Alumni Spotlight: MK Mallery ’21L MK Mallery is currently a managing associate in the Global Finance Group at Sidley Austin in Dallas, where she represents borrowers in a variety of lending and debt transactions.

MK Mallory ’21L

MK (Field) Mallery ‘21L was born and raised in High Point, North Carolina. She graduated from the University of North Carolina in 2016, where she majored in business administration at the Kenan-Flagler Business School and graduated from Honors Carolina. Before attending law school at W&L Law, MK worked for MillerCoors in the Sales Management Program in Baltimore, where she became a lifelong fan of the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles. In law school, MK interned for Maynard Nexsen in Birmingham, Alabama, the Honorable Tom Jarrell in the Guilford County (NC) District Court, and Sidley Austin in Dallas. She spent her 3L Externship with Young Haskins Mann & Gregory in Martinsville, Virginia. MK is currently a managing associate in the Global Finance Group at Sidley Austin in Dallas, where she represents borrowers in a variety of lending and debt transactions.

Discuss your career path and how it led you to Sidley Austin LLP.

Taking two years to work full time for a large international company after completing my undergraduate degree was the best advice I have ever listened to from lawyers I spoke to while thinking about going to law school. When I started at W&L Law and based on my experience at MillerCoors, I wanted to pursue a transactional career at a large law firm without having strong opinions on what that would look like and where, so I was open to multiple markets and different practice groups. My 1L summer at Maynard was an excellent experience surrounded by sharp, wonderful people, so I knew the culture of the firm was make or break for me, especially given the reputation of spending a significant amount of time working in the Big Law environment. Dallas piqued my interest as a robust legal market with complex work, but also the type of place where I could lay down roots. I interviewed with various firms in New York, Washington, and Dallas and ultimately chose the finance group (the “GFG”) at Sidley because the people who I met were not only brilliant and impressive lawyers but also interesting humans that I felt like I could spend time with outside of the office. It was definitely the right choice for me as I’m still with the same team, and Dallas has proven to be the fit I was looking for to settle into my legal career.

What sort of legal issues do you handle on a day-to-day basis?

Corporate debt financing, in a nutshell, is providing cash in the form of debt (as opposed to equity) to borrowers who then use that cash to fund anything from acquisitions and special projects to shareholder dividends or general working capital within the framework of the underlying loan agreement. My role is to advise clients—most typically the borrower—in the negotiation of the loan agreement and any related documentation that might be required in the transaction at hand. Lots of individuals have some sort of loan agreement and may not even realize it: think about mortgages, promissory notes, credit card agreements, or vehicle financing. Unlike financing for individuals, corporate borrowers typically have more leverage to actually negotiate bespoke agreements to govern the lending and repayment of the loans, as well as obligations they have to the lenders before the debt is paid in full. We advise clients every step of the way, from initial conversations with potential lenders to funding and in an ongoing capacity all the way through satisfaction of the obligation at maturity or via payoff, which is often 5-10 years down the line. The most important parts of my job are ensuring that the credit documentation provides our clients with the flexibility to operate and grow their business meaningfully, and clearly articulating solutions or providing advice as questions arise along the way, at any step in the process.

What do you like about your current job?

First and foremost, I truly love the people I work with and whole heartedly believe that my satisfaction with my practice is in large part due to the incredible support and mentorship I have experienced at Sidley. I’ve also had the pleasure of working for some very wonderful clients across a variety of industries, from music to insurance, oil and gas, manufacturing, aviation, and even fried chicken. It’s impossible to pick a favorite, but this year in particular I’ve worked on new deals for several repeat clients, and it’s highly rewarding to build out features in the loan agreement for them to undertake operational needs and facilitate long term growth. It goes a long way with clients when the legal team recognizes a need and addresses that need in the documentation without being asked, just by taking note of prior conversations and attention to detail in the minutiae of a very long (and somewhat dense) set of documents. These strong relationships have also resulted in many fun outings such as dinners, happy hours, and professional sports games with those clients to celebrate the closing of a successful transaction.

