Jerita L. DeBraux Salley
Partner – Wiley Rein LLP
Description of field of expertise
Jerita is a corporate and transactional attorney who advises clients in mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures, commercial contracting negotiations, and corporate governance matters in various industries. She often serves as lead counsel in M&A transactions and in a wide range of contract negotiations, including negotiations of technology contracts, purchase and merger agreements, leases, NDAs, and other commercial contracts. Jerita counsels clients through all stages of a sale or acquisition, as well as manages commercial contract portfolios for clients, advising on complex risk allocation matters, such as indemnification, representations and warranties, liability limitations, etc. Her deals have ranged in size from less than $1 million to more than $500 million. Jerita represents a wide range of clients, including government contractors, broadcasters, cable providers, software and other technology providers, financial institutions, and non-profit corporations, among others.
What advice would you offer to new attorneys interested in your field?
Focus on doing top-notch work for your “clients” from day 1. When I say “clients”, I use that in the broadest sense of the word, as it includes not only external clients that you and firm represent, but also the internal clients that you work with on a daily basis (i.e., your fellow associates, partners, and other attorneys in your firm). You never know from where your next big opportunity will come, so it is critical that you treat everyone as if they are the CEO or GC of a multi-million-dollar client. To that end, make sure the work you turn in is always the best reflection of your abilities.
Final thoughts…
Be as intentional as possible, as early as possible. Whatever it is you do, put a lot of thought into it – from the bar associations you join, to the articles you write, to the conferences you attend. There are only so many hours in the day, so it’s critical that we maximize our time the best we can.