MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA — West Virginia native Elliott Portnoy, the global chief executive officer of the world’s largest law firm, Dentons, will speak at the West Virginia University Erickson Alumni Center at 4 p.m. on November 6.
Portnoy will reflect on how his Mountain State roots and WVU connections have contributed to his professional success and continue to help him lead a $2 billion business. The title of his speech is “Go Big and Go Home!”
Admission is free and the public is invited to attend. There will be a reception at 3:30 p.m. Please RSVP to alumni@mail.wvu.edu.
“My current success has everything to do with where it all started,” said Portnoy, who graduated from Morgantown High School in 1983, “including selling sodas at Mountaineer Field.”
Portnoy is a graduate of Syracuse University and Harvard Law School. He also earned a Ph.D. as a Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford.
The WVU College of Business and Economics, the WVU College of Law, and the WVU Alumni Association are hosting Portnoy’s visit to Morgantown.
“To hear first-hand from a global lawyer of Elliott’s caliber is an opportunity to be inspired,” said Gregory W. Bowman, William J. Maier, Jr. Dean, WVU College of Law. “That he is from West Virginia is a testament to our state’s ability to produce high-impact leaders.”
“The global business landscape is in a constant state of change, and it speaks highly of Mr. Portnoy’s incredible talent as he manages a firm that spans the world while having an acute understanding of law, business and culture,” said Javier Reyes, Milan Puskar Dean, WVU College of Business and Economics. “There are few CEOs who can think and manage on these levels every day, and this is a great opportunity for students to have access to someone like him right here on the WVU campus.”
As Global CEO of Dentons, Portnoy is responsible for managing the firm’s client services at more than 155 locations across 66 countries. He also promotes pro bono legal work and diversity as vital components of Dentons’ mission and he has been a vocal advocate of the firm’s relationships with nonprofit organizations around the world.
In addition to serving on the boards of several nonprofit organizations, Portnoy founded and remains president of the board of Kids Enjoy Exercise Now (KEEN). The innovative nonprofit provides sports opportunities to children with severe and profound disabilities in the U.S. and the United Kingdom.
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JJ/10/27/17
