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1 Dec 2025
Joshua Goldman and Hannah Lee are used to operating in fast-changing environments, in private equity and pharmaceuticals, respectively. That is what attracts them both. Keep calm in all situations, they advise!
The path to becoming a lawyer, it almost goes without saying, varies from person to person. For Joshua Goldman, it was obvious from an early stage. “When I was younger, I often found myself advocating for my point of view. My parents would say I was a great debater and thought this would be a great profession for me!” he says with a laugh. Hannah Lee, on the other hand, was destined to become a scientist, following in the footsteps of her father (coincidentally a scientist with Roche, the parent company of Genentech, where she now works). It was during her last year of university when she took a course on Children, Youth and the Law that she first thought about law as a career. The course was also taught using the Socratic method (utilising argumentative dialogue) that may also have triggered an interest in law as being a profession based, in effect, on argument.
After gaining his JD (Juris Doctor) from Columbia University, Josh initially joined Cravath, Swaine & Moore before moving to Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel (as was) in 2014. By then, he had decided that he preferred dealing in mergers and acquisitions and similar-type corporate transactions. He found it more to his liking to work on deals in which both sides had certain goals and worked towards a negotiated outcome, as well as enjoying learning more about the commercial side of transactions and the business objectives driving them.
Hannah graduated in chemical engineering but switched to law after she rejected the prospect of being a research scientist - “I didn’t relish the idea of the isolation of the laboratory, plus it didn’t quite fit in with my idealism of changing the world – at least not that slowly!” She also rightly thought that a scientific background might be useful in certain areas of law, which has proved to be the case.
She started off at the firm Perkins Cole, where she worked for Paul Andre and Lisa Kobialka. She moved with them to King & Spalding before the team again moved to Kramer Levin to start a new office in California in October 2011.
Joshua Goldman
Alumnus of New York (Kramer Levin) office
2014 - 2016
Josh joined Kramer Levin in 2014 with the prospect of doing more private, as opposed to public, M&A work. As he explains it, the deals tend to be more bespoke and tailored, and, as a lawyer, you have a chance to get to know the businesses more.
He learned at the feet of Howard Spilko (now global head of Private Equity for the combined firm), for whom Josh has nothing but praise. “He was great as a technical lawyer, but he always saw the deals through a commercial lens. He was wonderful with the people around him and very invested in people’s professional growth. He made sure I got the experience to help me progress my career.”
Hannah, too, is very appreciative of her experience at Kramer Levin. She was with the firm for over 12 years. “Paul and Lisa, who I worked with, were very much set on development and inclusivity. They helped people utilise their strengths as well as support them to help with their weaker spots.
We are always conscious of our need to add value.”
Josh Goldman
“I really appreciated the ethos of the firm that we were one big family and that we worked well in teams, not as individuals. That mentality was really something I look back on and was lucky to be part of. My time with Kramer Levin was absolutely foundational. Without that foundation, I would not be able to do my job today.”
Each had good reasons for moving on from the firm. For Josh, there was a near-seamless move to Stone Point Capital. Stone Point was already a client of the firm and he had worked with them on several deals. When an opportunity came up to join the legal team in-house, he saw an opportunity both to continue to work on legal transactions, which he loved, and to become more embroiled in Stone Point’s business.
He continues his close links with Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer and with Howard. Josh is very supportive of the merger between the two firms. “When we have deals involving multiple jurisdictions, it will be really helpful to be able to rely on just one firm rather than having to engage multiple local counsels.”
As a client, is he a tough taskmaster? “That’s for Howard to say,” he laughs, “but what I will say is that I don’t put unnecessary pressure on my outside counsel where we have time, but, as we all know, we can’t always control the timeframe and need to make sure we’re always prepared and ready to go.”
Hannah Lee
Alumna of Redwood Shores (Kramer Levin) office
2011-2024
We worked well in teams, not as individuals.”
