Please tell us about what you do now:
I am a corporate lawyer in the Cayman Islands. My practice covers all types of corporate transactions and deals with respect to Cayman law. This involves areas such as (i) special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) and IPOs, (initial public offerings and de-SPAC transactions, when a SPAC mergers with a target company, and that target company goes public) (ii) venture financings and seed financings (iii) private equity (iv) debt and asset financings and capital market transactions and (v) fund formation and transactions. I am usually acting for clients through “onshore firms”, and for me that is being engaged by and working with top US law firms in New York, Texas, California and Chicago. I am currently building up my practice, book of business and clients, so I am frequently meeting with US law firms and introducing myself and my practice, and then working hard once we get the deals!
Was that what you wanted to do when you were at Elmwood?
Run a company!
What is one thing you wish you knew in those days?
To just go for it! To continually strive to achieve really difficult things (surpassing what you think you can accomplish) without worrying about failing, because when you do apply yourself you would be surprised at what you can achieve.
What is your fondest Elmwood memory?
The comradery, and the support from teachers and my peers to excel.
What is one of the most surprising things about being a lawyer?
I attended the University of Toronto Law School, which is a great school. I went into law solely focused on academics, but quickly learned while practicing corporate law, that it’s not necessarily about what you learned in law school, or the “black letter law”, but more about solving problems, handling client inquiries, and task management.
You mentioned that Elmwood had a big impact on you. In what way? What made your experience there special?
I think supporting women, assisting and propelling them in becoming confident scholastically is very important. I really enjoyed math, and therefore excelled at it, and this was attributable to the teachers and the quality of their instruction. Confidence in life is very important and their encouragement in pursuing different avenues was also impactful to me. I started the Investment Club because I wanted to learn how to invest and manage my own money (once I had it), so I bought Warren Buffet’s book and started a group and the turnout was amazing! Elmwood was supportive of all of that.
Do you think that attending Elmwood prepared you better for handling yourself in a male-dominated industry? If so, in what ways?
Interesting question, a great one in fact. I think learning to value yourself, your abilities, and what you can offer is really important. Leadership skills and how to balance your academic workload and extracurriculars are also taught at Elmwood, which is why I think it is such a great school and prepares you in more ways than you can appreciate as a student. I played sports and was captain of the volleyball team where I learned how to lead a team and play as part of a team. I was Prefect-at-Large in my last year, and I got to meet and work with a lot of other girls in all of the years and listen to their ideas on how to make the school better, so I also give credit to Elmwood for making me a good listener! Ultimately, Elmwood encourages girls to follow their passion and not be afraid of trying new things. These grow one’s confidence and how to be resilient and adaptable when faced with new challenges or opportunities. I give credit to Elmwood for preparing me for my career in corporate law.