"The complex nature of the cases before the tribunal is simultaneously the greatest opportunity and the most significant challenge I face in my present role," Ms. Barrett explained. Her cases can span several years, involve numerous defendants and address inherently complex issues associated with responsibility for mass atrocities during armed conflict. This makes for a challenging workload, politically, emotionally and logistically. "Despite the complexities, the opportunity to work on cases of such historical, legal and political importance is a real privilege," she said. "Very few are the days I think I'd rather be doing something else."

Ms. Barrett likened her current tasks to those required by the practice of law in any prosecutor's office, or even at a private law firm, such as S&C. As a trial attorney, she drafts and responds to motions, conducts legal research, pulls together exhibits for trial, advises on strategy and works with a team to help construct a complex case for trial. But while the fundamental legal skills are the same, "the difference is in the gravity of the issues involved and the surrounding culture," she explained. Ms. Barrett added that her primary goal is to contribute to a process that holds international criminals accountable.

Ms. Barrett finds that most of the skills she learned at S&C, such as legal research and writing, case management, teamwork and time management are directly transferable to her present job. "At S&C, I was involved with a large white-collar criminal matter which dealt with several undefined areas of law. Likewise, at the Tribunal, many of the international criminal legal issues I have worked on have been questions of first impression. Only this time, I am working for the Prosecution rather than the Defense," she noted.

While she is pleased with where her career path has led her, Ms. Barrett also fondly recalls her days at S&C. "I miss many of my S&C colleagues," she said. "It was a privilege to work with such smart, hardworking and professional people. I also miss the fantastic resources that the law firm provided and the fact that this support extended to all of the Firm's work, including pro bono cases."

Ms. Barrett added that S&C also provides experiences and encourages skills that are transferable to other professional areas. "Working at a large law firm such as S&C is valuable outside the traditional practice of law as there is an assumption that you have been properly trained, have worked in a demanding and sophisticated professional environment and can produce quality work." She explained that such assumptions improve your chances of being seriously considered in other professional avenues.

At the same time, Ms. Barrett noted, in order to follow a less traditional legal path, a lawyer will likely need to show they have specialized expertise in their area of interest to be a serious contender for desirable jobs in that area. "It was helpful that S&C actively encouraged its associates to be involved in activities outside of those affecting its core practice areas," she said. "For example, during my tenure at S&C, I sat on the International Human Rights Committee of the New York City Bar Association, which allowed me to stay involved in public international legal issues while gaining invaluable legal skills."

 
Today, Mr. Boyd is approaching five years as President and CEO of priceline.com, a company that uses its own patented business model that lets buyers "name their own price" for airline tickets, home financing, hotel rooms, rental cars, cruises, and vacation packages. Based in Norwalk, Connecticut, priceline.com is regarded as "the leading travel service for value-conscious leisure travelers," according to the company's Web site.

Mr. Boyd noted that his S&C experience helped him achieve success in his current role. "I enjoyed the transaction work," he said, adding that "the training you get in transactional environments at a firm like S&C is at the highest levels." S&C helped Mr. Boyd adopt an analytical mindset, which, he explained, allows him to be "more engaged in the deal process." He noted that, as a public company, priceline.com is "transactionally very active."

Mr. Boyd also credits his experience opening S&C's Melbourne office with helping him successfully expand his own company. "One of our great opportunities is the fast-growing market in Europe: the Internet is still rapidly expanding, and the European travel market is changing," Mr. Boyd noted. "Because I was overseas with S&C, I've gotten a deeper perspective on international business."

"When I started practicing law, I always accepted the possibility that I might do something else," Mr. Boyd explained. "After I left S&C, I thought more that I probably would." Following his tenure at S&C, Mr. Boyd went on to become a Partner at Robinson & Cole and then Assistant General Counsel for Lord, Abbett & Co. He then served Oxford Health Plans as its Executive Vice President and General Counsel until he joined priceline.com in January 2000 as its Executive Vice President and General Counsel.

When he reminisces about his time at S&C, perhaps most of all Mr. Boyd recalls the "collegial nature of the work" and that he worked with "very smart, highly motivated" lawyers. "There's a consistency among people at S&C," he said.

 
After graduating New York University School of Law, Ms. Davis began her legal career in 1979 as an associate in the New York office of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP. After S&C, in 1986 she joined Morgan Stanley & Co., Incorporated, serving in many capacities including as a Principal and the Director of Worldwide Regulatory Affairs. In 1995, Ms. Davis left Morgan Stanley to serve four years as Vice President and General Counsel of American International Group, Inc. (“AIG”), a company which also owes its founding to Cornelius Vander Starr. Her work at AIG made Ms. Davis an ideal choice to lead The Starr Foundation, where she continues to thrive today.

