Lena Surilov

Senior Attorney, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

Biography:

As a member of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP’s finance practice group, Lena focuses her practice on counseling major financial institutions and other commercial lenders in connection with structuring, negotiating and documenting complex commercial finance transactions in retail, manufacturing, business services, and financial services industries. She represents both agents and individual lenders in asset-based and cash-flow loan facilities, international debt financings, leveraged buyout transactions, multi-bank syndicated facilities, debtor-in-possession financings, and other secured lending and strategic transactions. Her practice involves domestic and cross-border financing trans- actions in the North American and European markets. In this role, she structures, negotiates and documents facilities ranging from $15 million to upwards of $1.9 billion. Prior to joining Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, Lena worked as a finance associate in the Boston office of a prominent law firm. Lena holds a J.D./M.B.A. degree from Boston College Law School and Carroll School of Management and a B.A. degree from Wesleyan University. Lena is a member of the State Bar of Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York. Lena has lived in three countries, speaks three different languages, and runs marathons.

What advice would you offer to women just starting out in the industry?

Find what you are passionate about and learn how you can add value to any team or project. Start building your relationships with everyone you meet from the onset of your career, developing inter- personal skills and finding sponsors and mentors with flourishing careers. Learn to believe in yourself, your knowledge and your place in an organization. Knowing what approach works with every person internally and externally and what motivates them will be invaluable at every point in your career. Do not be afraid to ask questions, do not be timid about your ambitions, do not shy away from getting the credit you deserve and learn to use confidence in a way that promotes you in your organization.

What do you know now that you wish you knew in the beginning of your career?

Learn interpersonal skills and ways to effectively self promote. Know what it takes to get to the next level in your career, and do not be afraid to ask questions about the necessary skills and development that are required to advance in your career. Connect with any people internally and externally who have achieved the desired career path. Develop relationships with clients of your own from existing clients or those who seek you out from other connections as these relationships will be instrumental in your development and success. Build your skillset and develop experience. You want to become the go-to person for specific skills and knowledge and get your name out there (such as articles, op-eds and bar publications) so when opportunities arise, your name will come to mind. At the same time, do not shy away from learning other areas, as they will be useful down the road.

What kind of role has mentoring and/or sponsorship played in your career?

Finding people to whom you can turn to at any point in your career is one of the most important building blocks for a successful trajectory. Most of the opportunities and support I have been provided have stemmed from amazing mentors and successful colleagues. Your relationships with your mentors will have a direct correlation to your success in any industry. My mentors provided me with invaluable advice, trust, knowledge, opportunities and support, pushing me early and allowing me to develop confidence in my ability. It is invaluable to have some- one that you trust and whose advice you value at every level of your career.

What do you think the industry could do to attract and retain the best and the brightest today?

Developing mentorship programs, finding and retaining talent by ongoing support and development, committing to knowing your talent and what has contributed to the loss of the team members in the past. Create development, leadership and growth opportunity for your talent. Eliminate unnecessary obstacles and political distractions of yourorganization. Provide options to exceptional talent in order to keep them, such as flexible schedules, work remotely and other creative ways to help your team manage their obligations outside of work. Continually train and support your team to become effective managers, peers and leaders. Provide continuous feedback, management training, time management training, learning opportunities and skillset development.