Webinar: Navigating Polarization as a Legal Professional in Impact Investing
How Psychology Can Help Lawyers Embrace Uncertainty and Create Value
Date: February 20, 2025
Time: 5:30 - 6:30 PM ET
Location: Online (Registration Required)
Click here to register.
Description:
Societies across the West are increasingly polarized, with deep divisions shaping worldviews, beliefs, and perceptions of what it means to do and be good. This polarization extends beyond politics and social discourse—affecting industries like impact investing, where practitioners strive to create positive change while navigating contentious and competing perspectives.
How does polarization shape decision-making in impact investing? What can legal professionals learn from psychology to navigate uncertainty, build bridges, and continue advancing solutions for social and environmental good?
Join Clinical Law Professor Deborah Burand (NYU Law) and Psychology Professors Diane Sivasubramaniam (Swinburne University of Technology) and Sam Wilson (Swinburne University of Technology) for a thought-provoking discussion on:
- The psychological roots of polarization and its influence on decision-making
- The hidden intersections between polarization, psychology, and impact investing
- Practical strategies for lawyers and impact professionals to create value in an uncertain, divided world
The webinar will conclude with an interactive discussion on how professionals in law and impact investing can foster a resilient and forward-thinking community.
Join the Conversation!
We encourage participants to come with questions and insights.
The discussion will include a call to action:
💡 What kind of professional community do we want to be, and how can we work individually and jointly to realize these aspirations?
Speakers:
🔹 Deborah Burand (Moderator)
Clinical Professor of Law, NYU School of Law
Deborah Burand is a Clinical Professor of Law at NYU School of Law, where she directs the International Transactions Clinic and is the Faculty Director of the Grunin Center for Law & Social Entrepreneurship. She has extensive experience in impact investing, social entrepreneurship, and cross-border financing. Before academia, she served in leadership roles at the U.S. Treasury Department and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC). She frequently advises on legal innovations in sustainable finance.
🔹 Diane Sivasubramaniam
Professor of Psychology, Swinburne University of Technology
Diane Sivasubramaniam is a social psychologist who specializes in the psychology of justice, decision-making, and group identity. Her research examines how people perceive fairness, trust institutions, and respond to social conflict. She brings insights from behavioral science to help professionals navigate high-stakes environments where values and ideologies clash.
🔹 Sam Wilson
Professor of Leadership, Swinburne University of Technology
Sam Wilson is a social psychologist in moral decision-making, folk conceptions of the common good, leadership, and societal change. His research explores how people navigate ethical dilemmas and conflicting worldviews, as well as how psychological frameworks can inform practical solutions for global challenges, including sustainability and social impact.
Who Should Attend?
This webinar is ideal for:
✔ Lawyers and legal scholars interested in impact investing and social entrepreneurship
✔ Impact investors navigating complex social issues
✔ Academics and students in law, business, policy, psychology, and behavioral economics
✔ Anyone curious about how polarization affects decision-making and social impact
Registration Required:
https://nyu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Pa2ANJLgQ8CP3gqEif0Q5Q