WOMEN IN SECURED FINANCE 2024
RECOGNIZING EXCELLENCE
J
JULIA FROST-DAVIES Greenberg Traurig
ulia Frost-Davies is a shareholder with Greenberg Traurig and has more than 25 years of experience representing creditors in complex Chapter 11 cases. She regularly counsels clients in distressed debt situations and those facing bankruptcy litigation and appeals, appearing in courts across the country. Julia represents investors and lenders throughout the capital structure on all aspects of restructuring and related litigation, including debtor-in-possession financing, distressed M&A transactions, claim and plan negotiation and litigation, and out-of-court work-outs. Julia works with companies from a diverse range of sectors and industries, including retail, energy, financial services, and municipal bonds. Julia is a fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy and is ranked in Band 1 of Chambers USA. She has been recognized as a leading practitioner by numerous publications including Business Today, The Legal 500, The Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers, and LawDragon. In 2020, Turnarounds & Workouts selected her as one of 15 outstanding restructuring lawyers nationwide. She is a founding director and officer of The Honorable Tina Brozman Foundation for Ovarian Cancer Research (Tina’s Wish).
What advice would you offer to women just starting out in the industry? This is a relationship-driven life and profession, and you will reap what you sow. Our community is widespread, but also very close. Memories are long. Be kind. It is always possible to do this, no matter how stressful things seem at any point. Hard times and 1:00 am, no-shower, no-food, haven’t seen my kids, exhausted negotiations (oh yeah, I’ve been there!) will pass, but the people with whom you interact will still be there. They will remember—as will you—whether you kept your cool when things were most heated. They will remember whether you kept your sense of humor, didn’t point fingers or raise your voice, and whether you remained firm and resolute and constructive in advocating for your client or your institution. Honor your word, be trustworthy and deliver on your promises.
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THE SECURED LENDER MARCH 2024
Make friends across the table, within your own shop, and with colleagues in the industry. Your adversaries today may be so impressive that they are your co-counsel tomorrow! Look for ways to be helpful to others, even if (maybe especially if) you don’t see a way they can be helpful to you in the near term. Expect nothing in return except being able to sleep well at night and experiencing the joy that is found in knowing you have added value to what is an incredible, talented, and exciting group of people who have chosen this profession and with whom we have the great privilege of being able to practice. Nevertheless, please appreciate that being kind and helping others does not mean undervaluing, in any way, your own worth. Know that you are here for a reason—you are strong, you can do this, and if someone does not appreciate you, value you, and compensate you appropriately for your efforts, then they are not worth your time and energy. Invest in and believe in yourself, and surround yourself with people who believe in,
love, and respect you. Take particular care of those who are junior to you, those who perhaps may be young, inexperienced, and vulnerable. They may look up to you—not only in your own institution but throughout our industry as well. Not only is it the right thing to do, but decades down the road, you will encounter people with whom you crossed paths many years ago. How will they remember you? The junior person or professional staff member with whom you are interacting today is a person who is dealing with his or her own challenges. They may be your client, your judge, your adversary, or your partner before you can blink. Be sure they remember that you treated them the way you would want to be treated yourself. The path through this wonderful, exciting, privileged profession is really based in lessons we all learned in kindergarten—be kind, be honest, be prepared, and treat others as you would want to be treated yourself.