As fulfilling as her career has proven to her, Ms. Davis wouldn’t have guessed when she entered law school where her juris doctor was to lead her. Ms. Davis attended NYU as a recipient of the prestigious Root-Tilden Scholarship, which recognizes students for their dedication to public service, among other factors. As a student of law in the mid-1970s, “I was going to help save the world,” she explained.

No doubt, Ms. Davis’ work as President of The Starr Foundation is helping to do just that, but her professional interests changed course as she delved deep into the law school curriculum. “I became fascinated with a course in Corporations, and I decided I wanted to work on Wall Street,” she said. That she did, beginning with a seven-year tenure in S&C’s litigation department, where “I was assigned to fascinating cases,” Ms. Davis reminisces.

While Ms. Davis is happy with the path she has pursued after her law firm experience, she remains grateful for her time at S&C. “It was great working with very smart people all the time,” she noted.

Moreover, Ms. Davis cites the skills she learned as an associate at S&C as playing a key role in helping her meet the challenges of running a major foundation. Noting that “foundations and not-for-profit organizations are under close scrutiny by the government today,” Ms. Davis credits her ability “to read and assimilate a vast amount of information very quickly” and “to know the right way to do things” as essential for helping The Starr Foundation achieve continued success.

 
When he left the Law Department in 1999 to pursue his law degree at Howard University, Mr. Johnson was confident that he would return to the Law Department as an attorney after graduation. Return he did, but not until after completing two solid years as a litigation associate at S&C.

During his tenure at the Firm, Mr. Johnson delved deep into motion practice, document review, and other key pre-trial matters. He recalls the extraordinary resources that were made available to him as an S&C associate, describing them as a luxury he often misses today. “When you needed something, it was there,” he recounted. “At S&C, whatever you needed to be the best attorney you can be, you got it.”

When Mr. Johnson left S&C and returned to the Law Department, he was ready for the courtroom. “I wanted to do trials,” he explained. In his new role as a trial attorney for a major municipality, Mr. Johnson pointed out that his S&C background earns him a certain “legitimacy” when dealing with opposing counsel and others. “Once people learn that I was an attorney at S&C, it changes how they react to me,” he explained.

Mr. Johnson added that he believes S&C is an excellent starting point for people who, like him, are not necessarily aiming for a career at a private law firm. “I was skeptical about coming to a firm, but S&C taught me how to be a lawyer.”

 
After a couple of decades practicing commercial litigation law in New York City, Judge Kaye explained that, like many litigators, she yearned to be on the other side of the bench. In 1983, Judge Kaye realized her goal when Governor Cuomo appointed her to the Court of Appeals, New York 's highest court. In 1993, Governor Cuomo appointed her as Chief Judge and Governor Spitzer reappointed her to this position in 2007.

Judge Kaye is pleased to have had many "great opportunities" to bring the State court system into the 21 st century. Most notably, she points to greater diversity, an improved jury system, and the creation of so-called “problem-solving” courts, including drug courts, mental health courts, and domestic violence courts. "As with every other life endeavor, the great challenge—and opportunity—is accommodating to change," she said. "I feel we have accomplished many of our shorter-term goals. It pleases me that we can now offer the business community an excellent forum in our first-rate commercial division and that we have reduced the agony for jurors." Judge Kaye adds that she has become increasingly interested in helping the tens of thousands of needy children and families in the New York courts. "All of us definitely could do a lot more to help them. They would have better futures—so would all the rest of us."

Judge Kaye explained that she wishes the public knew more about the courts and their role, noting that judges depend on the public's trust and confidence. "I thought I would most enjoy the judicial/decisional part of my job. I never imagined that so much of my time would be given over to administration of the court system, or that I would enjoy it so much," she noted.

As Chief Judge, every day is a new challenge. "My life is at a steady high. At a law firm there were lots of highs and lows," Judge Kaye explained. She added that she is thankful for her days at S&C, and that her experience at the Firm taught her the importance of "sparing no effort to put together a perfect product" and speaking up when she had something to say. "To this day, my time at S&C is a great credential, and a very fond memory," Judge Kaye recalled. "No one had a better start in the legal profession."

