New York v London: two partners, two cities, one day in the life
Two MoFo partners compare a typical day in the legal centres of the US and UK
August 21, 2017 at 03:31 AM
6 minute read
Sonya Van de Graaff and Jennifer Marines (pictured above, left to right) are partners in Morrison & Foerster's business restructuring and insolvency group.
Van de Graaff is based in London, while Marines is based in New York. This interview looks at how life as a lawyer in London compares with the day-to-day demands of New York.
What is your morning routine before work?
Marines (New York): In a house full of three children six years old and younger, I don't need an alarm. Usually, my just-turned three-year-old wakes me up around 6am asking for a toy, tattling on his siblings, or just looking for a kiss. From there, the morning consists of getting the kids ready for school or camp, which closely resembles a factory assembly line. My husband applies sunscreen and dresses the first child, who then moves on to my station for hair and tooth brushing. Rinse and repeat three times.
Once the kids are on their way, I head to the 8:08am Long Island Rail Road for a supposed 36-minute train commute into the city (the train has never actually made the trip in 36 minutes). I have come to look forward to this brief period of solitude. I read the news, respond to emails, and from time-to-time draft preliminary statements for pending briefs.
Van de Graaff (London): Usually my alarm goes off at around 5:45am and I do some yoga stretches and then walk my dog, Olive. Olive is a hunter, so a morning walk can be more stressful than it may sound – last Thursday morning she ran at full speed into a tree, head first (narrowly missing the squirrel she was after) and she is still recovering from her injuries.
I then have breakfast with my other half and am on the tube by around 8:10am and in the office around 8:30am. My commute is fab – a tube journey from Baker Street to the office without any changes. If it's not too busy, so I can hold my phone without poking someone's eyes out, I read the morning news on what's been going on overnight in situations we're involved or interested in.
What does your role involve?
Marines (New York): I predominately represent companies with billions of dollars of debt through their Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. I have represented companies in numerous industries, from telecoms to energy (such as helping Maxus Energy settle more than $12bn in liabilities this year following a year-long case).
As deputy chair of the finance department, I am responsible for supporting the development and execution of department initiatives, promoting business development and cross-department marketing efforts, and monitoring department performance. The role has given me great insight into the business of running a global law firm.
Van de Graaff (London): There are five core members in our London team and we work very closely together and with the New York business restructuring and insolvency team. My job ultimately boils down to solving problems and negotiating deals. The common thread is that there's always an insolvency or an insolvency looming. This means I represent investors who intentionally – believe it or not – invest in financially distressed situations, with a view to improving the situation. Currently I'm representing one of the creditors in the ongoing Lehman Brothers insolvency, where the issue revolves around the entitlement to £8bn surplus monies.
How did you get the job?
Marines (New York): I was hired to join MoFo by a group of partners who had originally recruited me out of law school at another firm. In 2012, our paths crossed again on the Innkeepers Chapter 11 case (in somewhat adversarial capacities). [Innkeepers is a Palm Beach real estate investment trust that became one of the largest corporate bankruptcies in 2010 when it entered Chapter 11 proceedings]. When the case concluded, the MoFo team asked me to join their ranks and support their emerging company-side practice. That was five years ago, almost to the day.
Van de Graaff (London): It immediately struck me that MoFo was a very different kind of law firm, in a way which really appealed to me. And of course the platform spoke for itself; the business restructuring and insolvency practice was already a huge success and the London office in particular was at a very exciting point in its development. Although I wasn't looking to move at the time, the opportunity just seemed like a once in a lifetime one, and I didn't want to let it pass.
What is a typical day for you?
Marines (New York): Calls, calls, and more calls, peppered with court hearings, practice group and department meetings, and revising documents. And lots of diet soda.
Van de Graaff (London): Doing deals and getting deals in, which usually involves a combination of drafting documents, negotiating and hustling. There's also a lot of reading, to keep up with the law and developments, which seem to change daily.
What has been your proudest professional moment?
Marines (New York): Making partner while on maternity leave.
Van de Graaff (London): Negotiating a settlement for retail bondholders against the Irish Government. Their bonds were threatened with being expropriated; for many of them this would have involved a sizeable amount of their pension pot going up in smoke.
What do you tend to do after work?
Marines (New York): If I can get out of work at a reasonable time, I try to make it home to put the kids to bed. I like to hear about their days and read them a book or sing them a song. I cook when I have time or enjoy a drink with friends. And if the weather cooperates, my husband and I love taking the boat to City Island in the Bronx for lobster.
Van de Graaff (London): I spend time with family and friends. I also like reading, hiking, playing piano and writing. Only so many hours in the day though…
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