When I was a lawyer, I romanticised the work of principals and financial advisors in M&A. Even as a partner in an ultra intellectualized area of the law, I was never able to shake the feeling that we were handling either the bureaucracy or some arcane aspect of the deal, so that other people could do the work that actually mattered. This sensation was a key contributor to my decision of changing careers, and while jumping over the fence to investing has brought me much satisfaction, I now believe I was being myopic.
When you deal, your lawyers are ESSENTIAL. When you are evaluating whether to transact, their input is critical; and once the decision has been made and it is time to think through the commercial concepts by translating them into contracts, their value is unmatched. The investor may decide which direction the ship goes, but it is often for the lawyer to play captain and figure out how to get there safely and on time. This requires being able to simultaneously conceptualize all parts of the deal, from the most abstract to the most operational, and it is quite a thing to watch when executed well.
I really do see Law as a vocation. Of course you need the IQ and the training, but the drive and sense of duty that so frequently defy self-preservation are just as foundational. This is a tough job, similar to high-performance sports, and it will absolutely leave ugly bruises. It is not for everyone at the outset, and it is for very, very few in the long run. But it can be a thing of beauty.
This is my public thanks to these mad masochist geniuses that help make the world go round. And a special thank you to the teams from Norton Rose Fulbright (Andrew Davies, Sam Morrey, Francesca Walker, Michael Lacey, Craig Langsdale and others), Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP (Joe Roger, Bradford Gathright, Joseph Lawlor, Molly Jergenson & co.), White & Case LLP (JUDITH BUCHI OLLOH) and NautaDutilh (@Lisa Schoenmakers and Lena Jamalov), as well as our own TotalEnergies people (Alexis M., @Richard Eldridge, Lydia Kirnenko, Richard Frazier, Seth McNew, Etienne Chassaing, Frédéric Delaffond and Camille C., now at NRF), who have been at my side at ungodly hours (and for so many of them) helping us achieve incredible things.
Pharmacy Intern at Lifecare Hospital's -Meru
3moBest of luck