Jessica Magaldi
Lubin School of Business
Pace University
“Dr. Magaldi is an exceptional educator whose innovative, student-first approach has earned her the Homer and Charles Pace Award (2019)—the highest alumni recognition for faculty impact—and the Excellence in Teaching Award twice from the Legal Studies Department.
“She has transformed the learning experience by creating groundbreaking courses such as Music Industry and the Law (Taylor’s Version) and Pop Culture and the Law, both of which captured overwhelming student interest and quickly filled to capacity. Blending real-world cases with creative assignments—podcasts, research projects, and even experiential activities like Taylor Swift–themed friendship bracelets tied to legal concepts—she makes Business Law engaging, relevant, and memorable. Her teaching style inspires curiosity, builds confidence, and leaves a lasting imprint on students’ academic and professional growth.” – Dhruvi Gandhi
Jessica A. Magaldi, 55, is the Ivan Fox Professor and Scholar of Business Law at Pace University’s Lubin School of Business. She is Associate Chair of the Legal Studies Department and a two-time Faculty Fellow of the Helene and Grant Wilson Center for Social Entrepreneurship.
Magaldi’s research at the law’s intersection with business and technology has been published in leading law reviews and journals, including the American Criminal Law Review and the Journal of Business Ethics, and has been recognized with numerous best paper awards at national conferences. To reach wider audiences and to influence public policy on important issues, Magaldi publishes opinion essays, most recently in Ms. Magazine and WBUR’s Cognoscenti, and a letter to the editor in the New York Times.
Magaldi’s innovative and engaging teaching has been recognized nationally with a 2017 Periclean Faculty Leadership grant for her undergraduate course that champions civil dialogue, civic engagement and social responsibility. For many years, she led Pace University’s Beta Gamma Sigma chapter, earning recognition as Outstanding Chapter Advisor in 2016 and Professor of the Year in 2020. She has also been honored with the Homer and Charles Pace Faculty Award, for the transformative effect that her commitment and mentorship has had on generations of Pace students.
The Jefferson Foundation awarded Magaldi the Bronze Medal for Public Service for her service within and outside of the university community. She is a co-investigator on a grant from the Teagle Foundation to create a Pace University Undergraduate Fellowship in Civics and Public Service.
Prior to her academic career, Magaldi practiced law at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP and clerked for the Hon. James B. Zagel, U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois. She received a B.S., magna cum laude, from the State University of New York at Albany and a J.D. from New York University School of Law, where she was Editor-in-Chief of the New York University Review of Law and Social Change.
BACKGROUND
At current institution since what year? 2002
Education: New York University School of Law, JD; State University of New York at Albany, BS, magna cum laude
List of Undergraduate courses you teach: Business Law, Advanced Business Law (Corporations and Business Organizations), Digital Media Law, and – two of my favorites – Music Industry Law (Taylor’s Version), Pop Culture and the Law.
TELL US ABOUT LIFE AS A BUSINESS SCHOOL PROFESSOR
I knew I wanted to be a business school professor when … As a lawyer working in internet startups in the late-1990s internet boom, I often found myself teaching founders things about the law that they didn’t know they needed or didn’t want to hear, as many of them saw the law as an impediment to their “move fast, break things” philosophy. Some learned my lessons the hard way. And I learned that I wanted the chance to teach these lessons to undergraduates as they are developing their skills for their lives after college, to help them understand how the law can be an ally, not an adversary, in building something real and lasting for themselves and society.
What are you currently researching and what is the most significant discovery you’ve made from it? I always have a few scholarly projects going at any one time. As a former technology lawyer, I am interested in the way emerging technologies challenge our current laws and the ways the legal system adapts to new techology. My research in this area began with examining employment policies that regulated employee use of Facebook and explored defamation claims made over Twitter. I recently completed a 50-state analysis of laws criminalizing the nonconsensual distribution of another’s intimate images. Defining appropriate remedies for survivors of so-called “revenge porn” has been a challenge as our society struggles with its views on women, sexual autonomy, and victim blaming. I hope that my current research on deepfakes can help move the law forward here, as I evaluate legal responses to deepfake violations where victims did not participate in the creation of the images.
