What were some of your most satisfying successes of the past year, and why? It has been rewarding to build on Cravath’s impressive private equity achievements with transactions such as BDT’s combination with MSD. We are historic players in private equity—Cravath advised on the largest-ever U.S. LBO—and have also been at the forefront of legal innovation in the private equity sphere. I am excited to help lead the firm’s private equity practice to continued prominence and even greater growth.

What qualities make a great dealmaker? A successful dealmaker takes the time to embed themselves with their client to understand fully the business objectives driving the contemplated transaction. Then the dealmaker advocates for the client in a commercial, pragmatic way, while identifying risks and devising workable solutions. Relatedly, the best legal advisors find enjoyment and a sense of purpose in helping their clients with their most important and complicated matters. This drives the creativity and innovation that help you “see around the corner” and serve not just as a deal execution lawyer, but also as a problem-solver and a trusted advisor.