 
The first challenge Mr. Keeling experienced was making a shift in thinking from attorney to entrepreneur. "Whereas previously I was entrusted with ensuring that just the legal aspects of a transaction where properly taken care of, all of a sudden I was wearing numerous hats and taking care of all steps along the transaction cycle," he explained. "It took a while to untrain myself to focus so much on the details (as any good attorney must do) and instead step back and see the larger picture in terms of how any particular event or transaction would affect the larger landscape of my business from a strategic standpoint."

Mr. Keeling found that another main challenge in setting up shop in Brazil was adapting to life in a foreign culture and a new language. "Fortunately, I picked up the language pretty quickly, but small talk conversations and doing business are two very different things," he noted. Aside from the language and cultural differences, Brazil has a very different business environment, "unfortunately one that is much more bureaucratic and less efficient than what we're used to back in the U.S.," he said. This environment, he added, just drives him to be more creative and come up with new ways to streamline his efforts.

Mr. Keeling noted that the opportunities he has enjoyed in Brazil would not have come as easily in the United States, where he would have to compete against established giants such as major hotel chains and well-established specialty travel providers. "Real estate and development costs in Brazil are significantly lower than in the States, and there is a much more wide-open marketplace for just about everything in terms of business services—something I really saw an upside in as well," he explained. "They say a rising tide lifts all boats, and certainly Brazil as a country is really on the right track economically in addition to having a strong draw for foreign visitors and investors."

Today, Mr. Keeling continues managing his business with a careful eye toward navigating the fluctuations in the travel and leisure market as well as in the exchange rate. On a positive note, he pointed out that the surf travel industry has boomed and has been trending more upscale. Indeed, a recent Forbes Traveler article (which features Nexus Surf) noted this trend and cited his city of Florianopolis as one of the world's top 10 "luxury" surf destinations.

Although Mr. Keeling enjoys being his own boss, he pointed out that "running a business is no piece of cake." Fondly recalling the camaraderie of the S&C work environment, as well as firm outings and holiday parties, he added that "in reality, there is definitely something to be said for the structure, security and benefits of working for a big company. When you run your own business, the buck stops with you, on all things big and small, which means it's often much more demanding than being an employee."

Mr. Keeling's goal when starting his business was modest: he simply wanted to find a way to support himself in the place where he wanted to live. "Taking what I learned at S&C about hard work, professionalism and always doing your best, fortunately the hard work has paid off and we've managed to pass some important milestones in a fairly short time."

Indeed, Mr. Keeling has formed a business that creates waves, both literally and figuratively. In addition to the Forbes Traveler recognition, Nexus Surf was described as one of the "World's Top 10 Best Surf Resorts" by the surf industry press, an impressive feat given that the company hadn't yet reached its 1 1/2 year anniversary. "We were also taken on by WaveHunters.com, the largest surf travel broker in the United States, as their exclusive Brazil tour operator," he added. On a more personal level, Mr. Keeling takes pride in having succeeded in crafting a career around doing the things he enjoys.

Recalling his days at S&C, Mr. Keeling remembers working "with a really special group of people, many of whom I continue to be in touch with on a regular basis today. Regular events such as the barbecues, lawyer league basketball games and summer associate outings were highlights, but even just the general office camaraderie and respect among the professionals was special. I think the small office atmosphere of the Los Angeles office (only about 20 lawyers, plus a fantastic support staff) really contributed to the close-knit feeling in the office," he explained.

"Working at S&C affords one the opportunity to do cutting edge work in a fast-paced environment, and to work alongside some of the best and brightest minds in the business (any business for that matter)," Mr. Keeling said. "While it may not have been the exact training ground the experts might recommend for someone looking to get into my current line of business, I wouldn't trade it for the world."

Mr. Keeling notes the "tremendous S&C work ethic of always striving to get the job done right, on time and in a professional and ethical manner," which still serves as a motivator for him in his current role. "This kind of goes without saying at S&C, that exceptional results are what you should expect of yourself on a daily basis, and I definitely took that with me when I left the firm."

 
Today, Ms. Li is the Principal of Media Vision China, LLC (“MVC”), a company she co-founded in 2003 with a single focus: “to facilitate the entry into the China media sector by U.S. media companies, investors and creative talents.” Given her long-standing interest in the Chinese and American consumer markets coupled with her vast experience in cross-border transaction”s in the media, telecom, and technology sectors, it’s no wonder Ms. Li enjoys what she does. Just this year, MVC has advised on the funding and strategic partnerships of several new media companies, the sale of a domestic media business and the financing of two films. MVC is currently working on the foreign investment in a major state-owned media conglomerate, among other transactions.