The issue of gender-based equity comes up in many aspects of my scholarship. I am part of a research team that conducted two studies of business school cases on this topic. We examined how often women appear in business school cases and in what contexts. We have also looked at gender diversity in the context of who writes the cases that we use in our classrooms. On the corporate side, I am completing a study of how gender diversity on corporate boards and in the C-suite correlates to firm performance. With my research partner, we are constructing and testing a new conceptual model that examines firms’ leadership demographic characteristics as underlying determinants of firms’ propensities to engage in bribery and corruption, as measured by violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. At a time where society seems to be moving away from DEI initiatives for the sake of equity, our research suggests a strong business case for equitable representation of women.
If I weren’t a business school professor, I’d be … A functional potter or a crossword constructor. I like to make things that are both useful and beautiful.
What do you think makes you stand out as a professor? What matters most to me as a professor is the strong, authentic connection I build with my students. To give one example, after years of hearing students analyze legal issues in my business law classes by referencing something that happened to Taylor Swift, I decided that I could harness that enthusiasm to design a new course. I created Music Industry Law (Taylor’s Version), a course that I built to teach the subject entirely using the lawsuits and controversies that define Swift’s career. I didn’t start out as a Swift fan, but through developing the course I came to respect her as an artist, a businessperson, and someone who works hard at maintaining a strong connection to her fans. In the process of building and teaching the class, I recognized that some of the qualities I came to admire in Swift are the same qualities I bring to my teaching. I create connections with my students so that they feel seen, energized, and challenged, and I use that to push them toward deeper understanding and greater critical thinking.
One word that describes my first time teaching: Instinctive. The first time I stepped into the classroom, everything clicked in a way that made me feel like I’d found something I was meant to do.
Here’s what I wish someone would’ve told me about being a business school professor: I wish someone would have told me to watch “The Chair” on Netflix. It know it wasn’t out at the time I started teaching but that’s my advice to anyone who wants to work in higher education.
Professor I most admire and why: I am deeply inspired by my colleagues who continue to show up every day with commitment and heart, even as higher education faces some of its most challenging moments. The business case for what we do is being questioned, our institutions are under pressure, and our students are navigating unprecedented mental health and personal hurdles. Yet my fellow faculty members bring their full selves to the classroom — teaching, mentoring, encouraging, and adapting with extraordinary resilience. Their dedication reminds me daily that the value of education is not abstract or theoretical; it is lived through the care, creativity, and perseverance of the people who make learning possible.
TEACHING BUSINESS SCHOOL STUDENTS
What do you enjoy most about teaching business students? What I enjoy most about teaching business students is the opportunity to explore the law in creative, unexpected ways with the next generation of business leaders. My students and I ask questions to push ourselves to think differently — about power, strategy, fairness, and innovation — and together we unpack how the law intersects with the complexities of business, technology, and human behavior. I love watching them make connections between doctrine and lived experience, and I especially enjoy designing courses — like my Taylor Swift class or Pop Culture and the Law — that tap into their passions and use that to more deeply engage with legal analysis. Being part of my students’ intellectual growth is one of the most rewarding aspects of my work.
What is most challenging? What is most challenging about teaching business students is balancing the need to equip them with rigorous critical thinking skills while also guiding them through the complex human realities that shape our current society. Many come to school focused on metrics, outcomes, and career pathways, yet they are simultaneously grappling with anxiety, uncertainty, and the pressure to “optimize” every aspect of their lives. The challenge is meeting them where they are, honoring their ambitions, and helping them to expand their understanding of what it truly means to succeed in a world that is shifting around them.
In one word, describe your favorite type of student: I teach my students that the law is a human construct — that when the law works as it should, it encourages the behaviors society values and discourages those it does not. My favorite type of student is the one who wants to explore that idea with me, who trusts the process enough to examine a problem from a dozen angles, to test hypothetical after hypothetical, and to grapple with the material until we can reflect our understanding of the law in the context of societal and business interests. Is there one word for that?
