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We are so proud of what our Loeb alumni have accomplished since they left the firm, and we hope that Loeb Reconnected will help you get to know your fellow alumni on a deeper level.
This Q&A features Jodi Sarowitz, who was a member of Loeb’s Litigation department from July 2009 to August 2014.
This Q&A features Jodi Sarowitz, who was a member of Loeb’s Litigation department from July 2009 to August 2014.
Catch us up! Where have you been since you left Loeb?
I left Loeb in the summer of 2014 to join Donna Karan/DKNY, the New York City-based fashion house, where I handled intellectual property and litigation matters for the LVMH-owned company. I remained with the company when it was purchased by G-III Apparel Group two years later and became one of G-III’s in-house lawyers, which gave me the opportunity to work on more brands, such as Vilbrequin, G.H. Bass, Andrew Marc and Karl Lagerfeld Paris, as well as licensed brands Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Levi’s and many others, in addition to DKNY and Donna Karan.
Since the acquisition, I’ve continued expanding my role and now serve as vice president, legal counsel. I work closely with senior management on a variety of legal issues, including IP for all of G-III’s brands, acquisitions and joint ventures, as well as on matters involving litigation, retail, human resources and marketing. I truly handle a little bit of everything.
On a personal note, since leaving Loeb I’ve gotten married and had two daughters, who are now four and one years old.
Is there anything you learned at Loeb that you’ve taken with you to your current role or any of the other roles you’ve had?
When I talk about my career trajectory, I often tell people that so much of what I learned at Loeb has really led me to where I am at today. My experience at Loeb taught me to take a practical business-minded approach to litigation. The partners taught me to look at the cost benefit of everything we did and ask, “Does it add value to the client or case?” Our clients aren’t in the business of litigation, so we were trying to help them with as little disruption to their businesses as possible. Through this approach, I learned how to solve an issue and advocate zealously while being as reasonable and cost efficient as possible—a skill I use every day in my current role.
My work at Loeb gave me a great opportunity to learn the ins and outs of intellectual property law, which when coupled with the business-minded approach to litigation really gave me the steppingstones to make the move in-house.
Can you share a specific Loeb memory that you are fond of? It can be a person, a place, an occurrence, etc.
I have many great memories from my time at Loeb, but one of the biggest highlights for me was the associate retreat. It was something the firm had done in the past, and brought back during my time. Associates from all offices traveled to the Los Angeles office for a training, which was substantively great, but what stuck with me most was the camaraderie. It was great to sit in a room and bond with the colleagues you typically only worked with over the phone and email.
What did you like most about working at Loeb?
First and foremost, the people. Loeb really attracts talented, smart and nice people. There was a sense that your colleagues wanted to help you learn and grow—the partners in particular. They were always happy to teach, but at the same time gave me real, practical experience from day one. Being able to work directly with clients so early on gave me the opportunity to get exposure to protecting some of the world’s most incredible brands and was truly instrumental to my career trajectory.
Shortly before I left Loeb, the firm kicked off the Women’s Affinity Group. I was able to participate in some of the early meetings. I really appreciated having the opportunity to get to know, and building relationships with, women outside of my practice group who I may not have crossed paths with otherwise.
What does being a part of Loeb Reconnected, Loeb’s alumni community, mean to you?
It’s an honor to be part of this group of alumni. Loeb attracts excellent, smart people, and to be considered a peer among that group really means a lot to me.
Throughout my career, I’ve crossed paths with former colleagues and Loeb alumni in business and legal matters, and I’m looking forward to connecting with them in this environment as well. It’s great to have a platform like this to reconnect with other Loeb alumni and learn about the exciting things they have moved on to do in their careers.
I left Loeb in the summer of 2014 to join Donna Karan/DKNY, the New York City-based fashion house, where I handled intellectual property and litigation matters for the LVMH-owned company. I remained with the company when it was purchased by G-III Apparel Group two years later and became one of G-III’s in-house lawyers, which gave me the opportunity to work on more brands, such as Vilbrequin, G.H. Bass, Andrew Marc and Karl Lagerfeld Paris, as well as licensed brands Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Levi’s and many others, in addition to DKNY and Donna Karan.
Since the acquisition, I’ve continued expanding my role and now serve as vice president, legal counsel. I work closely with senior management on a variety of legal issues, including IP for all of G-III’s brands, acquisitions and joint ventures, as well as on matters involving litigation, retail, human resources and marketing. I truly handle a little bit of everything.
On a personal note, since leaving Loeb I’ve gotten married and had two daughters, who are now four and one years old.
Is there anything you learned at Loeb that you’ve taken with you to your current role or any of the other roles you’ve had?
When I talk about my career trajectory, I often tell people that so much of what I learned at Loeb has really led me to where I am at today. My experience at Loeb taught me to take a practical business-minded approach to litigation. The partners taught me to look at the cost benefit of everything we did and ask, “Does it add value to the client or case?” Our clients aren’t in the business of litigation, so we were trying to help them with as little disruption to their businesses as possible. Through this approach, I learned how to solve an issue and advocate zealously while being as reasonable and cost efficient as possible—a skill I use every day in my current role.
My work at Loeb gave me a great opportunity to learn the ins and outs of intellectual property law, which when coupled with the business-minded approach to litigation really gave me the steppingstones to make the move in-house.
Can you share a specific Loeb memory that you are fond of? It can be a person, a place, an occurrence, etc.
I have many great memories from my time at Loeb, but one of the biggest highlights for me was the associate retreat. It was something the firm had done in the past, and brought back during my time. Associates from all offices traveled to the Los Angeles office for a training, which was substantively great, but what stuck with me most was the camaraderie. It was great to sit in a room and bond with the colleagues you typically only worked with over the phone and email.
What did you like most about working at Loeb?
First and foremost, the people. Loeb really attracts talented, smart and nice people. There was a sense that your colleagues wanted to help you learn and grow—the partners in particular. They were always happy to teach, but at the same time gave me real, practical experience from day one. Being able to work directly with clients so early on gave me the opportunity to get exposure to protecting some of the world’s most incredible brands and was truly instrumental to my career trajectory.
Shortly before I left Loeb, the firm kicked off the Women’s Affinity Group. I was able to participate in some of the early meetings. I really appreciated having the opportunity to get to know, and building relationships with, women outside of my practice group who I may not have crossed paths with otherwise.
What does being a part of Loeb Reconnected, Loeb’s alumni community, mean to you?
It’s an honor to be part of this group of alumni. Loeb attracts excellent, smart people, and to be considered a peer among that group really means a lot to me.
Throughout my career, I’ve crossed paths with former colleagues and Loeb alumni in business and legal matters, and I’m looking forward to connecting with them in this environment as well. It’s great to have a platform like this to reconnect with other Loeb alumni and learn about the exciting things they have moved on to do in their careers.