When Denise Wong, M.S.L. ’21 enrolled in Fordham Law’s online Corporate Compliance Program at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, she was working as the senior manager of product safety and regulatory compliance for all of Walmart’s private brands transacting in the e-commerce space. Her industry insight reached a new level during her final semester when she was promoted to lead a new e-commerce team for Walmart e-commerce in Salt Lake City, Utah. Wong said Walmart “fully supported me in this educational endeavor” at Fordham Law as she sought to “ensure public safety and foster trust in the products we consume, purchase, and use daily.”
Since graduating as a member of the inaugural class of the Corporate Compliance Program, Wong has joined the board of the Fordham Law Compliance Affinity Group and has returned to discuss e-commerce compliance with current students. She works as a senior manager in policy governance at Walmart, collaborating with legal and subject matter experts to build overarching policies and leveraging new technologies, such as machine learning and AI, to ensure item compliance across the Walmart.com platform and last-mile delivery in the omnichannel space. Wong is now based out of the Bay Area in California.
What is your hometown?
Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY.
Where did you study before Fordham Law?
Wagner College with a B.S. in Arts Administration.
How did you get into compliance?
During the early 2000s, I worked at Marvel Entertainment in intellectual property brand management, overseeing both licensed products and digital asset management. After Disney acquired Marvel in 2009, I collaborated with Disney’s compliance counterparts to establish a new compliance program from the ground up, including developing policies, protocols, and a framework for effective compliance controls, audits, and monitoring. This experience led me to Macy’s Merchandising Group, where I refined my expertise in regulatory compliance and quality control within their private brands and later transitioned to a team focused on business process initiatives. Recognizing my experience with acquisitions and regulatory compliance in private brands, Walmart hired me to help develop a compliance program for digitally native private brands and e-commerce, particularly for the newly acquired Jet.com, as well as acquisition partners including Bonobos, Moosejaw, Bare Necessities, and homegrown digital brands such as Allswell and Free Assembly.
Why did you decide to pursue a M.S.L.?
I was originally looking at M.B.A. programs, and when I was researching schools I came upon Fordham Law’s M.S.L. program, which was an even more perfect fit for my career and experience.
Why did you choose Fordham Law?
Fordham Law School’s motto, “In the Service of Others,” deeply resonated with me. Throughout my career, I’ve viewed compliance as a means to ensure public safety and foster trust in the products we consume, purchase, and use daily. Therefore, discovering the M.S.L. Corporate Compliance program at a school that aligned with my personal values made Fordham Law an obvious choice.
What made the Fordham M.S.L. program special and beneficial to you?
I might be biased, but the Fordham M.S.L. program had the best cohort during my inaugural year, many of whom I still stay in touch with and network with today. The faculty were top-notch in their fields and openly shared their career journeys and candid personal experiences in compliance. Additionally, there were numerous opportunities to connect with alumni, other faculty members, and professionals from various compliance disciplines through sessions and events.
What was your favorite class in the program?
I believe many would agree that the M.S.L. Colloquium is their “favorite class.” Spending a weekend in person and on campus with cohorts, peers, and faculty, engaging in learning, discussions, and collaborative work, was truly eye-opening. It brought together everything we had learned and provided real-life scenarios and experiences. Aside from that, my favorite standard class was Law and Legal Institutions, one of the first classes one would take in the M.S.L. program. It laid the foundation of law, covering case briefs and the development of our legal systems. I was privileged to have this class taught by none other than Joseph Landau, who is now the new dean of Fordham Law!
How has the M.S.L. helped advance your career?
The M.S.L. program provided me with the foundational framework in corporate compliance to advance my career. Since graduating, I’ve seen an increase in opportunities externally and have been considered for new roles and responsibilities within my current organization.
Would you recommend the program to others?
I highly recommend the Fordham Law Online M.S.L. program to professionals in the compliance field or wanting to work in compliance. The program offers exposure to various areas where compliance is crucial and provides the flexibility needed for working professionals seeking to enhance and deepen their knowledge through this degree program.
The online Master of Studies in Law (M.S.L.) in Corporate Compliance program, which earns students 30 credits and can be completed in as few as 12 months, is designed specifically for non-lawyers who are interested in advancing their careers by learning about corporate compliance from a legal perspective. Learn more about the program and its three specializations.
