Shearman & Sterling was very well represented in Chambers & Partners' inaugural "Chambers USA Women in Law Awards 2012," with four New York partners being considered for top awards and project finance partner Cynthia Urda Kassis being named "Energy/Projects Lawyer of the Year."
In addition to Urda Kassis, Clare O'Brien and Maura O'Sullivan were short-listed for top M&A and finance lawyer, respectively, while Monica Holland was nominated as a top up-and-coming lawyer in finance.
"This is just another acknowledgement of the outstanding work and reputation of our partners across the major corporate categories," said Rohan S. Weerasinghe, Shearman & Sterling's senior partner. "We are especially proud of Cynthia, who is well known as an exceptional lawyer and a first-rate client service partner."
Urda Kassis is a top-ranked lawyer in project finance by Chambers Global, Chambers USA and Chambers Latin America, as well as in other leading directories. She represents US and non-US corporations/financial institutions as sponsors, borrowers and lenders in project development and finance matters, general finance transactions and joint venture transactions worldwide. Urda Kassis has many years of experience in the energy, infrastructure, mining and general manufacturing industries, as well as in power and infrastructure restructurings. She was also named a “Dealmaker of the Year” (2008) by The American Lawyer.
"I am very honored by the recognition from Chambers," Urda Kassis said. "I accept this award in recognition of our great team here at Shearman & Sterling—my fellow partners and the associates who do such outstanding work on behalf of our clients."
"As Chambers acknowledges with this category and award, the continued development of the natural resource, energy and infrastructure industries is both challenging and of critical importance to the global economy," she added. "I expect that we will see continued strong activity in all these sectors despite the challenges presented by the current economic situation and the inherent issues in developing projects in these industries."
O'Brien works on a large variety of public and private transactions, including public company restructurings, joint ventures and large public transactions. She also advises clients regularly on mergers and acquisitions and other corporate law questions. Like Urda Kassis, she is also the winner of a "Dealmaker of the Year" award from The American Lawyer (2005).
O'Sullivan is a senior partner in Shearman & Sterling's finance group and serves as a member of the firm's Policy Committee. She has extensive experience in representing financial advisors, lenders and borrowers in various financings, with a particular emphasis on acquisition financings, leveraged lending, restructurings and asset-based finance.
Holland has considerable experience in representation of senior lenders and borrowers in connection with domestic and cross-border acquisition and leveraged buyout financings, first and second lien financings, workouts, debt restructurings and intercreditor issues.
Chambers & Partners is an independent legal ranking organization. It undertakes intensive, continuous research to identify the world's leading lawyers and law firms. The Chambers rankings are based on extensive research; Chambers researchers investigate law firms and lawyers throughout the world via an exhaustive process of interviewing clients in major areas of business law.