In one word, describe your least favorite type of student: The student who misses class and then emails to ask, “Did we do anything important in class today?”
When it comes to grading, I think students would describe me as … Sincere. In the years since the pandemic, I’ve been actively experimenting with ways to support students as they navigate real-world challenges—mental health pressures, family responsibilities, and the uneven burdens that fall along cultural and gender lines. I’m constantly asking myself whether granting an extension or makeup exam is privileging a student who had the confidence or support to ask for assistance, while unintentionally disadvantaging the student who, despite their own struggles, quietly pushed through to meet every deadline. There is no one-size-fits-all answer. Instead, I rely on equity and compassion as my guiding principles, seeking the balance I challenge my students to look for in the legal system itself. I make these values explicit in my classroom, and I hope that my students feel the sincerity behind my decisions.
LIFE OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM
What are your hobbies? I like to spend my time away from work making tangible things with my hands. I enjoy pottery, sewing, and baking. This winter, one of my kids and I are planning a lot of sewing projects. My other kid is going to teach us how to knit. I do the New York Times crossword puzzle every Sunday and my goal this year is to make progress to complete a Friday or Saturday puzzle.
How will you spend your summer? Working on my research, teaching a summer class or two, and taking advantage of the many outdoor concerts and events that pop up in NYC each summer.
Favorite place(s) to vacation: Anywhere my kids want to go.
Favorite book(s): I try to read two books a week, so whatever I’m currently reading is my favorite. And if it’s not a favorite, I put it down; life is too short to read books I don’t love.
What is currently your favorite movie and/or show and what is it about the film or program that you enjoy so much? I’m really enjoying The Diplomat these days. As someone who thinks a lot about how law, policy, and power intersect, I love how the show captures the high-stakes complexity of international negotiations. But I also might just like it because at the center of the action is a middle-aged woman whose experience, judgment, and grit are portrayed as her superpowers.
What is your favorite type of music or artist(s) and why? I have many favorite types of music and artists but, at this moment, I have to say Taylor Swift. Thanks to my students’ fascination with her work, the kernel of an idea that I might create a new course gave me the opportunity to explore my own creativity in a new context – and with a soundtrack!
THOUGHTS AND REFLECTIONS
If I had my way, the business school of the future would have much more of this … If I had my way, the business school of the future would have a stronger and more intentional connection to humanity and the humanities. I want students to see the law—and business itself—not just as technical rules or strategies, but as a human system shaped by culture, ethics, and history. Classrooms are opportunities for faculty to encourage exploration of the human side of decision-making, creativity, and problem-solving, and to invite students to bring their passions, stories, and perspectives into the learning process. Most of all, I want to see a business school culture that values empathy, reflection, and moral imagination, where students and faculty feel seen and challenged, and where education cultivates not only knowledge and skill, but the judgment and humanity to use them well.
In my opinion, companies and organizations today need to do a better job at … In my opinion, based on my research and my lived experience, companies and organizations today need to do a better job at fostering gender equality, valuing individuals’ contributions, and creating a sense of connectedness among their people. Too often, structures and cultures overlook the unique perspectives that women—and particularly mid-career and senior women—bring to leadership, decision-making, and innovation. True organizational strength comes when every individual feels seen, heard, and respected for what they contribute, and when diverse voices are not just included, but actively shape strategy and culture, unlocking human potential and long-term success for individuals and the organization.
I’m grateful for … I’m deeply grateful to the students, alumni, and colleagues who nominated me for this award. Their recognition makes me feel truly seen and affirmed in the work I care so much about, and it’s a reminder of the meaningful connections we share in the pursuit of teaching, learning, and growth.
DON’T MISS THE ENTIRE ROSTER OF 2025’s 50 BEST UNDERGRADUATE BUSINESS SCHOOL PROFESSORS.
© Copyright 2026 Poets & Quants. All rights reserved. This article may not be republished, rewritten or otherwise distributed without written permission. To reprint or license this article or any content from Poets & Quants, please submit your request HERE.
