In-House Counsel Institute

Pathways to Excellence: Leadership for In-House Counsel

Fordham Law School and DLA Piper

Are you a relatively new in-house attorney seeking insights on how to navigate the challenges of in-house practice? Are you an experienced in-house attorney looking to advance your role as a business partner? Are you currently in private practice looking to transition into an in-house role?

Fordham Law School and DLA Piper are developing a program that will provide you with the tools to be a strategic and impactful leader in your organization. It will enable you to serve your company with distinction through legal leadership, innovative problem-solving, and strategic vision. 

We have convened a prestigious board of advisors who serve or have served as high-level in-house counsel of major organizations to steer us in building this program and developing a panel of outstanding speakers with vast in-house experience.

There will be numerous opportunities to meet online and in-person to network and discuss issues related to the work of in-house counsel.

  • Toni M. Jaeger-Fine, Senior Counselor and Adjunct Professor of Law, Fordham University

    Amadeu Ribeiro, Partner, DLA Piper; Fordham Law LLM Alumni, 2017

    • Ramzi Aboutaam, Vice President and Chief Counsel, International Commercial Division, Pfizer
    • Peter Alfano, Partner, DLA Piper
    • Andrew Bonzani, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Interpublic Group
    • Alessandra Del Debbio, Vice President of Legal and Corporate Matters for Latin America, Microsoft
    • John Frantz, Partner, DLA Piper; former General Counsel, Verizon Business
    • Lisa LeCointe-Cephas, Partner, DLA Piper; former Senior Vice President and Global Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer, Merck
    • Barbara Levi, Group General Counsel and Member of the Group Executive Board, UBS
    • Augusto C. Lima, Deputy General Counsel, Molina Healthcare, Inc.
    • Nishat Ruiter, General Counsel, TED Conferences
    • Allen Waxman, Of Counsel, DLA Piper; former President and Chief Executive Officer, CPR; former General Counsel, Pfizer

  • Fridays, September 5 – December 5, 2025 (except November 28)

    12:00-1:00 p.m. (New York time)

    Online Via Zoom

    Optional In-Person Events:

    October 30, Fordham Law School, New York City

    December Date TBA, DLA Piper, New York City

  • Our speakers work or have worked in high level positions in the legal departments of the following companies:

    AB InBev
    Boehringer Ingelheim
    Con Edison
    Crédit Agricole CIB
    DLA Piper
    Dominican Bar Association
    Google
    ICBC Standard Bank Group
    Intesa Sanpaolo
    IPG
    KPMG México
    McKinsey & Company
    Microsoft
    Molina Healthcare, Inc.
    MUFG
    Nestle
    Pentalog Group
    Pfizer
    Sanpaolo Bank
    Shell
    TED Conferences
    Toshiba Railway Europe
    UBS
    Verizon Business

Program Schedule

Please see below for the tentative 2025 schedule. We will continue to update as speakers are confirmed.

  • Barbara Levi, Group General Counsel and Member of the Group Executive Board, UBS

    Fordham Law LL.M. '01

    *Optional Online Networking Session: 10:00 - 11:00 AM (New York time)*

  • Andrew Bonzani, Executive Vice President & General Counsel at Interpublic Group (IPG)

    Deneen Donnley, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Con Edison

    Fordham Law J.D. '92

    Paul M. Robinson, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Warner Music Group

    Fordham Law J.D. '83

  • John Frantz, Partner, DLA Piper

  • Pedro Mariani, General Counsel, Hunter Douglas

    Sheea Sybblis, Vice President - Human Pharma Business Law, Boehringer Ingelheim

    Fordham Law J.D. '05

    Allen Waxman, Of Counsel, DLA Piper

  • John Burke, Global Head of Outside Counsel Management, UBS AG

    Gabriel Costa, Chairman of ICC Brazil Arbitration & ADR Commission; Associate General Counsel, Global Litigation, Shell

  • Alessandra Del Debbio, Vice-Presidente Jurídica e de Assuntos Corporativos América Latina, Microsoft

    Nishat Ruiter, General Counsel, TED Conferences

  • Alec Cohen, Managing Director - Head of Europe, Crédit Agricole CIB

    Fordham Law J.D. '97

    Nathaniel R. Torres, General Counsel, Dominican Bar Association; VP, Corporate Counsel & Assistant Corporate Secretary, MUFG

    *Optional Online Networking Session: 10:00 - 11:00 AM (New York time)*

  • Augusto C. Lima, Deputy General Counsel, Molina Healthcare, Inc.

    Margot Miller, Global VP, Legal & Corporate Affairs, AB InBev

  • Fordham University School of Law

    150 W 62nd Street, New York, NY 10023

    Details Forthcoming

  • Matthew Matule, Global Head of Litigation / Controversies, Ericsson

    Patrick Shilling, General Counsel Americas, UBS

    Fordham Law J.D. '02

  • Montserrat Bonilla Garro, Head Legal & Corporate Security, Walmart (Central America)

    Francesco Planchenstainer, Global Head of Food Law, Nestle

    Fordham Law, LL.M. '23

  • Sabeena Ahmed Liconte, Head of Legal & Chief Compliance Officer, ICBC Standard Bank Group

    Paolo Amoroso, Managing Director & Head of Legal, Intesa Sanpaolo

    Fordham Law LL.M. '08

    Steeve Jimbuem-Yao, Head of Legal & Group Legal Manager, Pentalog

    Fordham Law LL.M. '13

  • Sarah Flanagan, Global Head of Compliance and Privacy, TP-Link

    Denise Guillén Lara, Partner OGC (Office General Counsel) México & Centroamérica, KPMG México 

    Nishat Ruiter, General Counsel, TED Conferences

    *Optional Online Networking Session 10:00 - 11:00AM (New York time)*

  • No Session – U.S. Thanksgiving

  • Session details TBA

  • Details forthcoming

    DLA Piper New York Office

    1251 6th Ave, New York, NY 10020

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