Business Boot Camp Kicks Off, Immersing Students in Business World for a Week
Students are learning how to think not just like lawyers but like businesspeople with the launch this morning of Brooklyn Law School's12th annual Business Boot Camp, a four-day intensive class taught by professionals from Deloitte Risk & Financial Advisory, as well as the school's own faculty and alumni.
Brooklyn Law School, which has offered the pioneering program during the winter break annually since 2013 (skipping one year during the pandemic), presents the curriculum in collaboration with Deloitte Risk & Financial Advisory and John P. Oswald ’84, the president of Capital Trust Group and a member of the Law School’s Board of Trustees. Approximately 60 students are enrolled in this year’s program.
Business Boot Camp co-founder Michael Gerber, the Michael Simmons and Michael Gerber Professor of Law, said the course was partially inspired by his own experience as a young attorney who initially knew little about how the business world operates or its lexicon. Learning about business and finance on the job is not only less than ideal, but is one of the more terrifying aspects of being a new lawyer, he told students in an introduction this morning.
“The purpose of Business Boot Camp is to get you from that state of not knowing to knowing how businesspeople think and how they make decisions, how they develop strategy, and how they design and implement short- and long-range plans,” explained Gerber, who teaches corporate restructuring and other commercial law courses. “Boot Camp will help you understand the terms that they use, such as "EBITDA," "mezzanine financing," "liability management" and "strategic capital solutions," and will introduce you to some key business metrics and concepts that will be useful, whether you practice in a large firm or a small firm, whether you work for a firm or serve as general counsel, whether you represent for-profit or not-for-profit organizations, and whether you practice public service or public interest law, or start your own business.”
Oswald, a co-founder of Business Boot Camp who also provides financial support for the program, said the subject matter is meaningful to him because despite being an excellent student he initially disliked the esoteric nature of law, and nearly left school before finding a passion for business law. In his role at Capital Trust Group, he manages an extensive portfolio of corporate and real estate investments in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East. Previously, he was a partner at the law firm Lord, Day & Lord. He started his professional career as a CPA at Arthur Anderson.
“The benefit of the program is to introduce you to an area in which you may want to practice, and you'll have a little bit of knowledge ahead of time,” Oswald said in his remarks to students. “We have some great experts teaching who really understand the issues and are here to respond to your questions, so take advantage of that.”
Along with Oswald and Gerber, other Business Boot Camp presenters include Frederick Curry III ’03, partner, practice leader (retired) of Deloitte Advisory Anti-Money-Laundering and Economic Sanctions Group within Deloitte Transactions and Business Analytics LLP; and, Anthony Campanelli, a Deloitte Risk & Financial Advisory Partner in the Forensic & Financial Crime practice, Deloitte Financial Advisory Services.
In the week ahead, the students will study the life cycle of a family-owned restaurant that goes public and embarks on an acquisition binge. In the process, students will learn about developing a business plan, financing, accounting basics, valuation and M&A basics. The curriculum, which is continuously updated, will include a session on the impact of generative AI on legal practice.
Campanelli, who has participated in the Boot Camp since it launched, is joined by colleagues who assist with teaching.
"Understanding business and leadership topics is crucial for law students as it equips them with a comprehensive skill set that extends beyond traditional legal knowledge,” Campanelli said. “In today’s dynamic and interconnected world, attorneys are increasingly required to navigate complex business environments, lead diverse teams, and make strategic decisions. By gaining exposure to practical and real-life business topics and case studies from our Boot Camp program, the Brooklyn Law School students are better positioned to enhance their ability to provide holistic legal advice, drive innovation, and effectively manage the multifaceted challenges they will encounter in their professional careers.”
Capping off the event on Thursday will be breakout sessions in which students will have an opportunity to network with alumni and attend a closing reception. Approximately 100 Brooklyn Law School graduates (many of them alumni of Business Boot Camp) are will serve as panelists and breakout session leaders.