Between leaving S&C and founding MVC, Ms. Li worked for J.P. Morgan in Hong Kong, focusing on investment banking in China. She also worked briefly as counsel for O’Melveny & Myers LLP’s China and Media/Entertainment practices after founding MVC, then returned to dedicate all her time to MVC.

Ms. Li believes she is “definitely more confident” in business thanks to the very challenging nature of her work at S&C. “There’s the high standard and discipline that you get used to when working at S&C,” she said. After leaving S&C, Ms. Li forged her own path through the business world with a continued commitment to maintaining this high standard. “I mention my six ‘busy’ years at S&C to many of my U.S. clients, and I can instantaneously feel a higher degree of trust and confidence in me from them, she noted.

Fortunately for MVC, the Chinese consumer market has experienced explosive growth and “the media industry in China is very active now,” Ms. Li reported. She noted, however, that her company still faces challenges. “The highly sensitive nature of the Chinese regulatory environment makes it very restrictive of foreign investment,” she explained. “However, the regulatory complexity and diverse business practice have also made clients turn to us for advice,” she pointed out. Another major challenge is the ability to focus on deals that are likely to be seen through to closing and teams that can execute the deals. “Often, people have business plans that are well thought out, but only a small percentage of these plans can lead to successful transactions,” she said.

Asked whether her work as an associate helped prepare her for the leading role at MVC, Ms. Li replied that “there’s definitely some connection to what Im doing now.” In advising Chinese companies and dealing with several foreign strategic investors, Ms. Li noted that her experience at S&C “helps me pick winners.”

Ms. Li credits the network she developed in China as having “helped tremendously” in founding MVC, and noted that “some are S&C friends.” Ms. Li pointed out that “because of the level and quality of work at S&C, you meet so many bright minds. You really bond with some of the people you end up spending a lot of time with.”

 
Lorena described the music industry as being in a "huge transition." Not so long ago, she pointed out, CDs (both albums and singles) were all the rage, and sales were strong. "2000 was the single-best sales year ever for Columbia Records," she recounted. "And then, it seemed the business changed overnight. With the illegal pirating site Napster and the popularity of illegal online file sharing, we went from the peak to what felt like a free fall." She noted that the industry has been seeing a 10-30% loss per year as it tries to reshape itself. One new type of project she is working on involves culling video assets from Sony's archives (such as old Frank Sinatra concerts) and "productizing" them, so that they're digitally available to consumers.

When she first joined the music industry, Lorena hardly anticipated that a sea change was just around the corner. "No one envisioned the digital explosion on the Internet and mobile," she explained. "It wasn't anticipated in our business models." Citing Apple's video iPods and Skype's Joost as examples of new consumer services, Lorena likened the industry's ongoing transition to the switch from the horse-and-buggy to the automobile of a century ago.

Lorena credits her background as an S&C associate for helping her advance in the music industry. "I always gave the A&R and marketing people primers on copyright law," she explained. ("A&R" stands for "artist and repertoire" and refers to the division of record labels that is responsible for finding and development talent.) "So many day-to-day issues in the music business implicate legal rights, as it's a contract-based business," she added, citing the situation of an artist who wants to adopt a professional name that may already be taken as just one of several examples. "Having a legal background helps you evaluate the risks and know what's really going on."

When asked what she misses most about S&C, Lorena recalled how she would sit in the Firm's library, taking the time to research and craft convincing arguments about tricky issues. In her current role, she explained that she often must make quick decisions. "I miss having the luxury of really thinking things through."

 
Mr. Rice is widely regarded as a pioneer in the private equity industry. He left S&C to join Laird, an old-time client of the Firm's, to help them with private investments, which we now call leveraged buyouts, he noted. "The whole concept of taking a group of underperforming assets and improving them captivated my imagination," he said. "I wanted to pursue it," he explained, adding that he was "not emotionally attached to the traditional practice of law."

Mr. Rice pointed out that in the late 1960s, only two or three firms engaged in the buyout business, with transactions averaging in the US$ 3 - US$ 7 million range. "There was truthfully not an industry," he said. "There wasn't any particular institutional interest in the business, so there wasn't much capital."

In the 1970s, things began to change. High inflation rates caused investors to look for greater returns to catch up. In the 1980s and onward, the role of private equity has grown each year, Mr. Rice explained. Today, roughly 25% of M&A transactions involve private equity, he noted, predicting that the industry will continue to grow and prosper over the coming decades.

