Voice of Experience, Christa D’Alimonte, Partner and Deputy Practice Group Leader, Mergers & Acquisitions, Shearman & Sterling

By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Ask Christa D’Alimonte, a leading mergers & acquisitions partner at global law firm Shearman & Sterling, and she’ll tell you that one of the key things she’s learned throughout her career is the importance of being flexible.

“In this kind of profession, we tend to be extraordinarily good planners and extraordinarily well organized,” she says. “But you can’t always plan everything. Both your personal and professional life will throw curve balls at you.”

And the proof, according to D’Alimonte: “I never thought I would be an M&A lawyer.”

That’s quite surprising, considering that D’Alimonte, who is currently advising Synthes on its $21 billion acquisition by Johnson & Johnson – one of the biggest M&A deals in the last couple of years – is considered a top-tier dealmaker. D’Alimonte also works with Viacom and other leading companies, as well as all the major financial institutions.

Vote of Confidence

D’Alimonte has been with Shearman & Sterling for her entire professional career. She joined the firm as a summer associate in 1992, and after graduating from Georgetown University Law Center in 1993, she returned to build her career there.

“Shearman & Sterling’s strong practice in Latin America is what drew me to the firm,” she recalled. “I started in a group focused on international corporate work and spent my first two years with a broad focus on capital markets and financial work.”

As a third-year associate, she rotated into the M&A group and almost immediately found her niche. “I never left,” she said. “In fact, I’ve never even thought about leaving.”

Eleven years ago, D’Alimonte made partner, which, she said, is one of her proudest professional achievements. “It was somewhat of a defining moment. It was humbling and it was an honor to be recognized by my mentors.”

She continued, “To get that recognition and be made part of an institution that, at that point, had been in existence for more than 125 years, to be included in that history, it was a very proud moment.”

D’Alimonte highlighted another experience that has been particularly meaningful to her – a presentation she gave to a group of male executives, including the CEO, of a company she was working with when she was a senior associate.

“The company was based in the South and there were not a lot of women in the business then,” she recalled. After finishing going over the key points being negotiated, she gathered her materials and left the room, and the CEO’s secretary approached her in the hall. “She said, ‘You know, honey, he never listens to girls that way. That was impressive.’”

“That was an important moment for me,” D’Alimonte added. “It meant a lot to me to have that vote of confidence – and it was also an ego-boost to be able to command such an audience.”

Working in M&A

One thing D’Alimonte loves about working in M&A is the variety of her work.

“At any one time, I may be working on a public company merger, a joint venture or the sale of divisions or subsidiaries,” she said.

She continued, “My practice is very international and there are always a lot of cross-border transactions on my plate. While I tend to focus on the media and entertainment industry, I really have a broad focus in terms of industries. I have the opportunity to really learn about various industries and work with clients across industries.”

As far as industry issues, D’Alimonte says she is focused on changes in corporate governance – the interactions between boards, shareholders and other stakeholders.

“This is an area that will continue to evolve over the foreseeable future and impacts M&A work,” she said.

She continued, “The other aspect that has changed a lot is the increasingly global nature of the practice – we’re working in multiple jurisdictions, in multiple offices, and our clients have operations around the world. It’s an incredibly interesting process. We’re often trying to thread many needles in one transaction with various legal rules that apply.”

Challenges for Women in the Legal Profession

“I don’t think there are challenges for women, per se, in this field,” D’Alimonte said, considering her role as a female M&A lawyer. “One of the interesting things about the M&A practice is that it is built on collaboration, teamwork and leadership. One of my roles is essentially to be a quarterback for attorneys in the firm working to get a transaction closed.”

She continued, “Every person here knows how to move their part along. Women are excellent networkers and team leaders, and have an excellent handle on those collaboration skills. In that respect, I don’t see barriers for women succeeding.”

But there are other challenges that women face, she explained.

“Women bear a broader burden of trying to juggle their personal and professional life issues. The nature of my practice is 24/7, and being client-driven, you have to be constantly available, constantly on. It is a real challenge if you are the primary person in charge of child or elder care.”

She continued, “The advice that is given is often to compartmentalize. But with a client service industry like ours, I don’t have the ability to turn off my BlackBerry or not answer the phone.”

D’Alimonte, who is a mother to two young children, said, “I do think it is important for your children to appreciate the work that you do and the demands of it.”

Advice for Women in Law

She advised young women beginning a career in law to “embrace it.”

“This is a tremendously interesting industry with enormous opportunities,” she said. “You have to jump in wholeheartedly and embrace it to be successful.”

She continued, “The second thing is that it is critical to be open minded and nimble. You don’t know where the next opportunity will come from. That could mean moving to a new office or practice area, or learning about an industry you didn’t know you’d be interested in.”

Third, she said, “I also think it’s important to take charge of your career and to have an idea of what you might want to do five or ten years from now. It doesn’t have to be concrete, but you shouldn’t be floating along. Actively look for people who can help you.”

Lastly, she said, young women need to assess if they are happy doing what they are doing. “You have to be prepared to acknowledge whether you’re happy and not be afraid to move on if you find it’s not for you,” she said.

As women become more senior, she advised them to look for individuals they might like to mentor. She explained, “As you get to a certain level of seniority, you need to appreciate that you are looked to as a role model and a mentor as well. It’s important to remember the important people that helped you along the way and to do the same for other talented individuals, male or female, who can use your guidance as they move through the profession.”

In Her Personal Time

D’Alimonte points out that, between work and raising two children, she has “limited free time.” But even with the time constraints she finds time, through Shearman & Sterling, to participate in the firm’s “wonderful pro bono program, supervising associates and working directly with clients on issues where I can make a difference.”

Additionally, D’Alimonte is involved with her children’s school. “It’s an important way to remain connected to my community and my family life,” she said.