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After my fascinating conversation with Rodge Cohen of Sullivan & Cromwell, I wanted to interview another transactional lawyer for the Original Jurisdiction podcast. But to mix things up, I wanted to speak with an up-and-coming dealmaker rather than a senior statesperson. And because May is Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month, I was hoping to feature a lawyer of AANHPI descent.

Meet Shanu Bajaj, a mergers and acquisitions partner at Davis Polk & Wardwell. Although she hasn’t been a partner for long, Shanu has already been recognized as a star of the M&A bar. In February, she took the #3 spot in the MergerLinks ranking of Top Female M&A lawyers in North America. In March, The American Lawyer named Shanu one of its 2024 Dealmakers of the Year, based on her representation of ExxonMobil in 2023’s largest transaction, the oil giant’s $59.5 billion purchase of Pioneer Natural Resources.

What drew Shanu to M&A as a practice area? What are two abilities that she views as especially important for transactional attorneys? How does she describe her personal style as a dealmaker? And what are her tips for making partner in Biglaw, during a time when the rewards are richer—but the odds are longer—than ever?

Thanks to Shanu for taking the time to tackle these and many other topics with me, and congratulations to her on the well-deserved recognition of her talents. And with decades of deals ahead of her, she’s just getting warmed up.

Show Notes:

* Shanu Bajaj bio, Davis Polk & Wardwell

* The 2024 Dealmakers of The Year, The American Lawyer

* Which M&A Attorneys Drove the Most Business as Deal Leads?, by Patrick Smith for The American Lawyer

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