Mr. Rice credits S&C with helping him hone the skills he needed to achieve success as a pioneer of the private equity industry. Most notably, Mr. Rice said that his experience as an associate at S&C gave him "the ability to work hard, read carefully, and think about what words mean." In addition, he learned to "sit at a negotiating table for extended periods of time and negotiate intelligently."

Adding to the skills he took with him when he left S&C are fond memories of the camaraderie. "I've missed the people," he said. "In the particular group I was in, there were some terrific people who became close friends. I enjoyed their company."

 
Since January 2007, Ms. Rodsky has served as a Philanthropic Advisor and Program Officer at JPMorgan Private Bank in its Philanthropic Services division. Philanthropic Services serves as a clearinghouse for the philanthropic needs of clients, offering guidance around private foundations, donor advised funds and substantial gifts to individual public charities, she explained, and manages grantmaking activities on behalf of over 60 client foundations with average annual giving of over US$ 100 million. Through this implementation work, the team works closely with hundreds of public charities each year of all sizes — from grassroots nonprofits to major institutions.

As for why she became interested in joining this division, Ms. Rodsky cited the unique nature of her dual role as both philanthropic advisor and grantmaker.

Ms. Rodsky's affiliation with S&C began when she served the Firm as a summer associate in its New York and London office. After graduating from Harvard Law School and appearing on the hit CBS reality show, The Amazing Race, she returned to the Firm to begin as an associate.

Now, as a recent alumna, Ms. Rodsky fondly recalls the collegial nature of her experience at S&C, which she said was highlighted by the positive working relationships she enjoyed while at S&C. "I miss the people the most," she noted, adding that she remains in touch with many S&C lawyers.

"Not only did S&C train me, but the Partners were very supportive when I decided to make the transition to a career in philanthropy." Indeed, when Ms. Rodsky left S&C and first joined Advocates for Children as its Director of Operations and External Affairs, S&C was the first corporate sponsor of the charitable event that Ms. Rodsky created for Advocates for Children.

As she settles in at JP Morgan Private Bank, Ms. Rodsky often finds herself in a position to apply the training she received at S&C. "S&C teaches you the ability to think strategically, to be detail-oriented, and to present sophisticated topics and solutions to clients," she explained. Ms. Rodsky noted that these same skills allow her to meet her clients' needs and achieve her own professional goals at JPMorgan Private Bank as a philanthropic advisor.

 
Today, Mr. Van den Eynde is a managing director in the Brussels office of Russell Reynolds Associates, a top executive search firm." I still enjoy the excitement of every new assignment," he said, pointing out that the executive search business is much more complex than it appears from the outside. "The processes are simple, but the complexity is immense because of the people factor," he explained. "If you can complete ten successful recruitment projects in one year, you have done good work. And you will only know if they are really successful when the person has been with the client company or law firm for two or more years and is delivering more than what was expected of them."

The executive search profession has been changing, according to Mr. Van den Eynde. "The early days of cocktail party circuits and airport interviews are over," he pointed out. Today, professionals truly focus on the competency of a candidate, and at finding a good fit between candidate and client. "We try to be much more thorough in checking references and analyzing the fit," he said.

Mr. Van den Eynde is thankful for the trust of his clients. "It is very exciting when you can reach a solution which satisfies both the client and the individual involved." He related how a few years ago, he took on the management of the Brussels office and was elected to the Executive Committee of his company. He was also the first non-U.S. Chairman of the Association of Executive Search Consultants, which afforded him the opportunity to contribute towards higher standards, ethics, and increased professionalism in the search business across the globe.

Although he has found his niche, Mr. Van den Eynde noted that he misses S&C and the law firm experience. "I do miss the occasional high level and very sophisticated legal reasoning, the satisfaction of a wonderfully engineered legal structure." He added that, in his current role, he is fortunate to deal with outstanding lawyers and executives on interesting issues, sharing their challenges and expectations.

Reflecting on his days at S&C, Mr. Van den Eynde noted that he learned certain skills that continue to apply to his professional work today, including "rigor, not being afraid of challenging all the assumptions, and the willingness to go to the very end in serving your client, in order to get it absolutely right."

Mr. Van den Eynde strongly believes that working as an attorney at a firm like S&C better positions someone to pursue another professional avenue outside the practice of law. "As a first step in professional life, learning to set very high standards in terms of client service always gives great satisfaction and ultimately is extremely rewarding."