How I Made Partner: Debevoise's Ramya Tiller
"Maintaining strong relationships with existing clients is key. It is easier to expand work at an existing client than build entirely new client relationships," says the 38-year-old finance partner.
December 14, 2018 at 08:00 AM
3 minute read
Ramya Tiller, 38, Debevoise & Plimpton
Office: New York.
Practice area: Finance.
Law school: New York University School of Law, 2005, LL.M.; National Law School of India University, 2002, LL.B.
How long have you been at the firm? Almost 10 years.
How long were you an associate at the firm? Eight years.
Were you an associate at another firm before joining your present firm? Yes. My first job after NYU was as an international lawyer at White & Case in 2005-06, after which I moved to Debevoise. Between 2010 and 2012, I moved to Munich with my husband and was an associate at Freshfields [Brukhaus Deringer], Germany. I returned to Debevoise in 2012.
What year did you make partner at your current firm? 2017.
What do you think was the deciding point for the firm in making you partner? My mentors at Debevoise, who are now my partners, put me in a position to work with key clients and provided me with opportunities to work on high-profile matters. Their continued support helped me gain the experience and client relationships to become a partner at the firm.
Describe how you feel now about your career now that you've made partner. I am happy I can continue to do what I like doing: working on sophisticated, market-leading matters in a truly collaborative culture.
What's the key to successful business development in your opinion? Maintaining strong relationships with existing clients is key. It is easier to expand work at an existing client than build entirely new client relationships.
What's been the biggest change, day-to-day, in your routine since becoming partner? The biggest change—and benefit—has been that I spend much more time focused on people—whether it is mentoring our talented associates or maintaining client relationships.
Who had the greatest influence in your career that helped propel you to partner? I worked extensively with David Brittenham, the chair of our finance group, and benefited enormously from his deep expertise. I also had a very supportive peer group at the firm; my friends Jennifer Chu and Sue Meng also made partner at the firm in the last few years.
What's the best piece of advice you could give an associate who wants to make partner? Take responsibility for your own career. Review your portfolio of work every few months to ensure that you are gaining the right mix of experience. And, of course, do your best work to gain the trust of the partners and clients you work with.
Got a suggestion for a new partner to profile in this column? Email [email protected].
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