Anne E. Villanueva

PALO ALTO- Recognized for her dedication to her clients and work on some of the world's most recognizable technology deals, labor and employment lawyer Anne E. Villanueva was promoted to partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates in April 2022.

When she's not busy advising clients, she's also a prolific writer and speaker focused on issues in labor and employment law, including equal pay audits, the gender pay gap and employee free speech. Villanueva said she loves the fact that the law is constantly evolving and that it impacts nearly everyone's day-to-day lives.

"I enjoy the human and psychological components of practicing labor and employment law," she said. "I've learned that sometimes the best solution to a client's problem, issue or question entails addressing the legal, practical and emotional realities of a situation."

While the change can be exciting, it can also be hard to keep up and anticipate future legal changes and solutions for clients. Villanueva said she works to stay on top of the evolving laws by setting up case alerts for seminal cases and reading major labor and employment publications every morning before her day begins.

Some of the major shifts in the law in recent years, she said, have been in connection with COVID-19 and remote work, worker classification and arbitration. She said companies are also increasingly attuned to workplace culture with a stronger focus on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

A Harvard Law School graduate, her roster includes a list of some of the largest tech deals ever, including the impending sale of client Activision to Microsoft for $75 billion.

Villanueva said she's also proud to have recently led her first workplace culture review and has negotiated employment and separation agreements, including for several C-suite executives of major tech companies and a sports team.

"One of the most rewarding aspects of my job is having the ability to impact millions of employees and contractors around the world in connection with some of the largest multinational mergers and acquisitions of companies and through daily legal counseling services," she said.

Villanueva also enjoys contributing to her firm's culture through its mentoring program, diversity committee and steering committee focused on LatinX and women's initiatives.

As for advice for new lawyers looking to follow a similar path, Villanueva said they should always do their research and due diligence when encountering a complicated issue or question.

"It's easy to simply tell the senior attorney on a matter that you've never encountered the issue and to defer to his or her expertise," she said. "Instead of doing that, take the initiative to explore those legal issues. You'll gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of the issue at hand and over time you'll develop research skills that will be critical for you whenever you encounter novel legal issues in the future."