Faculty Directory | Richard M. Hendler, Esq.

Richard M. Hendler joined the faculty of the NYU Stern School of Business in September 1989 as an adjunct professor and became a full-time faculty member in 1993. He currently serves as Clinical Professor of Law in Business. With nearly four decades of legal practice and more than 37 years of teaching at NYU Stern, Professor Hendler brings extensive professional experience, practical legal insight, and a deep understanding of the relationship between law, business, and society into the classroom.

Professor Hendler teaches undergraduate and graduate students across Stern's academic programs, including the Full-Time MBA and Langone Part-Time MBA programs. His courses include Business Law, Law, Business & Society, Entertainment Law, Entrepreneurship & Law in Practice, and Law in Entrepreneurship, several of which he developed.His teaching emphasizes experiential learning, critical thinking, and the practical application of legal principles through courtroom simulations, mock trials, negotiations, legal drafting, and the examination of contemporary business and legal challenges. By bringing actual legal controversies and professional experiences into the classroom, he encourages students to engage with the law not merely as an academic discipline, but as a dynamic force shaping business decisions, individual rights, and society.

Throughout his distinguished teaching career, Professor Hendler has received numerous awards recognizing his teaching excellence and dedication to students. These include the Stern Distinguished Teaching Award for Excellence in Teaching (2014), the Executive MBA Excellence in Teaching Award, Undergraduate Teacher of the Year honors (2001 and 2003), the Citibank Award for Excellence in Teaching, University Recognition for outstanding dedication and devotion to NYU and its students, the Eli Kushel Excellence in Teaching Award (1995), the Arthur Andersen LLP Foundation Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award (2000), and the Teacher of the Year Award (1998).

Beyond the classroom, Professor Hendler has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to university governance, student mentorship, and the broader NYU community. He chaired the Stern Faculty Council from 2023 to 2025 and serves as a University Alternate Senator through 2027. He is also the faculty advisor to the Stern Military Club and has served on the MBA Judiciary Committee, advised students at the NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study, and supported numerous student organizations, fraternities, and sororities. From 2012 to 2022, he served as a Faculty Fellow in Residence at Palladium Residence Hall, where he built meaningful relationships with students and contributed to the residential community's intellectual and social life.

Student mentorship has remained a defining aspect of Professor Hendler's academic career. As a pre-law advisor, he devotes considerable time to guiding students through the law school admissions process, helping them evaluate their aspirations, prepare for the demands of legal education, and make informed decisions about their professional futures. His commitment to students extends well beyond the classroom, encompassing academic advising, professional development, career opportunities, and personal mentorship. Central to his educational philosophy is the belief that teaching law is not simply about understanding legal rules and principles, but also about developing sound judgment, intellectual curiosity, empathy, professional integrity, and an appreciation for the human consequences of legal decisions. He challenges students to think independently, consider differing perspectives, and recognize that the practice of law is ultimately about people as much as legal principles.

In addition to his academic responsibilities, Professor Hendler maintains an active private law practice in New York, representing businesses, entrepreneurs, and individuals in a broad range of commercial, corporate, and legal matters. His continuing legal practice lets him bring current legal developments, complex business transactions, and firsthand professional experience directly into his teaching, giving students a perspective informed by both legal theory and the practical complexities of the law.

Professor Hendler is affiliated with the Berkley Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation as its Legal Expert in Residence. He previously served for many years as a supervising attorney for law students participating in the Media Law Collaborative at NYU School of Law. He has also lectured at professional seminars, industry programs, and leading Bar and CPA examination review courses, sharing his knowledge and experience with students, attorneys, accountants, entrepreneurs, and business professionals.

Before establishing his own law practice and pursuing his academic career, Professor Hendler practiced law at Hughes Hubbard & Reed and Kaye Scholer Fierman Hays & Handler, two prominent national law firms. His private practice experience, combined with his longstanding academic career, has given him a distinctive perspective on the intersection of law, business, ethics, and professional responsibility.

Professor Hendler earned his Juris Doctor from NYU School of Law and graduated magna cum laude from NYU's College of Business and Public Administration, now known as the Stern School of Business.