‘You need people from different backgrounds in leadership positions’

Jay Sadanandan has arrived to our interview a few minutes late, armed with hot chocolates for everyone. It’s a thoughtful gesture that is firmly in keeping with her belief in the importance of inclusion.

‘I grew up in a kampong – a traditional village in Singapore,’ she says as she reflects on her 27 years in the legal profession. Not only was Sadanandan the first in her family to attend university, she also broke new ground as the first from her village to do so.

‘I didn’t even know what law entailed,’ she confesses. ‘I initially thought I’d end up becoming a journalist like my friends – and I’m not just saying that because we’re doing this interview.’ But when Sadanandan got to law school in Singapore, she quickly realised it was where her talents lay. ‘I loved everything about law school,’ she says with a smile. ‘The cases felt like stories to me. I loved how rational it was; when a problem arose, it wasn’t just about finding a solution, but understanding the reasoning behind how that solution was reached,’ she explains.

‘There was a lot of poverty and adversity in raising us…Education was my ticket out of that situation.’

Despite being a Legal 500 recognised leading partner for acquisition finance with an impressive roster of clients, Sadanandan never set out to pursue high-value deals. ‘After law school, I knew I wanted to be a lawyer but I had no idea I wanted to be a deal lawyer, it happened entirely by chance,’ she laughs, admitting that it was driven more by visa considerations than a well thought out career strategy.

Graduating from law school in 1995, it was originally litigation that piqued her interest as a junior associate at Drew & Napier. But an itch to explore the world soon took her career off course. Sadanandan won a scholarship to pursue a master’s at Harvard and her visa allowed her to work for a year after graduating without any extra paperwork. Her law school classmates were heading to New York but that didn’t appeal to her. ‘I didn’t want to work myself to death in New York – it was only for a year, and I wanted to go somewhere with sunshine,’ she says.

So, in 1999, Sadanandan flew to Los Angeles and secured a job as a corporate associate at White & Case. ‘It wasn’t a conscious decision to switch practices,’ she explains. ‘It was the job I found that allowed me to stay in the US.’

Her intention was to return to Singapore and continue as a litigator. But things didn’t go as planned and what started as a temporary move turned into a five-year stint. ‘I ended up loving LA, I loved the office, and I really enjoyed the corporate work,’ she shares.

But love intervened, leading Sadanandan to move to London in 2004, where she has remained ever since. ‘I was dating my now-husband, who was based in London, so I ended up moving here,’ she explains.

When White & Case allowed Sadanandan to transfer to London, the corporate team wasn’t hiring, so she joined the banking team instead. ‘I took that job by chance, so that’s how I ended up changing both jurisdictions and practice areas once again,’ she says. ‘It was more happenstance than a career plan.’

‘I’ve always aimed to be the best at whatever task I was given, not because I had a specific career plan to become a partner, but because I took pride in my job.’

She joined the White & Case banking team at a time when the leveraged finance market was booming, which gave her valuable deal experience and the opportunity to work with some exceptional partners. It was here that she made partner in 2007.

Recalling one of her most memorable deals, Sadanandan describes the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, when there was a convergence between the bank and bond markets – something that hadn’t really happened before. With liquidity drying up, companies had to find new ways to secure the financing they needed. Sadanandan’s team was tasked with putting together a financing package for an LBO acquisition.

‘We had to find a way to structure this bank and bond financing for a new LBO acquisition in a way that hadn’t been done before,’ she says. ‘We went back to first principles, creating a structure and documentation that would work for all parties. It’s common now, but at the time – coming out of the financial crisis – it was incredibly innovative.’

After 10 years at White & Case, Sadanandan moved to Latham & Watkins in 2010 as part of a four-partner team including her fellow Sidley new joiner Sam Hamilton and finance veteran Chris Kandel, who joined McDermott this May.  With the team move helping the Los Angeles firm build a dominant position in Europe’s leveraged finance market, Sadanandan went on to spend nearly 15 years at Latham, including serving as managing partner of the London office from 2015 to 2020, before making the switch to Sidley in October to build out that firm’s leveraged finance practice in London.

‘We had to find a way to structure this bank and bond financing for a new LBO acquisition in a way that hadn’t been done before.’

‘Management requires a different skillset, and I don’t think lawyers are naturally managers,’ muses Sadanandan of her office leadership role at Latham and her current position as global co-head of Sidley’s lev fin team.

‘I’ve had to learn how to consult, discuss, and understand people dealing with different issues. I was always more focused on the practice of law, and taking on this role made me more aware of all the other elements that contribute to making a successful law firm.’

When asked how her team would describe her management style, Sadanandan responds: ‘I’d hope they’d say I’m fair, reasonable, take the time to listen, and am supportive. I also suspect they’ll say I have very high standards!’

With 17 years under her belt as a partner, Sadanandan believes that having different perspectives in the room is a crucial component of better decision-making.

‘I don’t want to be in a room where everyone is exactly like me – that doesn’t lead to diversity of thought or ideas,’ she says. ‘I’m happy to be corrected and to learn, but that can only happen when I engage with people who bring different viewpoints.’

‘We were in the wrong place at the wrong time and they came charging down a hill at us. It was absolutely terrifying.’

This commitment to diversity stems from her own experiences, including memories of early job interviews when she lacked the means to buy professional work clothes. ‘When you walk into a room and everyone is suited and booted, it can affect your confidence,’ she says. ‘But everyone deserves a shot, no matter their upbringing.’

When asked what advice she would give to someone aspiring to reach her position, Sadanandan highlights the importance of staying focused, working hard, and always putting in your best effort. ‘I’ve always aimed to be the best at whatever task I was given, not because I had a specific career plan to become a partner, but because I took pride in my job.’

With the benefit of hindsight, she adds that she would worry less about finding the perfect job, practice or firm. Over time, she’s learned that being yourself, working hard, and giving your best will naturally lead to progress. ‘Do that and the opportunities will come your way,’ she advises.

Sadanandan credits the now-retired former office managing partner of White & Case’s LA office, Richard Smith, as a major influence on her career. Describing him as a workaholic who sat two doors down from her, she recalls seeing the best of him in many ways – whether handling clients or managing people.

‘He treated people fairly, gave them opportunities and spoke up when it mattered,’ she says. ‘He’s a fantastic lawyer and a wonderful person, and we’re still close friends today.’

‘I don’t want to be in a room where everyone is exactly like me – that doesn’t lead to diversity of thought or ideas.’

Beyond the law though, Sadanandan takes her greatest inspiration from her mother and grandmother. She recalls her grandmother’s tough life as a widow – illiterate and left raising six young daughters in a village in Singapore. Sadanandan’s mother, meanwhile, was forced to leave school at just 14 when her father died in order to support the entire family. ‘There was a lot of poverty and adversity in raising us, but they did it with love and kindness. They were truly extraordinary. Education was my ticket out of that situation,’ she shares.

Outside work, Sadanandan tries to spend her free time with her family, including her husband and 13-year-old son, and friends. ‘My son is trying to get me into his world by playing Brawl Stars and Fortnite, but I am just hopeless at gaming,’ she laughs.

She recounts a hiking holiday in Yellowstone National Park in the US a few years ago when Sadanandan and her family were nearly attacked by four enormous bison. ‘We were in the wrong place at the wrong time and they came charging down a hill at us. It was absolutely terrifying,’ she explains. ‘I still hold my husband responsible for that close encounter.’

Jay Sadanandan is global co-leader of Sidley’s leveraged finance practice in London. She advises on cross-border acquisition and leveraged financings, bank/bond financings, asset-based loans, bridge financings, investment grade loans, post-IPO facilities, and other secured lending transactions.