New York, Jan. 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brooklyn Law School, in collaboration with Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP (Deloitte) and John P. Oswald ’84, president of Capital Trust Group and a member of the Law School's Board of Trustees, held its 13th annual "Business Boot Camp," during the 2024-2025 January winter break. The four-day intensive program is designed to help law students enhance their business and financial skills in sessions developed and taught by professionals from Deloitte, as well as the Law School's corporate and business law faculty and graduates.
"The goal of Business Boot Camp is to give our students insight into how to think like a businessperson as well as like a lawyer. There are times when lawyers need to reach outside the traditional legal toolkit to give clients the best possible advice and representation. Lawyers often find themselves grappling with the kinds of issues that businesspeople confront daily, such as how to keep track of money, how to value assets, how to raise capital, and how to meet business goals while also complying with the law," said Business Boot Camp Co-founder Michael Gerber, Brooklyn Law School’s Michael Simmons and Michael Gerber Professor of Law, who teaches corporate restructuring and other commercial law courses.
Gerber added, "while the legal aspects of these topics are well covered in Brooklyn Law School’s business law curriculum, the goal of our Business Boot Camp is to accelerate that process by introducing students to business issues from the businessperson’s perspective and by equipping students with the vocabulary and framework they need to communicate effectively with clients and evaluate their needs."
Designed to complement and enhance Brooklyn Law School's corporate, commercial, and tax law courses, the Business Boot Camp curriculum is based in part on an intensive course that Deloitte developed for first-year associates. Over the course of four days, the students study the lifecycle of a family-owned restaurant that goes public and embarks on an acquisition binge. In the process, students learn about developing a business plan, financing, accounting basics, valuation, M&A basics and the impact of generative AI on legal practice.
"This program gives students exposure to the practical skills and entrepreneurial orientation needed to stand out quickly in a fast-paced transactional practice," said David Meyer, President, Joseph Crea Dean, and Professor of Law at Brooklyn Law School. "The surest sign of the value of this innovative program is that a number of its alumni are already returning to help teach in it, now as general counsel and seasoned counsel in headline-making deals."
Along with Oswald and Gerber, other Brooklyn Law School Business Boot Camp presenters included Frederick Curry III ’03, a retired Principal in the Anti-Money Laundering and Sanctions Practice at Deloitte Transactions and Business Analytics LLP; and, Anthony Campanelli, a Partner in the Forensic & Financial Crime practice at Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP.
"Understanding business and leadership topics is crucial for law students as it equips them with a comprehensive skill set that extends beyond traditional legal knowledge. In today's dynamic and interconnected world, attorneys are increasingly required to navigate complex business environments, lead diverse teams, and make strategic decisions. By gaining exposure to practical and real-life business topics and case studies from our Business Boot Camp program, the Brooklyn Law School students can be better positioned to drive innovation and effectively manage the multifaceted challenges they will likely encounter in their professional careers," said Anthony Campanelli.
During what otherwise would have been their winter break, some 60 students enrolled in the January 2025 Business Boot Camp and nearly 100 Brooklyn Law School graduates (many of them alumni of the Business Boot Camp) served as panelists and breakout session leaders. The alumni participants, including partners in major law firms, CEOs, and general counsels of established companies and startups, shared their experiences as successful practitioners and entrepreneurs.
The January 2025 Boot Camp concluded with a Q&A session featuring Sanford G. Hausner ’85, esteemed lawyer, entrepreneur and philanthropist, and Dean David Meyer.
Since its launch in 2013, hundreds of students have completed Brooklyn Law School’s Business Boot Camp, for which they earn one credit.
About Brooklyn Law School
Founded in 1901, Brooklyn Law School offers a vibrant intellectual community emphasizing teaching excellence, leading-edge scholarship, and an innovative academic program designed to prepare students for public service, business, and private practice, nationwide and across the globe. It is an independent institution, unaffiliated with any university or college, and the only law school in Brooklyn. The Law School offers J.D. options that include a traditional 3-year program and an extended part-time 4-year program. Visit Brooklyn Law School at www.brooklaw.edu
*Please see www.deloitte.com/us/about for a detailed description of its legal structure. Deloitte does not provide legal services and will not provide any legal advice or address any questions of law.
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