They’ve Got Next: The 40 Under 40 - Sheila Ramesh of Cahill

Please describe two of your most substantial, recent wins in practice.
Recently, I have had the privilege of defending litigation relating to Luckin Coffee, heralded as the “Starbucks of China.” Soon after debuting on the US stock market, however, more than $300 million in accounting fraud was uncovered. Credit Suisse, Morgan Stanley, KeyBank, and Needham, who arranged the company’s financing, were hit with lawsuits alleging billions of dollars of damages. I helped to negotiate a settlement in which the bank underwriters will pay nothing.

I also helped lead the defense of Credit Suisse in 2019, when it faced class action allegations of rigging the $6 trillion foreign exchange market. The 15 other defendant banks all settled for $2.3 billion. But CS fought on, and my work was central to the judge’s decision to deny plaintiffs’ motion for class certification.

What is the most important lesson you learned as a first-year attorney and how does it inform your practice today?
I will never forget my first day at Cahill, when I walked into my first meeting with a new team of associates on a major ongoing litigation. I introduced myself to everyone and took a seat at the large conference table. The senior associate gave a brief status summary and then turned to me and asked, “Sheila, what do you think our next move should be?” From the moment that I arrived at the firm, I’ve been expected to be a substantive contributor on every team of which I have had the privilege of being a member. This has provided me with all kinds of opportunities to learn and grow, which I am so unbelievably grateful. And it has taught me the importance of standing up, joining the discussion, and seizing opportunities whenever they present themselves. It’s a fundamental lesson that’s transformed the way I have practiced law and which I have carried with me throughout my career.

Today, as the head of recruiting for the firm, I tell Cahill candidates and young associates that story, and look for those qualities of confidence and eagerness, which are so important to our firm and the way we operate here at Cahill.

How do you define success in your practice?
No doubt the judges reading these applications have heard this one before, but that doesn’t make it any less true: The most important metric in my universe is a client’s satisfaction. And hopefully “satisfaction” is the bare minimum, as we strive to traffic in superlatives when clients describe our team and our work together executing on complex litigation strategies.

But success cannot focus only on final outcomes. In complex litigation matters, cases may take years to be resolved. So it’s important to find happiness in the day-to-day relationships and to be excited about the chance to work with the impressive lawyers by your side, both at the client and within our firm. It’s a joy to be part of a such a high-quality team working together toward difficult but achievable goals.

What are you most proud of as a lawyer?
I have incredible respect and admiration for the more senior partners who took the time to mentor me on the law and law firm life. They held the door open for me, and I’ve worked hard to keep that door open behind me, to mentor the next generation. It’s a powerful tradition at Cahill and one I am exceptionally proud to continue.

I’ve been the chair of the firm’s Legal Recruiting Committee for a few years now and I feel a special responsibility to shape the next generation of the firm, and the larger legal profession. And I’m glad that our associates and our recruits can see a partner who represents diversity and women and motherhood—three aspects that were rare in the highest reaches of big law not too long ago.

I am very proud to work every day with amazing people and attorneys who challenge me to continuously improve my legal skills and who so genuinely support me as a person.

Who is your greatest mentor in the law and what have they taught you?
I have had the privilege of working with David Januszewski, a senior partner at Cahill, since I joined the firm. It might be easier and more succinct to describe what I haven’t learned from him—as the list of what he has taught me is much too long for 150 words. From teaching basic legal skills to showing impeccable judgment, from his role as legal advocate to the job of mentoring itself, I’ve modeled my career after his. And he also leads by example. Every day he demonstrates how a prominent partner in the highest-stakes matters and in moments of extreme stress can be kind, respectful, and thoughtful toward everyone—from assistants to associates to managing partners.

Just for fun, tell us your two favorite songs on your summer music playlist.
The top two songs on my summer playlist are without a doubt “Choo Choo Train” by Patty Shukla and “Day-O” as sung by Raffi. Looking forward to many summer dance parties with my three kids!

Sheila Ramesh, whose practice focuses on the defense of complex securities and commercial matters, chairs her firm’s Legal Recruiting Committee. The daughter of an Indian-born father and an Italian-Polish mother, she spent many summers in India when she was younger.