‘You need people from different backgrounds in leadership positions’

Jay Sadanandan has arrived to our interview a couple of minutes late, armed with scorching goodies for everybody. It’s a considerate gesture that’s firmly in step with her perception within the significance of inclusion.

‘I grew up in a kampong – a standard village in Singapore,’ she says as she displays on her 27 years within the authorized career. Not solely was Sadanandan the primary in her household to attend college, she additionally broke new floor as the primary from her village to take action.

‘I didn’t even know what regulation entailed,’ she confesses. ‘I initially thought I’d find yourself changing into a journalist like my pals – and I’m not simply saying that as a result of we’re doing this interview.’ However when Sadanandan bought to regulation faculty in Singapore, she shortly realised it was the place her abilities lay. ‘I beloved every part about regulation faculty,’ she says with a smile. ‘The circumstances felt like tales to me. I beloved how rational it was; when an issue arose, it wasn’t nearly discovering an answer, however understanding the reasoning behind how that resolution was reached,’ she explains.

‘There was a variety of poverty and adversity in elevating us…Training was my ticket out of that scenario.’

Regardless of being a Authorized 500 recognised main associate for acquisition finance with a formidable roster of purchasers, Sadanandan by no means got down to pursue high-value offers. ‘After regulation faculty, I knew I wished to be a lawyer however I had no thought I wished to be a deal lawyer, it occurred fully by likelihood,’ she laughs, admitting that it was pushed extra by visa issues than a nicely thought out profession technique.

Graduating from regulation faculty in 1995, it was initially litigation that piqued her curiosity as a junior affiliate at Drew & Napier. However an itch to discover the world quickly took her profession off beam. Sadanandan received a scholarship to pursue a grasp’s at Harvard and her visa allowed her to work for a 12 months after graduating with none additional paperwork. Her regulation faculty classmates have been heading to New York however that didn’t enchantment to her. ‘I didn’t wish to work myself to loss of life in New York – it was just for a 12 months, and I wished to go someplace with sunshine,’ she says.

So, in 1999, Sadanandan flew to Los Angeles and secured a job as a company affiliate at White & Case. ‘It wasn’t a aware choice to change practices,’ she explains. ‘It was the job I discovered that allowed me to remain within the US.’

Her intention was to return to Singapore and proceed as a litigator. However issues didn’t go as deliberate and what began as a brief transfer changed into a five-year stint. ‘I ended up loving LA, I beloved the workplace, and I actually loved the company work,’ she shares.

However love intervened, main Sadanandan to maneuver to London in 2004, the place she has remained ever since. ‘I used to be courting my now-husband, who was based mostly in London, so I ended up transferring right here,’ she explains.

When White & Case allowed Sadanandan to switch to London, the company staff wasn’t hiring, so she joined the banking staff as an alternative. ‘I took that job by likelihood, in order that’s how I ended up altering each jurisdictions and follow areas as soon as once more,’ she says. ‘It was extra happenstance than a profession plan.’

‘I’ve all the time aimed to be the very best at no matter job I used to be given, not as a result of I had a selected profession plan to turn into a associate, however as a result of I took pleasure in my job.’

She joined the White & Case banking staff at a time when the leveraged finance market was booming, which gave her worthwhile deal expertise and the chance to work with some distinctive companions. It was right here that she made associate in 2007.

Recalling one in every of her most memorable offers, Sadanandan describes the aftermath of the 2008 monetary disaster, when there was a convergence between the financial institution and bond markets – one thing that hadn’t actually occurred earlier than. With liquidity drying up, corporations needed to discover new methods to safe the financing they wanted. Sadanandan’s staff was tasked with placing collectively a financing package deal for an LBO acquisition.

‘We needed to discover a method to construction this financial institution and bond financing for a brand new LBO acquisition in a manner that hadn’t been achieved earlier than,’ she says. ‘We went again to first ideas, making a construction and documentation that may work for all events. It’s widespread now, however on the time – popping out of the monetary disaster – it was extremely progressive.’

After 10 years at White & Case, Sadanandan moved to Latham & Watkins in 2010 as a part of a four-partner staff together with her fellow Sidley new joiner Sam Hamilton and finance veteran Chris Kandel, who joined McDermott this Might.  With the staff transfer serving to the Los Angeles agency construct a dominant place in Europe’s leveraged finance market, Sadanandan went on to spend practically 15 years at Latham, together with serving as managing associate of the London workplace from 2015 to 2020, earlier than making the swap to Sidley in October to construct out that agency’s leveraged finance follow in London.

