Larry Bortstein, J.D., B.A. ’91

From Typewriter to Personal Computer

By Carol Olechowski

arry Bortstein arrived on the University at Albany campus in 1987, “the dawn of a new era in computing. I literally came to Albany with a typewriter and left with a PC.”

Now one of the preeminent legal experts in his field, Bortstein was named the top information-technology attorney in the New York City area for 2013 by Lexology, a firm that rates attorneys around the globe. Chambers USA, publisher of “the world’s leading guides to the legal profession,” has recognized the New York-based Bortstein Legal Group (BLG) in the “Technology and Outsourcing” category for three years.

Bortstein, who earned his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School, served as senior technology counsel at American Express and global head of technology law at Lehman Brothers. After Lehman’s bankruptcy in 2008, he founded BLG, a law firm specializing in technology transactions with a focus on the financial-services industry. “We bring expertise and dedication to a unique area of law,” Bortstein says of the firm, which recently opened a London office.

“Albany instilled in me an appreciation for the utility of technology, and the classes I took helped me understand how I could apply it in the real world,” recalls the former political-science major, who minored in English and history. “It was an exhilarating time to be studying technology.”

From Nancy Belowich-Negron, who worked for Disabled Student Services and now directs the University’s Disability Resource Center, Bortstein “learned perseverance and toughness. She is an incredible person, and the number of students she’s helped throughout her career is remarkable. I’m forever grateful to Nancy for the time she spent with me.”

Through Belowich-Negron, Bortstein has supported the Disability Resource Center Scholarship Fund. “I have very fond memories of Albany, and I want the school to be great,” he notes, adding that he tells friends whose children are UAlbany students that “their children are getting a phenomenal education.”

Although he hasn’t visited UAlbany recently, the Great Danes basketball fan would welcome the opportunity to talk with students on campus. “Albany is a hub for technological investment and innovation in New York State,” Bortstein observes. “That’s exciting for me. I really got the bug at Albany, and I still get excited by technology.”

For more information about Larry Bortstein and BLG, please visit the BLG website.