Why did you become a lawyer?
I read Barbarians At The Gate – charting the takeover of RJR Nabisco – in 1988 while at law school, and the biography Skadden: Power, Money and the Rise of a Legal Empire and became convinced I wanted to be an M&A lawyer at Skadden in New York. I joined the firm on graduation and have been an M&A lawyer here ever since. I only deviated from the plan once – when I moved to London in 2001.
Who has been the biggest influence on your career?
I have had two partners at Skadden as mentors: Scott Simpson and Michael Hatchard. They taught me to be prepared, confident, creative and commercial. They encouraged me to take initiative and never to be afraid to assume responsibility and run transactions.
