Tamar Frankel Delivers Keynote at Grand Opening of The Museum of Trust in Tokyo, Japan

The professor of fiduciary law gave several talks and met with alumni on her recent trip.

Trust is an important concept. As a principle that underpins most human interactions, from social to technological to economic, it isn’t often given the consideration it deserves. So when Professor of Law Tamar Frankel—an esteemed expert in fiduciary law and the importance of trust in financial relationships—was invited to give the keynote speech at the opening of the Museum of Trust in Tokyo, Japan, she was happy to accept.

Established by the Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation, The Museum of Trust was created to promote trust both in Japan and around the world. Interactive exhibits explore the history of the concept, comparative theories of trust from around the world, and archives of authors who have written about the subject, including an exhibit devoted to Frankel’s scholarship. Her keynote, entitled “The Role of Fiduciary in the Twenty-First Century,” examined the difference between contractual and fiduciary relationships and the role trust plays in each. The talk was followed by a panel discussion with several professors from the University of Tokyo.

In addition to her speech to open the Museum of Trust, Frankel visited the University of Tokyo Faculty of Law for a guest lecture, and met with a number of BU Law alumni.

Frankel’s scholarship focuses on the areas of fiduciary law, corporate governance, mutual funds, and the regulation of the financial system. She has published 10 books and more than 80 articles and book chapters. In 1998, she was instrumental in establishing and designing the corporate structure of the Internet Corporation for Names and Numbers (ICANN). In 2013, the Institute for Fiduciary Standard established the annual Frankel Fiduciary Prize in her honor to award individuals who advance fiduciary principles. Earlier this year, BU Law held a symposium and award ceremony for the 2015 Frankel Fiduciary Prize, given to David Swensen, chief investment officer of Yale University.

A long-time member of the Boston University School of Law faculty, Professor Frankel was a visiting scholar at the Securities and Exchange Commission (1995–1997) and at the Brookings Institution (1987). She has taught and lectured at Oxford University, Tokyo University, Harvard Law School, and Harvard Business School. She consulted with the People’s Bank of China and lectured in Canada, India, Malaysia, and Switzerland. A native of Israel, Professor Frankel served as an attorney in the legal department of the Israeli Air Force, an assistant attorney general for Israel’s Ministry of Justice and the legal advisor of the State of Israel Bonds Organization in Europe. She has been in private practice in Israel, Boston, and Washington, DC and is a member of the Massachusetts Bar, the American Law Institute, and The American Bar Foundation.