The following is an excerpt from Practice Perspectives: Vault's Guide to Legal Practice Areas.
Claudia Lai is a partner in Weil’s M&A practice based in the firm’s Dallas office. She advises public and private companies and private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies on mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures.
Claudia joined Weil’s corporate department as an associate in 2019. Prior to that, she was an associate in the New York and Tokyo offices of another international law firm.
Building on an impressive track record of recognition, Claudia was named one of the winners of The M&A Advisor’s 2025 Emerging Leaders Awards, which honor professionals under 40 who are “shaping the future of mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, and corporate finance,” as well as one of Texas Lawyer’s On the Rise attorneys in 2025, an honor bestowed on “attorneys and law firms making a lasting impact on the Texas legal landscape.”
She received her J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School and her B.S., cum laude, from Duke University. Claudia is a board member of Junior Achievement of Dallas, a nonprofit organization focused on providing young people in underprivileged communities with knowledge and skills for economic success.
Describe your practice area and what it entails.
I advise clients on M&A transactions, from transformative mergers, acquisitions, or divestitures to investments and other strategic transactions. These transactions can reposition a company, expand its market presence, and unlock new growth.
In practice, this means that I advise on deals involving an entire company or business line, thinking strategically to get to a meeting of the minds of the parties and driving these deals to completion. Weil’s M&A platform allows me to work on matters that change businesses at scale and involve large, complex organizations, and many of these matters are valued in billions of dollars. Getting these deals done requires collaboration across many areas of the law, including securities, antitrust, tax, and executive compensation, as well as cross-border issues.
What types of clients do you represent?
I represent large strategic corporations in their M&A activity, as well as private equity sponsors and other major investors in their acquisition of or investment in public companies. My clients include Fortune 500 companies that are major players in a wide variety of industries, such as energy, consumer products, and technology. I also work with global private equity sponsors and global alternative asset managers that are central to today’s dealmaking, such as Providence Equity Partners LLC, Advent International, TPG Inc., and Brookfield Asset Management Inc.
Across the board, these clients are executing complex transactions that influence the pace of dealmaking across industries. Each client has its own unique considerations, often requiring bespoke solutions, even in the face of repeat legal issues. My favorite part of the M&A practice is the collaboration needed to guide these deals forward, ensuring that parties and people with different perspectives work toward a shared goal.
What types of cases/deals do you work on?
My practice is primarily focused on public company M&A, but I also handle divestitures, which is when companies sell off parts of their business. For example, early in 2025, I advised ChampionX on its sale to SLB, as well as ChampionX’s divestiture of US Synthetic, a divestiture that ChampionX undertook in connection with its sale to SLB. My practice also includes special purpose acquisition company business combinations. Because of their scale and visibility, these transactions tend to be multifaceted and closely watched by the market—often making headlines in the financial press. What I find exciting is that each deal brings its own set of questions and dynamics, keeping the work fresh and intellectually challenging. No two days ever feel the same.
How did you choose this practice area?
I was drawn to M&A because it allows me to work across multiple areas of the law. Getting deals done requires interdisciplinary engagement, and I am often directly front-facing with the client on these issues, which allows me to better understand our client’s preferences and goals and build a relationship of trust with them. Mergers and acquisitions also provide broad exposure across industries and clients and a foundation that spans practice areas. I’ve grown exponentially as a lawyer by collaborating with subject matter experts and finding ways to ensure their perspectives fit into the bigger picture and, ultimately, toward a goal that furthers our client’s interests.
What is a “typical” day like and/or what are some common tasks you perform?
There really isn’t a “typical” day in M&A. The pace is set by client needs, so each morning can bring a new challenge—anything from working through a new wrinkle in a deal to shaping solutions that bring the parties to a “yes.” Much of my day is spent problem-solving with clients and colleagues, and the variety keeps the work very engaging.
What training, classes, experience, or skills development would you recommend to someone who wishes to enter your practice area?
Financial accounting is helpful. You don’t need to get an A, but fluency in the basics pays off because numbers underpin every transaction. Beyond that, an effective M&A lawyer requires more than just technical knowledge. They need clear communication, collaborative instincts, and curiosity. I think the best lawyers I’ve worked with are those who thrive on a team, listen, and pause just long enough to ask the right questions.
Outside of classes and specific subject matters, law school really teaches you how to think. Lawyers learn the most by embracing this curiosity and engaging with the subject matter, listening to each call, and reading each document while using these critical thinking skills to ensure we address our client’s interests. Because of this, the most relevant legal acumen is built on the job, learning from skilled lawyers in a collaborative environment. At Weil M&A, we’re very focused on ensuring our associates understand the bigger picture and how we use our judgment to best advise the client.
What do you like best about your practice area?
I enjoy M&A for the connections it fosters, both with clients and with the broader Weil team. In M&A, we’re often the first call from the client, which means we get to jump in early and help shape how things unfold. I value being in that strategy seat, where I can see the full arc of a transaction and help guide it from first conversation to closing. This kind of continuity allows me to contribute in a meaningful way at every stage, and the collaboration between our clients and our teams organically builds a strong foundation of trust.
How do you see this practice area evolving in the future?
Tools like AI will likely change how we work, especially around tasks such as diligence or precedent review. The upside could be meaningful: Junior attorneys can spend more time on substance and judgment earlier, as long as they receive thoughtful training. At Weil, we’re deliberate about both—learning new tools and investing in associate development—so the technology becomes an accelerant, not a substitute, for becoming a strong lawyer.
What are some typical career paths for a lawyer in this practice area?
It’s very common to go in-house at large public companies or to private equity platforms. The magic of M&A is that it’s industry agnostic, so you build a versatile skill set that travels across sectors. This is especially valuable for those who may want to be general counsel one day. General counsel need to be true generalists, and M&A gives you that broad business grounding needed.
What kinds of experiences can summer associates gain in this practice at your firm?
Summer associates receive the same breadth of work we see every day. On large, complex deals, there’s always a new company to analyze and a new angle to work through. At Weil, it’s a hallmark that summer associates are integrated into the deal team from day one. You’re immersed in the deal process early on, and your work connects directly to the progress of the transaction. Even when you’re focused on diligence or drafting definitive agreements, each matter brings its own throughline, counterparties, and strategy that has to be tailored.