Hannah Lee
Having moved to Stone Point in 2016 as an associate counsel, he is now a managing director and counsel. He works on a variety of private equity deals for different businesses, including, among others, those in wealth management, insurance distribution and employee benefits and human capital management. The business is thriving: Stone Point currently has some 60+ portfolio companies, and has just recently closed on its 10th private equity fund, of some US$11.5 billion.
Hannah, for her part, was not looking to leave Kramer Levin, enjoying her role as a partner, but when a friend mentioned that Genentech were looking for a patent litigating attorney, she was intrigued. As she puts it, she was looking to expand her legal skills and “get out of the bubble” that can happen in private practice. Such a role would also reacquaint her with her science background.
Moving to Genentech in 2024, she handles all patent-related litigation, which includes advising on litigation risk, as well as helping on the risk aspects of deals which Genentech is entering into, for example licensing arrangements. She also advises on pending drugs legislation and its likely impact on the company’s intellectual property and future inventions.
This role adds an extra dimension to her practice, in that she is required to look into the future and therefore help advise on policy. “I really enjoy this aspect of pre-litigation thinking and the policy work surrounding how Genentech deals with patents, which is invariably a contentious area and very likely to involve disputes and litigation.”
Both Josh and Hannah work in fast-moving environments. For Josh, private equity is, almost by definition, fast-changing, because sponsors expect solid returns on their investments and often within shorter timeframes.
For Hannah, the challenge – and the interest – comes from the nature of the pharma business in what was already a lively environment but has become more so in the era of national and global volatility. “Genentech is a live machine and there is unpredictability built in at every level. The scientists may be working on research that doesn’t pan out or maybe suddenly a program is accelerated, and all manner of things in between. You have to think and respond fast to give clear, applicable advice. That aspect is super-challenging. We try to give certainty in an uncertain environment.”
There is unpredictability built in at every level.”
Hannah Lee
Advice for others
What advice do they have for others thinking of moving in-house? Each note the common response that in-house lawyers invariably have a range of legal issues that come across their desk. That requires a willingness to be flexible but also, Josh adds, a premium on time management. “In private practice, we are, of course, used to having many issues on the go at once, but that process is accelerated in-house. We are always conscious of our need to add value and that means being very thoughtful and responsive to requests.”
Hannah agrees, noting that for those thinking ultimately of going in-house, it helps to have learnt as many areas of law and to have dealt with a wide range of issues, since, chances are, you will draw on them in an in-house role. She advises lawyers to “get out of their comfort zone” whenever possible and, crucially, not be afraid to make mistakes because “that is how you learn”.
Both note the need to develop good relationships with the different businesses in-house, which requires the lawyers to perhaps be more outgoing than they need to be in private practice. Hannah puts it this way: “You absolutely have to build good relationships with the businesses. If you don’t, they won’t listen to you, no matter what you advise, and it is particularly important when you are giving advice that they might not want to hear.”
Josh notes the need for an ability to really understand what the business requirements are. Again, this is not dissimilar to lawyers working in private practice, but the engagement with the commercial nature of the business means contemplating a wider range of questions to put to the businesses that lawyers might not automatically think of.
For all the pressure, both Hannah and Josh appreciate a key benefit of going in-house: the greater ability to manage their time in and outside work. For Josh, that is vital with three boys aged 10 and under who have their own busy school and sports schedules! A keen skier, he likes nothing more than taking the family skiing. Or going south to the Caribbean where he and his family enjoy the warm weather and beautiful beaches.
Living in San Francisco, Hannah is a great hiker (taking advantage of some wonderful hiking trails) and beachgoer (in the Bay area), as well as travelling more widely. Or the simple pleasures of having friends over and concentrating on cooking.
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Legal Notice
The contents of this publication are for reference purposes only and may not be current as at the date of accessing this publication. They do not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. Specific legal advice about your specific circumstances should always be sought separately before taking any action based on this publication.
© Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer 2026
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