The Institute, initiated by the late Scott Simpson, former global co-head of Skadden’s transactions practices, unites leading lawyers, academics and students across the globe to assess cross-border transactional trends and drive innovation.
NEW YORK, NY, March 30, 2023 – Fordham Law School and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom today announced the launch of the Scott Simpson Cross-Border Institute at Fordham Law, which brings together members of the worldwide legal community and academia to discuss and address significant global legal and regulatory issues. The Institute, conceptualized by the late Scott Simpson, former global co-head of Skadden’s transactions practices, unites leading law firms, practitioners, academics and students around the world to assess cross-border transactional trends, analyze issues and drive innovation and best practices.
The Institute works in the public interest to advance knowledge and practice via thought leadership and events, and to share best practices aimed at nurturing legal talent from varied backgrounds. The organization is led by Fordham Law and an advisory board comprising leading law firms from across the globe, chaired by Skadden. The board is managed through Fordham Law’s Corporate Law Center and overseen by professor Richard Squire, the Alpin J. Cameron Chair in Law at Fordham Law.
“Scott was a superb colleague and one of the world’s top M&A lawyers. He developed the idea for the Cross-Border Institute and dedicated significant resources to this initiative. We are honored to help lead the program, which shares his vision with countless individuals worldwide,” said Fordham Law Dean Matthew Diller. “The Institute facilitates more efficient and effective partnerships, which will further collaboration, economic interconnections and a global exchange of ideas.”
“We are extremely honored to see Scott’s name attached to this groundbreaking initiative, which reflects the tremendous value he placed on academic discourse and furthering the development of transactional legal practice through creativity, collaboration and intrepid thinking,” said Skadden Executive Partner Eric Friedman. “The Cross-Border Institute is an important part of Scott’s lasting impact on our firm and the legal profession.”
“It was my great privilege to work with Scott — who was both a close friend and generous mentor my entire legal career — on the nascent stages of this program in early 2020, and I am so proud to work with Fordham to bring his concept to fruition,” said Lorenzo Corte, global co-head of Skadden’s transactions practices. “It is very fitting that his legacy includes the establishment of the Institute, which will inspire and promote excellence within the legal community for years to come. I am thrilled that others will continue to benefit from his energy and wisdom, as I did for so many years.”
The Scott Simpson Cross-Border Institute brings together three initiatives that Scott spearheaded:
- An Annual Transatlantic Event: For close to a decade, Skadden, together with other law firms and academic institutions, including Fordham Law School, has hosted an annual transatlantic event highlighting similarities and differences in approaches to “hot topic” legal and regulatory issues across the U.S. to the U.K. and Europe. The 2023 event will take place at Fordham Law on June 8;
- Courses at Fordham Law: For several years now, Skadden partners and associates, in conjunction with guest speakers from other law firms and clients, have created and taught an international M&A class at Fordham Law. The course features prominent case studies involving some of the most important recent cross-border transactions; and
- Friday Afternoon Tea Club Gatherings: As the pandemic unfolded, leading practitioners from Skadden and across Europe came together in a virtual setting to discuss legal issues their clients were facing, with a focus on geopolitical developments and other market trends impacting cross-border transactions.
The Institute combines these initiatives to focus on networking, teaching and mentoring in the legal and regulatory arenas. To learn more about the Scott Simpson Cross-Border Institute at Fordham Law, please visit scottsimpsoncrossborderinstitute.org or follow us on LinkedIn.
About Fordham Law School
Situated in the heart of New York City, Fordham Law School cultivates the collaborative community, intellectual curiosity, professional craft and commitment to service vital to creating lawyers and legal scholars who can move our profession, society and world forward. Follow Fordham Law School on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.
About Skadden
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom delivers the highest quality advice and novel solutions to legal challenges, enabling clients to achieve their business goals. We are known for the innovative and creative thinking we rely on to handle the most complex transactions, litigation/controversy issues, and regulatory matters, as well as the open, collaborative relationships we build with clients, including corporations; financial and governmental entities; small, entrepreneurial companies; and cultural, educational and charitable institutions. Our attorneys, who reflect diverse backgrounds and perspectives, collaborate seamlessly across our 21 offices in the world’s major financial centers.
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Press Contacts:
Victoria Grantham
vgrantham@law.fordham.edu
Peter Pochna
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