Stephen Trachtenberg, President Emeritus of George Washington University, has joinedRimon, P.C. as a partner in the firm’s Washington, DC office. As one of the countries top voices in higher education, he will head the firm’s University practice group.

Mr. Trachtenberg, the author of six books on academic leadership, served as president of GWU from 1988 to 2007. During his tenure, the school jumped into the ranks of the top universities in the country, with its admission rate falling from 75% to 37% while the school’s endowment rose from $250 million to $1 billion. Mr. Trachtenberg also oversaw numerous academic innovations, including the addition of an experimental and now widely copied seven-year B.A. /M.D. program and the construction of numerous state-of-art research and computer labs.

Stephen Trachtenberg

Mr. Trachtenberg currently serves as University Professor of Public Service at George Washington University.

Prior to starting his 20 year service at George Washington University, Mr. Trachtenberg served as President of the University of Hartford, a 7,000 student university.

At Rimon, Mr. Trachtenberg is joining a firm widely recognized as an innovator in the legal field, offering full service teams of highly experienced attorneys with the ability to shift and adapt to client needs. Rimon’s corporate, litigation, intellectual property, tax and private client attorneys work as a close-knit team throughout its 14 offices internationally.

The Financial Times recognized Rimon on its list of most innovative law firms. The firm’s managing partners were named ‘Legal Rebels’ by the American Bar Association Journal and have spoken at Harvard and Stanford Law Schools on innovations in the practice of law.

“President Emeritus Trachtenberg brings practical experience to our growing university practice group. We represent several world-class research universities, offering intellectual property, employment, real estate, and finance legal services. Educational institutions are finding themselves increasingly in need of high-level expertise in handling legal matters that are unique to the field. Stephen ranks as one of the most experienced educators and leaders in the country. He will be a great asset for anyone looking to make an impact in the education field. We are very happy to welcome Stephen to Rimon,” said Michael Moradzadeh, CEO of Rimon.

In addition to his positions at GWU and the University of Hartford, Mr. Trachtenberg has served as the President for Academic Services at Boston University and Director of Massachusetts Educational Seminar.

Mr. Trachtenberg also served as a special assistant to the US Educational Commissioner; legislative assistant to former House Majority Whip John Brademas (future president of New York University) and as an attorney for the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.

“We are witnessing a transformational moment for educational institutions and all educational providers. Developments like the growth of Massive Open Online Courses, the rise in tuition and the increased importance of endowments has thrown up new and unforeseen challenges to educational leaders. Educational leaders need to be increasingly innovative and entrepreneurial in order to succeed.  I look forward to being able to use my experience to help these new leaders thrive,” said Mr. Trachtenberg.

“I was excited to be offered a chance to join Rimon. The firm has brought together a group of experienced attorneys who have been among the leaders in their field. They also have pushed forward a mindset that encourages innovation and collaboration. I look forward to working with my new partners at Rimon.”

In addition to his educational and governmental work, Mr. Trachtenberg served on the Washington, DC Mayor’s Transition team, chaired the DC Chamber of Commerce and served on numerous others boards, including the National Board of Trade and the Federal City Council.

Mr. Trachtenberg earned a J.D. from Yale University, a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University and a B.A. from Columbia University.