A key component of Fordham Law’s online Master of Studies in Law (M.S.L.) in Corporate Compliance is the in-person Compliance Colloquium, which brings students together for an intensive three-day program that mixes practical group exercises with networking sessions and presentations from compliance thought leaders. It is the only in-person component of the otherwise fully online curriculum that trains students in key legal and regulatory frameworks and equips them with tools and skills that are essential for compliance professionals.
Due to the pandemic, the inaugural Colloquium, held in August 2020, was conducted entirely remotely, so students appreciated the opportunity this year to come together at Fordham’s Lincoln Center campus. For the first two days of the Colloquium, students worked in groups on case study exercises on risk assessment and culture, and made presentations to mock boards of directors and executive leadership teams played by 20 volunteer compliance professionals, who also offered students feedback and tips on their work.
“It’s nice seeing everyone in person,” said Alba Fortuna, a full-time student who previously worked in finance. “The case study exercise was great, and it was actually one of the things that I was looking forward to—hands-on practice,” she said.
Daniel Cannon, an M.S.L. student and chief compliance officer at Schindler Elevator Corp., agreed. “We had some elements in the case studies that relate to the current social landscape that we’re going through as a country. We also had IT-related risk, FCPA, and some traditional compliance risks,” he said. “I think the case studies are a fantastic aid to help compliance officers evaluate the entire risk landscape and really decide what’s most important for their company.“
Program Builds Compliance Skillset
The makeup of the compliance world has shifted somewhat in recent years, said Bob Mascola, senior director of the Program on Corporate Ethics and Compliance at Fordham. What was once a profession dominated by lawyers is now staffed by people with more diverse career backgrounds and specialities, with students coming to the program from a variety of fields outside of law.
This is because the skills needed to succeed in compliance go beyond those taught in a traditional law school curriculum, Mascola explained: “It is not enough to know what the laws and regulations say, although our students do. You need to know how to assess and manage risks, as well as how to sell your product—compliance—which requires an understanding of organizational psychology and skill in the art of persuasion. That’s what students learn in this program.”
The colloquium offered students a chance to try out the ideas they had been learning in the classroom and an opportunity to practice their presentation skills. “It’s a fascinating field, because it’s a little bit of understanding law, a bit of understanding how to use data and technology tools to assess and mitigate risks and a bit about knowing how to communicate effectively with people,” said Mascola. Students left the event energized from meeting their peers and motivated to tackle the world of corporate compliance.