About Jonathan
Jonathan Law is an associate principal in our New York office. Since joining McKinsey in 2001, he has worked with senior clients in the public sector and in philanthropy on topics related to economic development, innovative social finance, and organizational effectiveness and operational efficiency.
Jonathan has recently been leading transformative economic development initiatives in the US, including:
- Creating a comprehensive economic development plan for a Rust Belt city to turn around its economy, building on strengths like advanced manufacturing and healthcare
- Developing a detailed 10-year agenda for growing the economy and creating jobs in one of the largest cities in the US;
- Designing an innovative infrastructure financing fund for a large state
- Developing a strategy for a leading national foundation as it undertook a $1 billion multiyear urban revitalization effort in a Rust Belt city.
Jonathan has also led multiple innovative social finance projects, including developing an approach for a large global foundation to pursue strategic partnerships with the private sector to achieve its program objectives; assessing opportunities for innovative financing mechanisms for a large global foundation seeking new revenue sources devoted to global health and development causes; and developing the financial inclusion strategy for a large global bank, enabling it to serve millions of the world’s poor who are marginalized from formal financial services.
He was a co-author of McKinsey’s report “From Potential to Action: Bringing Social Impact Bonds to the US” and led the development of a set of tools to support the up-take of SIBs.
For the past five years, Jonathan has helped lead McKinsey’s pro bono efforts in New York City, developing comprehensive strategic plans for local non-profit social service organizations.
Prior to joining McKinsey, Jonathan worked at the United Nations, the New York City Economic Development Corporation, and the law firm of Cravath, Swine & Moore.
Published work
“The Future City: Delivering change in urban economics,” Voices on Society, April 2013 (with Shaina Doar)
“From Potential to Action: Bringing Social Impact Bonds to the US,” McKinsey on Society, May 2012
“Will Social Impact Bonds Work in the United States?” McKinsey on Society, March 2012
“Activists, Pundits, and Quiet Followers: Engaging the public in social issues,” McKinsey on Society, August 2010
“Leap of Reason: Managing to Outcomes in an Era of Scarcity,” Introduction (with Lynn Taliento and Laura Callanan), 2011
“Learning for social impact: What foundations can do,” McKinsey on Society, March 2010
Past experience
| Cravath, Swaine & Moore |
Summer associate |
2006 |
| New York City Economic Development Corporation |
Project manager |
2004 |
| United Nations |
Associate program officer |
2003-2004 |
Education
| Columbia University |
JD |
| Harvard College |
AB |