‘We needed to discover a method to construction this financial institution and bond financing for a brand new LBO acquisition in a manner that hadn’t been achieved earlier than.’

‘Administration requires a unique skillset, and I don’t assume legal professionals are naturally managers,’ muses Sadanandan of her workplace management position at Latham and her present place as international co-head of Sidley’s lev fin staff.

‘I’ve needed to discover ways to seek the advice of, talk about, and perceive individuals coping with totally different points. I used to be all the time extra centered on the follow of regulation, and taking over this position made me extra conscious of all the opposite components that contribute to creating a profitable regulation agency.’

When requested how her staff would describe her administration model, Sadanandan responds: ‘I’d hope they’d say I’m truthful, affordable, take the time to pay attention, and am supportive. I additionally suspect they’ll say I’ve very excessive requirements!’

With 17 years below her belt as a associate, Sadanandan believes that having totally different views within the room is an important element of higher decision-making.

‘I don’t wish to be in a room the place everybody is strictly like me – that doesn’t result in variety of thought or concepts,’ she says. ‘I’m joyful to be corrected and to study, however that may solely occur after I have interaction with individuals who carry totally different viewpoints.’

‘We have been within the incorrect place on the incorrect time and so they got here charging down a hill at us. It was completely terrifying.’

This dedication to variety stems from her personal experiences, together with recollections of early job interviews when she lacked the means to purchase skilled work garments. ‘Whenever you stroll right into a room and everyone seems to be suited and booted, it could actually have an effect on your confidence,’ she says. ‘However everybody deserves a shot, regardless of their upbringing.’

When requested what recommendation she would give to somebody aspiring to achieve her place, Sadanandan highlights the significance of staying centered, working arduous, and all the time placing in your finest effort. ‘I’ve all the time aimed to be the very best at no matter job I used to be given, not as a result of I had a selected profession plan to turn into a associate, however as a result of I took pleasure in my job.’

With the good thing about hindsight, she provides that she would fear much less about discovering the proper job, follow or agency. Over time, she’s discovered that being your self, working arduous, and giving your finest will naturally result in progress. ‘Try this and the alternatives will come your manner,’ she advises.

Sadanandan credit the now-retired former workplace managing associate of White & Case’s LA workplace, Richard Smith, as a significant affect on her profession. Describing him as a workaholic who sat two doorways down from her, she recollects seeing the very best of him in some ways – whether or not dealing with purchasers or managing individuals.

‘He handled individuals pretty, gave them alternatives and spoke up when it mattered,’ she says. ‘He’s a improbable lawyer and a beautiful particular person, and we’re nonetheless shut pals right this moment.’

‘I don’t wish to be in a room the place everybody is strictly like me – that doesn’t result in variety of thought or concepts.’

Past the regulation although, Sadanandan takes her best inspiration from her mom and grandmother. She recollects her grandmother’s robust life as a widow – illiterate and left elevating six younger daughters in a village in Singapore. Sadanandan’s mom, in the meantime, was pressured to go away faculty at simply 14 when her father died so as to help the whole household. ‘There was a variety of poverty and adversity in elevating us, however they did it with love and kindness. They have been really extraordinary. Training was my ticket out of that scenario,’ she shares.

Outdoors work, Sadanandan tries to spend her free time together with her household, together with her husband and 13-year-old son, and pals. ‘My son is attempting to get me into his world by enjoying Brawl Stars and Fortnite, however I’m simply hopeless at gaming,’ she laughs.

She recounts a climbing vacation in Yellowstone Nationwide Park within the US just a few years in the past when Sadanandan and her household have been practically attacked by 4 huge bison. ‘We have been within the incorrect place on the incorrect time and so they got here charging down a hill at us. It was completely terrifying,’ she explains. ‘I nonetheless maintain my husband accountable for that shut encounter.’

Jay Sadanandan is international co-leader of Sidley’s leveraged finance follow in London. She advises on cross-border acquisition and leveraged financings, financial institution/bond financings, asset-based loans, bridge financings, funding grade loans, post-IPO amenities, and different secured lending transactions.