Richard Alexander
Over the last decade, Richard Alexander L’82 has navigated his chosen profession (the law) and his chosen passion (Syracuse University and its law school) through incredibly challenging waters. As partner, managing partner and chair of one of the nation’s most prestigious law firms, Arnold & Porter, and as current University Board of Trustees member and College of Law Board of Advisors chair, Alexander has always been directed by a North Star, a guiding light amidst uncertainty.
“During very dynamic and demanding times in academia and the legal profession, I have found some common challenges and opportunities. Among other things, universities and law firms are in the talent business,” says Alexander, who became chair emeritus of Arnold & Porter at the start of 2025. “The mission of the university is to recruit and retain very talented people, develop student scholars and create the kinds of connections that will help them become future leaders of the world. Law is a similarly noble profession, but it has become brutally competitive, which requires law firms to differentiate themselves in terms of talent recruitment and retention while delivering great results for clients.”
Alexander is deeply proud of and grateful for the four decades spent at a law firm that is well known for its cutting-edge work, its strong pro bono program and its focus on providing opportunities for personal and professional growth throughout the organization. During his nearly ten years as chairman of the firm, he led the strategic combination of Arnold & Porter and Kaye Scholer (in 2017), and saw the combined entity surpass $1 billion in revenue in 2021. With more than 1,000 employees in 15 offices worldwide, Arnold & Porter has consistently been named to The American Lawyer’s A-List, according to the magazine, because of its ability to balance industry pressures with a commitment to core values.
When the A-List was announced last year, Alexander said, “Our inclusion in The American Lawyer’s A-List is a reflection of the firm’s continuing commitment to providing extraordinary client service, protecting and defending the rule of law, having a diverse workplace and investing in our talent.” He says those core values were reinforced while studying at the College of Law, including a commitment to pro bono work and the value of public service.
With his law degree, Alexander began his legal career in the federal government in the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Though he was recruited just three years later to join Arnold & Porter, he told Syracuse law students that he left government work with great reluctance. In remarks delivered to first-year law students at the Sherman F. Levey Lecture in 2010, Alexander said, “Public service offers an opportunity to get fantastic experience and responsibility. While I recognize that government jobs are not as lucrative as the private sector, they can be more rewarding in terms of professional development and personal growth.”
This belief drove the establishment of a scholarship in honor of his parents, the Rhoda S. and Albert M. Alexander Memorial Scholarship, to encourage law students to pursue public and government service. It also drives distinction for Arnold & Porter. Alexander points out the significance of its continuing pro bono portfolio of work. “We’re the firm that secured the constitutional right to counsel in Gideon v. Wainwright—argued by one of our founding partners, Abe Fortas—and we believe we are one of the leading pro bono firms in the world,” he told Law.com.
From helping to secure American Sign Language interpreters at White House briefings, to protecting civil rights and voting rights, to cases involving police discrimination, housing, public benefits, immigration and unemployment, the firm nurtures a public service ethos among associates and partners. Last year, Arnold & Porter was recognized by The American Lawyer as a top 10 firm on its Pro Bono Scorecard.
“Do not forget those who are in need, and put your law degree to work to help the community at large,” Alexander counseled law students during his lecture.
Kevin Toomey L’12 says Alexander and the firm have “done a great job in recruiting top talent from the law school” and describes the firm’s commitment to both excellence and public service as a “unique combination.” A Syracuse native, Toomey first met Alexander while Toomey was in law school working at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Toomey is now a partner and rising star at Arnold & Porter and head of the firm’s financial services practice group.
“It takes a certain type of character to lead a law firm of 1,000 very qualified, credentialed and also opinionated lawyers,” says Toomey. “Richard did that very well, while balancing collegiality and client success, getting the best of the best and retaining talent, and holding on to our core values as a firm.”
Both Toomey and Alexander believe that Syracuse law school graduates are well-prepared to compete in an increasingly competitive industry. Both agree there’s something intangible about Syracuse that strengthens its students. “Maybe it’s walking up the hill to the law school through the snow every day,” says Toomey with a chuckle. “You feel some kind of obligation and responsibility to prove yourself.”
Alexander calls it Syracuse’s “secret sauce,” a kind of grittiness. “We also have a strong moral compass at the University,” says Alexander, who was elected to the Board of Trustees in 2016 and currently serves as its vice chair. He will become chair of the Academic Affairs Committee in May.
“Universities have had to navigate through some important challenges, including the rising cost of education, changes in athletics, the implications of technology and online learning,” says Alexander. “I think Syracuse has done an excellent job and there’s more to be done. The University and law school must continue to differentiate themselves. I want people to understand the strengths of the University as a place that brings together people with different life experiences and from all walks of life.”
Similarly, Alexander points to Arnold & Porter’s commitment to be a place that is welcoming to all. That idea of bringing a wide range of perspectives to the college and practice of law inspired the creation of the Hon. Theodore A. McKee L’75 Endowed Law Scholarship. Alexander and his wife, Emily, made a substantial gift to help establish the scholarship in 2022 to honor the legendary graduate and jurist whose public service demonstrated a deep concern for social justice and to provide opportunity for deserving students.
No matter what his role Alexander remains a steward of ethical principles and the dual pursuit of justice and excellence. After all, he says, “we are teaching young people to be citizens of the world.”
