Joanne De Silva

PROFILE

  • Lecturer in Law at Columbia Law School; Adjunct Professor at New York University School of Law

  • Experienced lawyer with more than 30 years of practice at leading international law firms, primarily as an equity partner, in New York (1999–2024) and Singapore (1993–1999)

  • Speaker at continuing legal education programs and conferences

  • Certified lawyer coach

EXPERIENCE

Columbia Law School (2023–Present)
Lecturer in Law and Experienced Practitioner in Residence
New York                                                                            

New York University School of Law (2024–Present)
Adjunct Professor
New York                          

  • Acquisition Finance course (Columbia and NYU):

    • Overview of a leveraged buyout financing from the initial call with the client through closing, including credit agreement fundamentals, intercreditor arrangements, and liability management exercises

    • Negotiation, drafting, and client development skills

    • Impact of AI on legal practice

  • Finance Fundamentals in Restructuring course (Columbia):

    • Credit support, collateral scope, intercreditor arrangements, and liability management exercises in financing transactions

    • Business and professional development, including a mock client pitch exercise

    • Live drafting session and mock negotiation of markups of a sample financing agreement

Mayer Brown LLP (2021–2024)
Partner
New York                                                                                                                               

  • Equity partner focusing on acquisition financings, recapitalizations, and equity co-investments by institutional lenders

  • Member of the firm’s Women’s Leadership Committee

  • Mentor to junior partners, counsel, and associates

  • Moderator and panelist at conferences and trainings on financing terms and market updates

Ropes & Gray LLP (2015–2021)
Partner
New York  

  • Head of Private Credit Practice Group representing institutional lender clients in financing transactions

  • Speaker at legal education programs at Practicing Law Institute and American Bar Association

  • Member of the firm’s Hiring Committee  

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP (1996–2015)
Partner; Associate
Singapore, New York

  • Led financings, including senior, junior, unitranche, and asset-based loans, and private placements of notes

  • Advised lender groups in workouts and restructurings during the Global Financial Crisis

  • Established Singapore office of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius as part of a three-lawyer team

Coudert Brothers (1993–1996)
Associate
Singapore 

  • Represented banks in cross-border bilateral and syndicated loans, project financings, and note issuances for investments in Indonesia, Thailand, and Japan

EDUCATION

University of Oxford
Bachelor of Arts in Jurisprudence (1991), Master of Arts

BAR ADMISSIONS

New York (2002)
Singapore (1993)
England and Wales (1992)