Financial Law’s programming, and it will allow us to tap into a new segment of the legal marketplace,” said Professor Howard Meyers, Director of the Center for Business and Financial Law.
“The launch of the Tricarico Institute comes at the ideal time—as enterprise digital transformation is reshaping the role of in-house counsel into ‘product counsel’ who must be equipped to provide strategic and legal guidance to developers and corporate innovators,” said Professor Houman Shadab, Director of the Innovation Center for Law and Technology.
The Tricarico Institute is a signature initiative of NYLS’s 2020 Strategic Plan: Ever Upward. It fulfills key commitments made in the Plan, including broadening experiential learning opportunities and curricular pathways, establishing student scholar programs, and growing each academic center’s network of successful practitioners.
About James A. Tricarico Jr. ’77
During his nearly 40-year career, James Tricarico Jr. ’77 held senior positions at Prudential Securities, as General Counsel and Executive Vice President, and Duane Morris LLP, as Co-Head of the Broker-Dealer practice in New York. In 2006, he left his native New York City for St. Louis, Missouri to become Principal and Chief Legal Officer at Edward Jones, a Fortune 500 company that serves over seven million clients from more offices than any other U.S. investment firm.
A thought leader in the securities industry, Mr. Tricarico served as a director of the board and member of the Executive Committee of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) and as President of SIFMA’s Compliance & Legal Society. He also served on advisory committees of the National Association of Securities Dealers and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, and he was Editor in Chief of the Journal of Investment Compliance.
Mr. Tricarico has always been an essential partner to NYLS. He was a member of the Dean’s Institutional Advisory Board and is now a Trustee of NYLS. He helped establish NYLS’s nationally recognized Alternative Dispute Resolution Skills Program, which provides training in conflict avoidance, management, and resolution, and he has supported NYLS students in international negotiation competitions.
Press Coverage for the Tricarico Institute
“New York Law School dean sees the future of law in tech, in-house roles” Reuters Legal
“New York Law School Creates In-House Institute” Law360 Pulse