Rutgers Law School’s Center for Corporate Law and Governance (CCLG) hosted its annual Distinguished Lecture on April 2. Paul Washington, president and CEO of the Society for Corporate Governance, delivered the lecture which also marked the 10th anniversary of CCLG’s founding.
A Decade of Excellence
Launched in 2015 on the Camden and Newark campuses of Rutgers Law School—before their official merger—CCLG was established to serve as a bridge between the two locations and connect the law school more closely with the broader business community.
Under the leadership of Alan V. Lowenstein Professor of Corporate and Business Law Douglas S. Eakeley in Newark and Vice Dean and Professor of Law Arthur B. Laby in Camden, CCLG quickly initiated an extensive review of the law school's curriculum to evaluate existing course offerings and identify new academic opportunities in corporate law, governance, and business law. “This process directly led to new faculty hires, the creation of new courses, and ultimately the launch of our Certificate in Corporate and Business Law,” says Eakeley.
In the years that followed, CCLG continued to expand. Notably, its Entrepreneurship Clinic on both campuses provides Rutgers Law students with valuable hands-on experience representing nonprofit and for-profit start-ups on a pro bono basis. CCLG is also home to the highly regarded Blockchain and Fintech Program, which fosters cutting-edge academic research and dialogue among students and faculty alike. Central to this initiative is the Collaboratory—a dynamic series of events bringing together prominent attorneys, academics, industry experts, and former regulators to discuss emerging regulatory issues and business innovations in fintech, decentralized finance (DeFi), cryptocurrency, and blockchain technology. Through this innovative program, Rutgers Law students also gain access to specialized coursework in financial regulation, fintech innovation, and cryptoasset regulation.
“While many of CCLG’s accomplishments and milestones take the shape of programming and collaborations, some of our most significant accomplishments over the past decade are actually intangible,” says Laby. “We’re proud that the center has put Rutgers Law School on the map nationally and internationally in terms of corporate law and corporate governance.”
Meeting of Minds
Vice Dean and Professor of Law Arthur Laby, CCLG co-director in Camden
Each academic year, CCLG hosts two joint meetings of its Advisory Board (comprised of leading corporate lawyers) and its Alumni Steering Committee (made up of alumni practicing in business law). Following each meeting, the center welcomes a guest speaker, concluding with a networking reception that offers students and faculty the opportunity to mingle with board members and attendees from the broader business and legal community.
Past speakers have included Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Commissioner Hester Peirce, former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Rohit Chopra, Delaware Vice Chancellor Travis Laster, and the US Attorney for the District of New Jersey Philip Sellinger.
“Paul Washington is following in that tradition as this year’s speaker,” says Laby. “We are thrilled and delighted that he’s taking the time to share his views with our center and the broader audience.” Washington has had a distinguished career in corporate governance, having previously served as executive director of the Environmental, Social and Governance Center at The Conference Board—a nonprofit think tank addressing critical governance issues—and as senior vice president, deputy general counsel, and corporate secretary at Time Warner.
Looking ahead to the next decade, CCLG aims to extend the reach of the Entrepreneurship Clinic, strengthen its Advisory Board and Alumni Steering Committee, expand its programming, and support its affiliated faculty. “The 10-year anniversary of the Rutgers Center for Corporate Law and Governance marks a decade of significant impact at the intersection of legal scholarship, policy-making, and practical business issues,” says Stuart Alderoty, chief legal officer at Ripple Labs and CCLG Advisory Board chair. “In the coming decade, we aim for the center to become a nationally recognized leader, bridging academia, the legal profession, and industry on critical issues in traditional finance and emerging financial technology.”