Thomas R. Lalla

Adjunct Professor Thomas R. Lalla Jr. was the General Counsel of Pernod Ricard USA, a position that held for the past 22 years until June 2013. He also held the position of Senior Vice President. Pernod Ricard USA is the U.S. subsidiary of Pernod Ricard S.A., the world’s co-leader in the spirits and wine industry. Professor Lalla supervised all U.S. legal matters involving the brands produced and imported by Pernod Ricard USA, including Absolut vodka, Chivas Regal Scotch whisky, Malibu flavored rum, The Glenlivet Scotch whisky, Jameson Irish whiskey, Kahlua coffee liqueur, and Perrier-Jouet and Mumm champagnes.

In addition to his duties as General Counsel, Professor Lalla oversaw the Corporate Social Responsibility programs at Pernod Ricard USA. In that position, he forged relationships with various not-for-profit and educational institutions in Westchester County and New York City, including Food Bank for Westchester, Elisabeth Haub School of Law, ArtsWestchester, Food Bank for New York City, and God’s Love We Deliver. He served on the Internal Approval Panel of Pernod Ricard S.A., which reviews marketing and advertising campaigns throughout the world.

Professor Lalla is a member of the Executive Committee of the Business Council of Westchester, as well as a member of the Board of Directors of Legal Services of the Hudson Valley, ArtsWestchester, and the Performing Arts Center at SUNY Purchase. He is a member of the Board of Visitors of Haub Law. He has served in the past as a Director of the Westchester-Fairfield Division of the American Corporate Counsel Association and a Director of the National Association of Manufacturers, a leading and influential organization of U.S. manufacturers.

For the past five years, Professor Lalla has been contributing to the “Inside Perspective” column of Inside Counsel magazine. He has spoken at national and international legal seminars on the topics of advertising in regulated industries, and developing or acquiring famous trademarks.

Prior to joining Pernod Ricard USA, Professor Lalla was a partner at the firm of Buchman & O’Brien. He also managed this firm from 1986 to 1991. Professor Lalla served as an Assistant District Attorney for Westchester County, New York, from 1975 to 1981, where he was a member of the Superior Court Trial Division and gained both litigation and appellate experience.

• BA, Fordham University
• JD, Temple University Beasley School of Law

• Mergers and Acquisitions LAW 724
• Skills Workshop: Business Planning LAW 684MM

• Leadership Award, Elisabeth Haub School of Law, 2009
• Corporate social responsibility award, Food Bank for Westchester and Legal Services of the Hudson Valley, 2013
• Corporate Citizenship Award, Business Council of Westchester, 2012