Rita-Anne O’Neill Wins Award in Recognition of Commitment to DEI in M&A

Rita-Anne O’Neill was named among Merger & Acquisitions’ Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A, which recognizes successful dealmakers who are also advocates for diversity, equity and inclusion, particularly for the advancement of women in M&A.
 
As co-head of S&C’s Global Private Equity Group, Rita advises private equity firms and their portfolio companies and corporate clients on M&A and securities offerings, and provides general corporate advice on disclosure and governance. She has advised clients in a range of industries, including consumer and retail, financial institutions, healthcare and life sciences, industrials, telecommunications and transportation.  
 
Rita is a member of S&C’s Women’s Initiative Committee and is the co-founder and co-chair of a national Women in M&A Network (WiMA), a network of senior women dealmakers focused on business generation. She is the immediate past co-chair of the ABA’s Women in M&A Subcommittee, which was formed to promote the recruiting, retention and promotion of women lawyers in M&A. She also serves as co-chair of the Tulane Corporate Law Institute, vice chair of the ABA M&A Committee and co-chair of the ABA’s Acquisition of Public Companies Subcommittee.
 
On advising young lawyers, Rita says, “As you build your career, someone at some point will tell you that you cannot accomplish something. Don’t let this negative energy get in the way of what you are doing. Work hard, earn the trust of your clients and colleagues, be assertive and trust the process. Turn the negative energy into positive action.”