They’ve Got Next: The 40 Under 40 - Romain Dambre of A&O Shearman

Romain Dambre

Age: 38

Law Firm: A&O Shearman

Practice Area: M&A and Private Equity

Title: Partner

Location: New York

Law School: Yale Law School

Please describe two of your most substantial, recent wins in practice.

Some of the mandates I’ve worked on over the past year or so illustrate the kinds of M&A deals I love most—complex, cross-border and high-stakes—advising both strategic clients and top-tier sponsors on their most significant transactions.

I particularly enjoy complex carve-outs and, in 2024, led the multi-jurisdictional A&O Shearman team advising OCI Global on two landmark divestitures: the $2.05 billion sale of its global methanol business to Methanex and the $2.35 billion sale of its low-carbon ammonia project to Woodside. Signed just weeks apart, these cross-border deals involved intricate business separations and bespoke terms—including cash and stock consideration, regulatory risk allocation, and complex post-closing arrangements.

On the private equity side, I’m proud to be helping build a top-tier sponsor practice. Among other significant transactions in the past year, I advised BlackRock and Grain Management on their strategic investment in Phoenix Tower International alongside Blackstone; represented Bridgepoint on its reinvestment in Kyriba with General Atlantic valuing the company at over $3 billion; and advised EQT Infrastructure on its pending acquisition of Seven Seas Water from Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners. Growing a practice as a team and winning high-caliber mandates such as these is what drives me every day.

What is the most important lesson you learned as a first-year attorney and how does it inform your practice today?

The most important lesson I learned as a first-year attorney was to say “yes” to every opportunity, whether big or small, and whether or not it fit exactly into what I thought I wanted to do. M&A is a multidisciplinary practice, and the best deal lawyers have a well-rounded foundation that allows them to navigate complex transactions.

Early in my career, I sought out experiences across different practice areas—capital markets, financing and restructuring—knowing that each would help develop my legal “toolbox.” This breadth of experience has been invaluable, particularly in high-stakes transactions where multiple disciplines intersect.

I also learned to trust that I could take on more responsibility than I initially believed. When you show that you are reliable and take ownership of your work, people start entrusting you with more meaningful responsibilities. That mindset helped me move quickly from executing tasks to leading various aspects of transactions, and ultimately, running deals.

Finally, responsiveness and reliability are critical. As a junior lawyer, your reputation is built on being someone your team and clients can count on. That same responsiveness and ownership still define my approach today—I strive to be the trusted advisor that clients turn to when it matters most.

How do you define success in your practice?

For me, success is about building and maintaining deep, trusted relationships with clients. Some of the clients I work with today are the same ones I advised years ago, and nothing is more rewarding than being seen not just as outside counsel, but as a true business partner. I take great pride in being the person a client feels they can call at any time—not just for legal advice, but to strategize on business-critical decisions. Becoming that long-term trusted advisor is the ultimate goal.

Beyond client relationships, I also see success in the sheer dynamism of this profession. Every day presents a new challenge—solving complex problems, negotiating deals, developing teams, and chasing business. The fast-paced, high-stakes nature of M&A means that no two days are the same, and I thrive on that dynamic. Ultimately, success is about delivering value: crafting creative solutions, executing transactions flawlessly, and helping clients achieve their strategic goals. If my clients succeed, then I’ve succeeded.

What are you most proud of as a lawyer?

One of the things I am most proud of is developing new business and building long-term client relationships. At a relatively young age, I have been able to originate multibillion-dollar deals, win new mandates, and earn the trust of clients who continue to come back. Winning a competitive pitch against top-quality incumbent counsel and then proving to the client that they made the right choice is incredibly satisfying.

In many ways, being an M&A partner is like running a business. It’s about creating opportunities not just for yourself, but for the broader team—bringing in deals that provide work for specialists and associates and giving them a platform to develop their own careers. Seeing junior lawyers grow and thrive on transactions I helped bring in is just as rewarding as closing the deal itself.

I also take great pride in leading teams through both the highs and lows of dealmaking. M&A can be intense, and resilience is key. I strive to lead by example, keeping morale high and ensuring that everyone on the team feels supported, even during the toughest negotiations.

Who is your greatest mentor in the law and what have they taught you?

I have been fortunate to have had several mentors throughout my career. At the start of my career in the Paris office of Cleary Gottlieb, I worked with Pierre-Yves Chabert, one of the leading M&A lawyers in France. He instilled in me the importance of ambition, curiosity, and never settling for the easy path. He was instrumental in my move to the United States—a decision that shaped my career—and I will always be grateful for his guidance.

During my time at Kirkland in New York, I had the privilege of learning from some of the best M&A lawyers in the industry. People like David Fox, Daniel Wolf, Sarkis Jebejian, David Feirstein and Mike Brueck taught me not only the technical and strategic aspects of M&A but also what it takes to be a truly exceptional dealmaker.

Their relentless dedication to clients, attention to detail, and ability to drive transactions forward at the highest level left a lasting impression on me. Working with top-tier lawyers like them reinforced a mindset I still carry today: Never settle, always strive for excellence, and constantly push to develop deeper client relationships. Their influence has shaped the lawyer I am today, and I continue to apply those lessons every day in my practice.

Tell us your two favorite songs on your summer music playlist.

Being on the road with my wife and daughters over the summer definitely means that Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift will be playing in the car non-stop. Hard to pick just one song for each, but let’s go with “Abracadabra” by Lady Gaga, and “Love Story” by Taylor Swift.

Romain Dambre of A&O Shearman with his wife, Melanie, and their daughters enjoying family time in Bermuda.

Photo Illustration: Jonathan Hurtarte/Bloomberg Law; Photo courtesy of Romain Dambre