They’ve Got Next: The 40 Under 40—Meet Our 2024 Honorees

July 25, 2024, 9:01 AM UTC

We’re thrilled to announce the 2024 honorees of “They’ve Got Next: The 40 Under 40,” our fourth annual Bloomberg Law award recognizing the accomplishments of stellar young lawyers nationwide.

This accomplished group inspires their law firms, companies, non-profit organizations and government agencies to elevate, innovate and serve — not only clients but their communities beyond.

How did we get here? Our news editors evaluated nominees from across the country. We analyzed their records of success for clients. We examined how well they balanced client responsibilities, leadership roles and pro bono legal service. We also asked them what lessons they learned their first years in practice, how they define success, and who their legal mentors are, among other questions.

For Anne Barrett of Willkie Farr & Gallagher, the most important lesson she learned as a first-year attorney is this: “How you do anything is how you do everything. This applies to both practice and people. Developing relationships with colleagues in other practice areas and treating everyone with respect—from the head of a practice group to the mailroom—is critical. Being part of a team that you can rely on and that can rely on you is critical.”

Indeed.

When we asked this class what they were most proud of, Mark Schenkel of Sullivan & Cromwell answered this way: “First, I am very proud to be a creative problem solver. My work in deal structuring is a testament to this. By crafting innovative solutions for complex transactions, such as the multibillion-dollar partnership between OpenAI and Microsoft, I’ve been able to break new ground in how legal frameworks can support groundbreaking technology.”

We received so many other thought-provoking answers from our 2024 honorees. They discussed the intricacies of leading “bet the farm” trials and appeals for corporate clients, advising government officials in the face of crises, and charting their courses in complex — and often cross-border — M&A deals, among other matters.

They also shared stories about the senior attorneys and judges who mentored them. And they illustrated how they harnessed their legal skills to help the underserved.

Our list is also inclusive of those with a range of life experiences, cultures, and practice areas — diverse in all senses of the word.

Read more about the 2024 class in their Q&As below. Then, take a look at our fun data dive, “By the Numbers,” where you can learn about the most popular law schools and practice areas for the 40 Under 40—along with a selection of other fun facts.

This year in a new feature, “They’ve Got Next: Where Are They Now?” we also take a look back at some past honorees from 2021 through 2023 who have made big career moves since.

Top row, from left: Nana Wilberforce of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr; GJ Ligelis Jr. of Cravath, Swaine & Moore; Maggie Flores of Kirkland & Ellis and Katie Wellington of Hogan Lovells. Bottom row, from left: Eden Schiffmann of Williams & Connolly; Molly Bowen of Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll; Marcus Childress of Jenner & Block; and Iliana Ongun of Milbank.
Top row, from left: Nana Wilberforce of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr; GJ Ligelis Jr. of Cravath, Swaine & Moore; Maggie Flores of Kirkland & Ellis and Katie Wellington of Hogan Lovells. Bottom row, from left: Eden Schiffmann of Williams & Connolly; Molly Bowen of Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll; Marcus Childress of Jenner & Block; and Iliana Ongun of Milbank.
Jonathan Hurtarte / Bloomberg Law

Our 2024 honorees represent the best of the future of the legal profession. They now take their place in our storied Bloomberg Law tradition.

Introducing the 2024 honorees of “They’ve Got Next: The 40 Under 40.”

Antitrust

Brette Tannenbaum of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
Nana Wilberforce of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr

Appellate

Morgan Ratner of Sullivan & Cromwell
Eden Schiffmann of Williams & Connolly
Katie Wellington of Hogan Lovells

Banking and Finance

Jarryd Anderson of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
Mimi Cheng of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
Vanessa Jackson of Davis Polk & Wardwell

Bankruptcy and Restructuring

Erica Weisgerber of Debevoise & Plimpton

Capital Markets

Anne Barrett of Willkie Farr & Gallagher
Peter Sluka of Latham & Watkins

Emerging Technology Transactions & Intellectual Property

Sam Clearwater of Google
Mark Schenkel of Sullivan & Cromwell

Energy

Chris Hogan of Hogan Thompson Schuelke
Alvin Lee of King & Spalding
Emilie McNally of McGuireWoods

Environmental Law

Kirti Datla of Earthjustice
Roy Prather of Beveridge & Diamond

Food and Beverage

Brian Sylvester of Perkins Coie

Health Care and Life Sciences

Dana Dombey of McDermott Will & Emery
Tara Fisher of Ropes & Gray

Labor & Employment

Michael Willemin of Wigdor

Litigation

Christian Bromley of Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner
Nicholas DiCarlo of Zuckerman Spaeder
Amelia Green of Neufeld Scheck Brustin Hoffmann & Freudenberger
Xakema Henderson of Akerman
Scott Lerner of White & Case
J. Liat Rome of Williams & Connolly
Joanna Wright of Jenner & Block

Mergers & Acquisitions

Federico Cuadra Del Carmen of Baker McKenzie
Maggie Flores of Kirkland & Ellis
Russell Hedman of Hogan Lovells
Lorena Hutton of Rinchem Company
GJ Ligelis Jr. of Cravath, Swaine & Moore
Iliana Ongun of Milbank

Products Liability

Robert Collins III of Latham & Watkins

Real Estate

Molly Lovedale of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft

Securities and Shareholder Actions

Molly Bowen of Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll

White Collar, Investigations and Crisis Leadership

Marcus Childress of Jenner & Block
Eric Sandberg-Zakian of Covington & Burling

To contact the reporter on this story: Lisa Helem at lhelem@bloombergindustry.com

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Lisa Helem at lhelem@bloombergindustry.com; MP McQueen at mmcqueen@bloombergindustry.com; Rachael Daigle at rdaigle@bloombergindustry.com

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