Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom has tapped Sharmistha Chakrabarti for its latest round of partnership elevations, marking a significant moment not just for the firm—but for one of its longest-serving arbitration specialists. Nearly 13 years after she first walked through the doors of Skadden as an associate, Chakrabarti is now stepping into the firm’s upper ranks.
But this promotion isn’t just a new title. It comes with a change in scenery. Chakrabarti will be trading the skyline of New York for the rising towers of Singapore, where she’ll help lead the firm’s strategy in one of Asia’s most dynamic legal markets.
An alumna of West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (Class of 2008) and a Harvard Law LL.M. (2012), Chakrabarti has carved a reputation in high-stakes arbitration. Her work spans investor-state disputes and commercial arbitrations across sectors like telecom, media, and energy. She’s appeared before arbitral bodies like the ICC and LCIA, and handled proceedings under UNCITRAL rules. Her fingerprints are also on numerous international contracts, where she’s known for shaping bulletproof dispute resolution frameworks.
For Skadden, the move sharpens its arbitration arsenal in Asia. For Chakrabarti, it’s a homecoming of sorts—returning closer to her roots, now armed with global experience and a partner’s seat at the table.