Managing director Dan Lee discusses his work advising special committees on conflicted transactions and building a career experience by experience.

Jennifer Broder, an M&A partner at Baker & McKenzie in Los Angeles, discusses clerking for Leo Strine, working as an associate for Bob Denham and how presiding over a mock trial in third grade helped set her on a path to becoming a lawyer.

White & Case's Richard Brand suggests that passive investors, other institutions and academics should develop best practices for corporate bylaws seeking information about an activist's director nominations, as the matter right now is left to the courts to decide.

Elizabeth Cooper, the head of private equity at Simpson Thacher, talks about transitioning from M&A to PE as a young partner and how advising Blackstone on the Refinitiv deal transformed her career.

Dan Litowitz, the U.S. deputy co-head of M&A at A&O Shearman, discusses what he's learned from watching his clients integrate acquisitions that he's applied to the merger of Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling and work he's done for Paramount.

Oak Hill Capital's managing partner Scott Baker walks listeners through the firm's 11-year investment in Metronet Inc., an early mover in the push to spool fiber to homes throughout the country.

Scott Bok, the former chairman and CEO of M&A boutique Greenhill, discusses his career, his new memoir and the challenges of managing the highly ambitious people in finance.

Adam August, a corporate partner at Holland & Knight in Tysons, Va., discusses his work for companies that have the federal government as a significant customer and why he enjoys advising clients from formation to sale.

Kobre Kim co-founder Michael Kim explains why the environment for activist investing in South Korea is improving, despite structural restrictions, and he discusses his work advising Putin critic Bill Browder.

Justin Abelow, managing director in Houlihan Lokey's financial sponsors group, discusses PE's resilience in navigating a challenging M&A environment and the alternate structures firms are pursuing for liquidity.

Schroders Capital's senior investment director of private equity Jeremy Knox discusses the growth in continuation funds in a tough exit environment, as well as the firm's interest in asset-light services businesses as a co-investor.

Wachtell M&A partners Igor Kirman and Lina Tetelbaum discuss the evolution of their mentor-protege relationship over the past 15 years and how it's enriched their practices and their lives.

Transact Capital managing director Justin Karr discusses the state of the consumer market in 2025, including private equity interest in contract manufacturing and better-for-you food.

Real estate activist Jonathan Litt discusses concerns that REIT boards often identify distorted peer groups to justify problematic executive pay, as well as why specific directors at 15 REITs should face vote-no campaigns.

Gibson Dunn M&A partner Brian Scrivani talks about how he handles the stress of legal practice and the importance of maintaining a life outside of work, as well as how he thought about changing law firms.

Cheryl Reicin, the co-chair of the life sciences group at Mintz, discusses how she became a biotech lawyer and why observing the Sabbath has been good for her as a lawyer.

Andrew Shapiro, who ran an activist fund for 32 years, discusses how one campaign helped form his investment vehicle and talks about good and bad investor communication policies.

Brian Breheny, the former chief of the SEC's M&A division, discusses expected changes to regulations affecting activist investors, including why he thinks the nation's securities regulator can eliminate activist shareholder proposals.

Rick Giovannelli, the incoming co-chair of the management committee at K&L Gates, discusses the growth of private equity in Charlotte, N.C., over the course of his career and how his firm teaches lawyers to mentor and train the next generation.

HCI Equity co-founder and chief investment officer Doug McCormick discusses the firm's approach to buy-and-build strategies in large, fragmented and stable markets as well as navigating the challenging M&A environment in 2025.