Alyssa Caples' Rotation History

“I started in an M&A rotation and my first big project was a hostile takeover, complete with a proxy contest and tender offer. I was living a page right out of my M&A casebook. I also worked on a number of large public and private M&A transactions where I negotiated and drafted various documents for the transactions. In my second rotation, a capital markets rotation, the level of responsibility shot up right away and I was the lead associate on various high-yield debt, convertible debt and equity offerings, working primarily as counsel for the underwriters. My tasks included negotiating deal documents and preparing disclosure in the offering memoranda and prospectuses. My third rotation was a mix of capital markets and M&A, with a particular focus on cross-border deals. I was the lead associate drafting and negotiating M&A transactions for several Canadian and Bermudian clients and was also the lead associate on various high-yield and equity issuances for a number of Canadian clients. I then did a banking and credit rotation, working on a number of financings for both strategic and financial-sponsor M&A transactions.

“Next, I was off to our London office where again I was a generalist. I worked on what were at the time two of the biggest European high-yield offerings ever, as well as an IPO for an Indian client and a number of other equity and bank and bond financing transactions. When I returned to New York, I was back doing M&A—both public and private transactions. I also worked on a high-profile proxy contest and did a short stint working with our litigators when that matter went into litigation. After the annual meeting and trial, I spent a few months seconded to an investment banking client, working with their equity derivatives group lawyers.

“As a partner, my career has been equally varied. I started out spending half of my time on M&A matters, like Kraft’s recent sale of its frozen pizza assets to Nestlé, and the other half of my time advising boards of directors and senior management in connection with various governance issues and internal investigations. Currently, I’m transitioning back again to our London office where my practice will continue to be a mix of cross-border M&A and capital markets work. The constant change and variety in my practice keeps things interesting and fun, and it also makes me a stronger lawyer. The Cravath System focuses on developing the “whole” lawyer, a well-rounded advisor with a broad perspective who can counsel her clients on all aspects of a transaction, from financing documents to M&A negotiations to SEC compliance and corporate governance issues and, importantly, how they interrelate. In all the years that I’ve been at the Firm, that’s certainly been the case for me.”