Christopher G. Ross

Of Counsel, Paul Hastings LLP

40 Under 40 Category: Legal Services

Biography:

Christopher G. Ross is Of Counsel in the corporate practice of Paul Hastings LLP and is based in the firm’s New York office.  Chris’ experience includes representations of banks, financial institutions, direct lenders and corporate borrowers in middle-market and large-cap debt financings, including widely syndicated, club and single lender transactions in connection with acquisitions, restructurings and recapitalizations.  He has extensive experience advising clients on all aspects of senior secured, first lien/second lien, asset-based and cross-border financings.  He earned his J.D. magna cum laude at Fordham University School of Law, where he was Order of the Coif.  During law school, Chris was an associate editor for the Fordham Urban Law Journal and a member of the Moot Court Board.  He received his Bachelor of Arts in philosophy, politics and economics from Pomona College.

Is there a piece of professional advice that you would give yourself if you could go back in time? 

If I could speak to my former self, back when I was just starting out as an attorney, I would encourage him to take ownership of his practice from day one.  The pressure on corporate lawyers to select and pursue a specialty area early on in their career can be intense and at the same time subtle.  If one is not paying attention to the makeup of their deal flow and actively pursuing the type of work and professional relationships that they find rewarding and engaging, it is possible to end up with an unfulfilling practice without even realizing it until it is too late.  For attorneys in my age cohort, choosing your own path was made difficult by the 2008 financial crisis, when the avenues towards attaining a successful career as a corporate lawyer narrowed and, in the case of some specialties, closed completely.  During that time, I was fortunate enough to recognize and pursue an opportunity to work in a finance practice that had a broad enough client base to maintain workflow even during the downturn.  As a result, I was able to develop a deep yet expansive knowledge base that has attributed to my professional development and success.  As my practice has matured, I find that I naturally gravitate towards corporate finance because it requires a wide range of skill sets and broad industry knowledge, in addition to business acumen.

How do you think the commercial finance industry can attract more young professionals? 

While everyone likes having a job that provides perks and allows autonomy and flexibility, in my experience, more than anything else young professionals want to work in an environment that imparts them with the sense that their job has meaning and importance.  Bright young lawyers with the intelligence and aptitude to succeed in the exacting and fast-paced commercial finance arena can burn out and leave the practice of law, or may simply switch gears to pursue other areas of interest, unless they can tie the long hours and grueling negotiations to some higher purpose that aligns with their principles.  In order to bolster junior level recruiting efforts, market participants in the commercial finance industry must be able to show a tangible link between the day-to-day workload that is the responsibility of young professionals and how the results that those efforts drive also align with the recruits’ values and world view.  When a company is able to secure needed capital, it will often directly convert that investment into capital expenditures, advanced product development or other strategic goals.  However, the hard work of junior professionals in the commercial finance industry which underlies that loan also acts as a building block for the relationships that help those professionals and their firms successfully navigate the industry and ultimately develop business opportunities that are both personally and professionally satisfying.