Nan Braley

Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig, LLP

Biography:

Nan B. Braley focuses her practice on financing transactions, and represents financial institutions and other clients in connection with secured and unsecured loans, asset-based financings, acquisition financings, syndicated credits, multicurrency facilities, cross-border transactions, subscription lines of credit, participations, intercreditor agreements, subordinated debt, mezzanine debt financings, letters of credit, loan workouts, DIP financings and debt restructurings.

Nan’s experience includes a wide variety of industries and collateral types including telecommunications, entertainment, media, fine art, technology, health care, insurance, real estate, energy, rolling stock and aircraft. She has experience with collection strategies, foreclosures, and borrower representation. Nan also represents clients in derivative transactions, including interest rate swaps.

She is listed in Best Lawyers in America for Banking and Finance Law and Texas Super Lawyers, and is rated AV Preeminent® 5.0 out of 5 by Martindale-Hubbell®.

Nan is a member of the: American Bar Association (including Business Law Section and Section of Science and Technology Law), Dallas Bar Association, State Bar of Texas, Association for Corporate Growth, Turnaround Management Association, Texas Association of Bank Counsel and The Women’s Finance Exchange.

What advice would you offer to women just starting out in the industry?

Work hard, assert your right to be involved on the best projects, and build your own client base through networking and relationship building.  Listen and learn, but speak up.  Your views are important, and people need to hear them.  Arrange your life and work so that your career and efforts are sustainable.  My most practical advice is to arrange things so that your workplace, home and children’s school (if applicable) are all as close together as possible.  Excessive commute time can be a time and energy waste and drain.  If you need to get from one of these places to the other quickly or unexpectedly, proximity is a lifesaver. This one item alone can relieve a lot of stress in your daily existence and boost your productivity and happiness.

What do you know now that you wish you knew in the beginning of your career?

You don’t have to accept discrimination or harassment.  It is not the norm.  It is not just the way it is everywhere.  This concern may not be an issue now so much as it was in the early part of my career, but some workplaces still have a culture that fosters outright or unintentional bias.  If you suspect this is the case in your workplace or if your work situation is unacceptable for any other reason, it is advisable to move on as soon as possible.  People tend to be complacent and think it won’t be any better somewhere else, but many opportunities are available and there is no reason to stay in a place that treats women or other groups unfairly.  Don’t be afraid to make a move if your gut is telling you things aren’t right.  Most likely you will be surprised at how different another work environment can be; and, if you wait too long,  you won’t believe you put up with an unacceptable situation as long as you did.

What kind of role has mentoring and/or sponsorship played in your career?

My observation is that having a mentor can be key to your success.  It is important to seek out mentors even if they are not readily or naturally available.  Seeking or accepting a mentor comes easily to some people and is more difficult for others.  I’m one of those people who has had difficulty finding mentors, but there have been a few people along the way who have provided guidance and advice that helped me advance my career.  I have been more successful in being a mentor, in part because I realize the importance of mentoring and that it is not readily available for everyone.  You may need to be proactive in seeking a mentor, and many people are happy and honored to serve in this capacity.  I make myself available and respond positively when contacted for mentoring or advice.

What do you think the industry could do to attract and retain the best and the brightest today?

While making sure that compensation and benefits are competitive is important, money and perks are no longer the defining factors in attracting and retaining the best talent.  Businesses must show that they are innovative and forward-thinking, have the most current and productive technology, are inclusive and open-minded in their hiring and staffing practices, and are adapting to a rapidly changing, global business environment.  Businesses should provide employees with appropriate and effective professional development, as well as opportunities that allow employees to feel fulfilled and productive beyond just doing a job and getting paid.