Milbank and Harvard Law School have announced the launch of a new multi-year training program for Milbank associates. For the first time, a law firm will collaborate with Harvard Law School to provide executive education over the course of an associate’s career, on-site at Harvard, focusing on business, finance and law, utilizing Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School faculty. Through this program, Milbank associates will develop the multifaceted expertise and skills that general counsels expect their legal advisors to possess.

“We are delighted to initiate this unique program at Harvard Law School,” said Mel Immergut, Chairman of Milbank. “We believe that our clients need lawyers who have been trained in both business and law at the highest level, with a real-world practical understanding of the commercial problems that they face.”

Harvard Law School Dean Martha Minow said: “This collaboration will represent an important part of Harvard Law School’s continuing emphasis on strengthening the ties between theory and practice, as well as business and law, connecting our teaching with the fresh experiences of the legal practitioners who will come here to learn but also to share knowledge. I am excited by the prospect for symbiotic exchanges between Milbank attorneys and Harvard faculty. Ultimately, this will benefit our own students, since our faculty will be able to incorporate the latest real-world perspectives into what they teach.”

Starting at the end of their third year and continuing through their seventh year, all Milbank associates will participate in an annual stepped program taught at Harvard, led by the law school’s Executive Education Program. Each associate will undergo a yearly eight-day training program, taught by Harvard Law and Business faculty with the assistance of Milbank partners, and covering topics in business, finance, law, management skills, client relations and personal professional development. Associates will complete the program in their seventh year at Milbank.

“Collaborating with Harvard Law School on this program evidences Milbank’s absolute commitment to the professional development of our attorneys,” said Scott Edelman, Vice-Chairman of Milbank.  “This groundbreaking program will provide our lawyers with tools to ensure the provision to our clients of the most high-quality, effective, business-savvy legal service available in the market.”

For media inquiries, please contact Professor Ashish Nanda at ananda@law.harvard.edu or 617-495-6506.