Harvard Law School Talks With Anthony V. Lupo About the Rise of Fashion Law

Often referred to as the "father of fashion law," Tony began his career as an associate in the then-emerging field of internet law. His passion for fashion guided his career towards fashion and retail law, where he has been a leading figure.

"I always tell young lawyers it's important to figure out what you like and that you would do for free," said Tony. Years ago, AFS began acquiring more clients in the fashion industry and as a result, the firm established the legal field's first dedicated industry group.

"We saw that we had different pieces of the industry, but distributed across the firm. We had somebody doing real estate for fashion clients and somebody doing import-export, but they weren't talking to each other. So we created an industry group around fashion to teach each other," Tony said.

Tony emphasized the importance of having a comprehensive understanding of the fashion industry to effectively practice in this area. This includes being aware of brand strategies, knowing the materials used and their origins, understanding the manufacturing process, and being cognizant of import procedures and tax implications in the United States.

When asked about the hot-topic issue surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) and law practices, Tony stated, "AI is going to be existential. And people in law school right now better get up to speed, or it's going to eat their jobs… The ones that are really comfortable with this and can adapt to the new paradigm are going to be the ones that succeed."

Read the full interview here.

• Anthony V. Lupo

  Chairman