David E. Franasiak ’78
David E. Franasiak ’78 is a partner in the Washington, D.C., law firm Williams & Jensen PLLC, where he consults on legislative and administrative matters related to tax, securities, financial institutions and natural resources.
About this Interview
Interview Date(s)
March 23, 2017
Occasion
Recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award for Business at the 55th Annual Alumni Dinner
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About David E. Franasiak
Franasiak grew up in Tonawanda, N.Y., and attended Buffalo State College, the first in his family to go to college. He took a year off between undergraduate and graduate school to work in the mayor’s office, then applied to UB for two professional degrees. In addition to the J.D. he has an MBA, for which he had to negotiate with the School of Business, as there were no dual degree programs at the time.
Although he wanted to “think like a lawyer,” Franasiak had no interest in going to court. He enjoyed the School of Business more, preferring financial services. He feels attached to both schools.
His favorite law professors were Halpern, who taught him Civil Procedure; McCarty, who taught Quantitative Methods; Kochery, for Labor Law; and Joyce, for Tax. He passed the bar exam the first time.
After graduating, he received a call from Rep. Henry Nowak asking him to run a subcommittee on business tax in Washington, D.C. From then on, his work in Washington with tax issues—tax expertise and reform, and auditing—increasingly drove his success.
- Director of the Tax Policy Center, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 1980-1984
- Director, Washington government relations, British Petroleum America, 1984-1987
- Principal, Office of the Chairperson, Ernst &Young, 1987-1991
- Partner, Williams & Jensen, 1991-present
- He also served as an adviser to multinational companies, start-ups, and business associations and coalitions during this time.
One of his passions is the law school’s New York City Program in Finance and Law. Franasiak is a major supporter and has an ongoing commitment to the program, where he has taught seminars, and helped students find jobs, since 2006.
According to Franasiak, the program gives the law school an essential New York City presence, gets alumni more involved with the school and helps the students develop crucial contacts and skills through lectures.
Franasiak said if he were to earn a law degree today, he would specialize in something like IP.
In 2012, the Buffalo Law Review honored him for Distinguished Service to the University at Buffalo School of Law.
