Ashok Lalwani is the Broad College of Business Global Engagement Fellow for fall 2025. The Global Engagement Fellowship is a Broad program that invites alumni to return to campus to share their international insights with the college community. Lalwani earned his B.A. in accounting and his MBA from Broad.
Lalwani recently joined Greenberg Traurig as a shareholder and previously served as a partner at Baker McKenzie, a leading global law firm, where he focused on mergers and acquisitions, international securities and corporate advisory. Based in Singapore, Lalwani also started and led the firm’s global India practice and advised multinational corporations, financial institutions and governments on complex cross-border transactions. Recognized among Asia’s top lawyers, Lalwani is known for bridging cultures and business practices to craft innovative, globally minded solutions.
Why did you choose MSU and how did you decide to pursue a career in accounting?
I grew up in East Lansing after emigrating from India when I was eight-years-old, so I’ve always been a Spartan. When it came time to apply for college, I only applied to MSU (it was the only place I wanted to be!).
I originally planned to go into law and started at James Madison College. Growing up here, I loved watching Perry Mason and imagined myself as a trial lawyer one day; it just seemed like a fun and meaningful career. But as a JMC student, it was difficult to get into business classes, and I found myself increasingly interested in that side of things. I talked to a few Broad professors who told me that accounting and tax provided a strong foundation for many career paths, including law.
Around that time, MSU launched a new program that allowed students to complete both a bachelor’s in accounting and an MBA in five years, with summer coursework built in. I took advantage of that opportunity, which gave me a strong combination of business knowledge, technical accounting skills, and the writing and critical thinking I’d gained from James Madison.
My father also earned his MBA at MSU, so there’s a family connection to the university as well.
How did your time at MSU prepare you for the career you have today?
MSU opened the world for me. The people I met, the things I was able to try and the experiences I had, both personally and academically, shaped my career path. It’s really a place where you can do and learn a lot if you’re willing to put in the work to try.
Academically, I had great professors who offered advice that guided my college and post-graduation life. They helped me build an intellectual foundation to help me succeed in whatever I wanted to do.
Michigan State is a “no-airs” school where we have such a mixed group of people from all backgrounds. It leaves you very humbled and very connected because you’ve been exposed to people from all walks of life. When I talk to international alumni, they all have incredibly fond memories of MSU. The beauty of campus, how welcomed and included they felt, how connected they feel to other Spartans; it’s such a special virtue of MSU.
What advice do you have for current MSU students as they prepare for their future careers?
There are so many more resources available now to help students explore different career paths and understand what is out there for them.
My biggest piece of advice is to be proactive in seeking those out. You don’t know what you don’t know, so talk to as many professionals as possible to uncover opportunities and paths you might not have considered.
If I had been more proactive during my time at MSU, the career paths I would have considered would have been different. I didn’t need to look only at accounting firms after my B.A./MBA or law firms after my J.D.
I would advise students to make sure they are doing that research and doing it as early as possible. You never know where those conversations or informational interviews will lead.
This content originally appeared on the Broad College website and was edited and repurposed. To view the piece in its original form, visit Broad College of Business.