What are some practices you have in your daily life as an attorney to maintain wellness?

It’s been beneficial to me to take at least a half hour in the evening to do something completely unrelated to work. I’m a big believer of spending time outside in the sunshine when I can. Fortunately, Dallas has 10 months of summer, and I try to take advantage of the warm weather by walking Bunny through our neighborhood at least once every day. I also love to read (literature other than contracts) in my free time. Building relationships with my colleagues has also made the office feel collegial, and I enjoy taking small breaks during the day to catch up with my coworkers about current matters and life in general. These interactions are not only a nice reset but also the dialogue often results in at least one person learning something that is directly on-point to a matter currently on their desk and fosters collaboration on deals.

Which W&L classes and/or experiences do you think were most helpful in preparing you for this job? 

My time at W&L Law was second to none in terms of both my legal education and also the development of soft skills, including interpersonal relationships, that have been invaluable in transitioning from an academic to a professional setting. For students interested in a transactional practice, Business Associations and Secured Transactions were the most “on point” doctrinal classes that I took, and my practice is at the intersection of those two foundational concepts of the law. I would highly recommend the 3L Externship program to any student, regardless of intended career path after graduation. Having exposure to practicing lawyers in an ongoing capacity is the best way to get a handle on what being a lawyer will actually be like, and I found my externship at Young Haskins Mann & Gregory to be very similar to my first few months as a lawyer at Sidley, despite the difference in geography and size of the firm. Connections are so important in this line of work, and exposure to various work styles, environments, and cultures will inform how you want to shape your own practice.

Looking back, what do you think is the most formative experience you had in law school?

Not so much a single experience, but a series of experiences that have resulted in me being able to balance the demands of my career with my personal life post-grad. When I arrived in Lexington as an incoming 1L, I was excited to hit the ground running with my studies after taking a few years off between the completion of my undergraduate studies and law school. I made a conscious decision to focus on academics before starting while also staying true to who I have always been (a person who likes to enjoy life!) The coursework at W&L Law is rigorous and students graduate with a strong handle on legal concepts and the U.S. legal system generally. Finding a community of like-minded individuals who were committed to participating in campus life, having fun and really learning and digging into the law without a doubt set me up for success in my role at Sidley. My hours between the Main Reading Room, classes, Feb Club, LSFL and making the most of beautiful Lexington taught me how to balance school/work obligations with my personal life, planning in advance and prioritizing appropriately to ensure I stay connected to the things that are most important to me. Big Law has a reputation for being intense, and while I do certainly have occasional long days and weekend work from time to time, the time management skills I developed as a law student at W&L have made an invaluable difference in the quality of life I have both at the office and in my personal endeavors.

What advice do you have for prospective law students?

A partner I work with closely often tells junior associates, “Nobody has as large a stake in your career as you do.” I think this is such an important thing to remember at every step of your journey from choosing the right law school, the location you want to live, the area of practice you pursue, and the jobs you take along the way. Law students and lawyers are, generally, a competitive group of people, and it can be hard to cut through the noise of what your classmates and colleagues say is the “best” thing to do versus what is best for you. At the end of the day, your career is YOUR career, and I’d advise taking time with your decisions to ensure that what you are choosing isn’t because of peer pressure but because it is the right fit for you. Another thing to keep in mind is that nothing is permanent, so if you happen to want a change in the future, you should 100% go for it and remember that some seemingly random experience from your past might one day lead you to a highlight in your career. Finally, the friends you make in law school will be friends for life (shout out to my best friend Virginia Gordon and husband Will Mallery plus all the other 2021L grads I love dearly). My experience in law school and as a lawyer is infinitely richer through the people I’ve gotten to know along the way.

If you know any W&L alumni who would be great profile subjects, tell us about them! Nominate them for a web profile.