They’ve Got Next: The 40 Under 40 - Sonia Nijjar of Skadden

Please describe two of your most substantial, recent wins in practice.
My representation of Livongo in its $18.5 billion acquisition by Teledoc (the largest-ever digital health deal) required us to move at warp speed to navigate volatile market dynamics caused by the explosion of digital health during the pandemic. We advised on a matrix of scenarios as the companies’ valuations ticked upwards by the hour. Co-leading Credit Karma’s $7.1 billion acquisition by Intuit, and handling the concurrent, antitrust-driven and very intricate divesture of Credit Karma’s tax business, was another recent highlight. I’ve long had the honor of working closely with Intel and one deal that stands out is Intel’s 2017 acquisition of Mobileye for $15.3 billion. This was the largest-ever transaction involving an Israeli tech company and there were a number of novel issues at play.

What is the most important lesson you learned as a first-year attorney and how does it inform your practice today?
Of the many important lessons I learned as a first-year associate in New York, the one that most significantly informs my practice on a day-to-day basis sounds simple: always stay one step ahead. However, this maxim is not always simple to carry out. Staying a step ahead means you’re always anticipating, forever strategizing. Staying a step ahead means stopping before asking a client a question, considering the client’s various likely responses to your question and then formulating responses to those responses. It might mean having several answers ready to a question you think a senior partner will pose to you. I think of this approach to problem-solving as akin to playing chess. It rarely pays to think only about the move at hand. You have to be ready for the one after that. This mindset served me well on a recent deal involving the sale of our client Livongo to Teledoc. Effectuating the sale of a digital health company during the pandemic, when the companies’ valuations were going through the roof, and the numbers changed almost by the hour, required being able to think through multiple concurrent scenarios and various “if this, then that” scenarios.

How do you define success in your practice?
Having clients view you not just as their lawyer, but as a true trusted advisor is, to me, the pinnacle of success in private practice. There is tremendous satisfaction that comes from knowing that your clients seek your counsel not only on legal issues, but on broader matters affecting their business strategies. “Success” is also getting to a point in your practice where you feel confident that you can resolve virtually any issue that comes up, whether that means tackling a never-before-tried deal structure or figuring out how to work effectively on a few hours of sleep!

What are you most proud of as a lawyer? A great source of pride is watching the success of Skadden attorneys I have mentored, especially those who come from under-represented backgrounds. As the co-hiring partner in Skadden’s Palo Alto office, I am highly invested in attracting and retaining the best, most diverse team possible. I am proud my very diverse M&A practice that focuses on complex, often cross-border M&A in the technology sector, and also encompasses a broad range of other deals, including private equity transactions, divestitures, minority investments, etc. I’m especially proud of deals that broke new ground, such as Intel/Mobileye a few years ago, for which we developed a novel acquisition structure addressing Mobileye’s unique corporate status as an Israeli tax resident and Dutch entity traded on the U.S. stock market. The divestiture I recently structured as part of Credit Karma’s sale to Intuit was pretty sophisticated and a source of recent pride.

Who is your greatest mentor in the law and what have they taught you?
I have been blessed to have M&A legend Kenton King as my mentor since I have been practicing in Skadden’s Palo Alto office. Ken founded and led the Palo Alto office of Skadden for most of its 20+ years. 150 words are scarcely enough to summarize all he has taught me, but a few things stand out. First, Ken taught me that when you’re part of a deal team, no task should be considered too small. No matter how senior you are, you need to be ready to get deep into the weeds on everything. Ken embodies the ideal that no matter the pinnacles of success you might have reached, you treat everyone around you with respect and kindness. Of course I could write a full chapter in the Dealmakers Playbook on all Ken has taught me about structuring, drafting and negotiating the most complex M&A deals.

Just for fun, tell us your two favorite songs on your summer music playlist.
“Summer” by Calvin Harris – This song feels especially fun this year as things are opening up again.

“California Love” by 2Pac ft. Dr. Dre - I always enjoy this song having grown up in California hearing it. Later, especially when I was living in New York, this song would always take me back to my more carefree California youth – and it still does!