Tracey Brady Yurko is the Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary at Bridgewater Associates, an asset management firm based in Westport, Connecticut. She is also a Partner and a member of the firm’s Executive and Operating Committees, and is responsible for managing legal risk across Bridgewater and its funds. She was a Milbank associate from 2003 to 2009, spending time in our Los Angeles, Singapore and New York offices. We recently spoke with Tracey about her position at Bridgewater and her experience at Milbank.
Tell us about your current role at Bridgewater Associates. What is a typical day like for you?
I can’t say there’s a typical day here. That said, my focus is on leading my team and making sure we’re paying attention to the right things at the right time. We’re responsible for overseeing the legal and regulatory aspects of the business. That means everything from fund formation and reviewing investor and counterparty agreements, to protecting intellectual property, corporate transactions and employment issues impacting our more than 1,300 employees.
How did your experience at Milbank prepare you for your current role?
My time as an associate at Milbank was invaluable in terms of both my legal training and my approach to being a professional. I’ll always remember a discussion I had with a partner in the Hong Kong office. I was fortunate enough to spend several months working in Asia and it proved to be a fantastic developmental opportunity for me. The partner was providing feedback on my work and he spoke about the “Milbank way,” the idea that excellence was part of the culture, an expectation. That way of being has always stuck with me and I’ve tried to bring that philosophy with me throughout my career.
What trends are affecting your business currently?
The asset management sector is always anticipating and responding to the changing regulatory environment. Navigating the complex details of securities laws and regulations is more important than ever as business models are increasingly being scrutinized and legislative shifts are active. Our focus is on determining what’s on the horizon so that we can be proactive and forward-thinking and can provide our clients with best-in-class guidance on markets, products and portfolio strategies.
From your view in-house, do you have advice on how outside counsel can serve clients better?
Offering practical, timely guidance is key. The most effective outside counsel will make the effort to learn our business and understand the commercial, structural and regulatory challenges we’re facing. Also, insightful and actionable advice that has a real-world application is usually more useful than technically accurate information that doesn’t address our specific objectives.
Did any partners at Milbank serve as mentors who had an impact on your career?
I had the privilege to work with many great lawyers at Milbank. A few that really stand out for me are Neil Wertlieb, Brett Goldblatt, and David Zemans, each of whom cared about my progress and took an interest in my work early. I was also incredibly lucky to work closely with Milbank alum John Halvey, my predecessor at Bridgewater. John still is a wonderful mentor and was a driving force in my professional development.
What keeps you busy outside of the office?
I’m involved with a few organizations that are particularly meaningful to me and that help me to “pay it forward.” I serve as the executive sponsor of Bridgewater’s Women’s Influence Network, or “WIN,” which is one of our largest affinity networks. Outside of Bridgewater, I serve on the board of the Managed Funds Association and the advisory board of the Harvard Law School Center on the Legal Profession. As an alum and former player, I’m a proud member of the Johns Hopkins Lacrosse Advisory Board. I am also honored to serve as chair of the Make-A-Wish Connecticut board of directors where our mission is to grant life-changing wishes to children with critical illnesses. In each of these opportunities, I get far more out of them than I could ever put in.
