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 Profile: Ben Tisdell, JD-MBA Class of 2003
On March 21, 2005 we had an opportunity to interview newly-named JD-MBA Alumni Board co-chair, Ben Tisdell. Ben graduated in 2003 from both Kellogg and Northwestern Law, part of the first three-year joint degree class at Northwestern. After clerking on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York, he currently works at Davis Polk & Wardwell in New York City.
(AN = Alumni Newsletter, BT = Ben Tisdell)
AN: As a recent graduate of the joint degree program, how have you personally witnessed the changes that have taken place over the last few years?
BT: I did a lot of research into joint JD-MBA programs, and when I applied to Northwestern, it was still a four-year program. It was only after I had my on-campus interview that I found out that it had been converted to a three-year program. My class of approximately 20 JD-MBA students was the first class to spend all three years in the new program. There were more than a few challenges during Northwestern’s initial transition to the three-year program, and in dealing with those our class (being the Guinea pigs) all became very close.
AN: As the recently named co-chair of the JD-MBA Alumni Association, why do you think that this is the right time to reach out to alumni of both Kellogg and Northwestern Law?
BT: Over the years, there have been several attempts to start an alumni association specifically for JD-MBA graduates of Northwestern, but the relatively small size of the program (and the alumni base) always posed challenges to those efforts. The change to three years has caused the JD-MBA program to grow tremendously, however, and has attracted large numbers of great and energetic people, many of whom are now new alumni. In addition, now that the issues associated with the transition to a three-year program have been largely ironed out, the current students are really interested in reaching out to alumni. I think the combination of these two phenomena should result in some really great opportunities to develop an alumni program that is geared towards the unique interests of professionals who receive JD-MBA degrees at Northwestern.
AN: How does the JD-MBA alumni association help fill the need for greater interaction between our alumni and current students?
BT: The real opportunity for the JD-MBA Alumni Association, I think, is to capitalize on what makes the joint program unique in the first place. It is the largest and most tightly integrated program of its kind in the U.S. Graduates of the Northwestern JD-MBA program are some of the most motivated and interesting people I have ever met, and it’s important for both alumni and current students to have access to each other. In addition, an alumni association for both schools fills an informational void that neither graduate school alone could easily fill. I also think that Northwestern’s joint degree program needs an alumni association that speaks with one voice for both the benefit of alumni and current students.
AN: What is your role in the Association?
BT: As co-chair, I want to provide an alumni voice to current students and the schools themselves. Since I have experience with the three-year program, I am knowledgeable about the logistical challenges they face in going from law school to business school and back to law school. We hope to have a Steering Committee, comprised of an alumni representative each from Kellogg and Northwestern Law, as well as a current student. That steering committee will help plan alumni events, establish mentoring relationships between alumni and students, and hopefully one day set up a scholarship especially for JD-MBA students.
AN: Finally, is there any personal history you would like to provide to alumni that may not know you?
BT: Sure. I worked for a little less than four years in consulting before attending this program. Following graduation, I clerked for Judge Dennis Jacobs on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York City. That was a fantastic experience, due in part because of that court’s exposure to a high volume of cases involving transactional law. The Second Circuit, more than most federal courts, has a significant influence on commercial and securities law in the U.S. I currently work for Davis Polk & Wardwell in New York City where I’m orienting myself towards distressed buyout work and creditor-side restructuring.
AN: Thank you very much for your time, we look forward to working with you in the near future on issues involving the JD-MBA Alumni Association.
BT: Thank you and we look forward to working with you in the future.
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