Robert Gutowski ’99

Opening Doors in New York City

As the State of New York’s law school continues to build strength in the high-stakes, high-reward New York City landscape, ROBERT GUTOWSKI ’99 is making introductions. Introducing students, through the New York City Program in Business and Law, to what he does as general counsel of MSCI Inc., the global investment analytics provider. And introducing employers in Manhattan to some of UB Law’s most talented and ambitious job-seekers.

One of the program’s many involved practitioners, Gutowski teaches compliance and commercial transactions. He also hosts as many as three law students at any given time in externships at MSCI, where they work on contracts and SEC filings, and get exposure to corporate culture.

“Law students have a vision of lawyers that they see on TV,” he says. “I try to demystify what lawyers do inside a company.”

It’s an investment in the program that has gone on for over a decade, helping to grow the network of UB Law lawyers in the city. Gutowski, a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council, also participates in events for accepted students from downstate to encourage them to enroll at UB. “Because there’s so much diversity in the area, you’re likely to increase the diversity of the student body if you’re attracting students from New York City,” he says.

His involvement, Gutowski says, comes naturally: “I had a great law school experience. I found it engaging and intellectually stimulating, and I made great friends. I thank the school for preparing me for a fulfilling career, and I’m happy to try to pass that on to others.”