Shearman & Sterling’s Denise Grant, a New York-based partner in the Project Development & Finance Group, was featured as a "Voice of Experience" on The Glass Hammer, an online community designed for women executives in financial services, law and business. 

Grant focuses on financings in Latin America, the region from which she hails, and Shearman & Sterling was her first choice based on the firm’s significant Latin American practice, and the ability to work on cross-border transactions in the region. “It’s very exciting … to have the opportunity to represent Latin American companies and financial institutions that have actually grown to such a magnitude as to acquire companies in the US and to lead internationally syndicated financings,” she says. 

Among her many professional achievements, she is most proud of being the firm’s first black partner, both from a personal and professional perspective. “Professionally, my election helped to open doors to others coming after me,” she remarks. “On a personal level, when I was deciding what I wanted to do with my life, I knew it would include making the road easier for those coming behind me. This is very important to me.” 

Grant advises women entering the legal profession not to be afraid to promote themselves as their male counterparts regularly do. “From the time you get into the firm, make sure you’re noticed,” she states. “You have to do a little bit more than just be an excellent lawyer. You have to create your own opportunities.” 

Read Denise Grant’s "Voice of Experience" profile on The Glass Hammer.