Private Equity - Associate

We will offer you a place where you can be yourself and where there are no limits on what you can achieve. With us, you can take ownership of your career and have honest conversations throughout. You would join an ambitious firm with a clear strategy for profitable growth where you can get early responsibility and early involvement in growing the business. Here you can expect a competitive and fair reward as well as recognition based on all round performance. This forms part of our internal promise to you, The Deal, between the firm and its employees.

You can expect:

• A competitive salary and a host of family friendly policies
• Life assurance, private health and dental care for you and your family
• A range of flexible benefits including gym discount and retail vouchers
• We support the causes you care about by giving you one day per year off to volunteer with any charity that you are involved with outside of work
• A wellbeing strategy that focuses on preventative measures to maintain overall health, and tools and support for when our people experience physical or mental difficulties. The strategy focuses on four pillars: physical, emotional, financial and social aspects.
• Most of our roles are hybrid, meaning that colleagues benefit from working in our office and remotely. We are happy to discuss this and other flexible working arrangements with you as part of the application and interview process.
• We are an equal opportunity organisation, committed to having a diverse workforce. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, culture, or any other protected characteristics. We aim to create a culture where everyone can be themselves and is valued for their strengths and unique perspectives.

This role is to work with the private equity team which forms part of the wider corporate department. All associates within the team are actively encouraged to work for a wide range of partners to broaden their experience and expertise across the corporate disciplines, but with a primary focus on leading private equity transactional deals.

The private equity team sits within Stephenson Harwood’s award-winning corporate department. The private transactional team consists of 9 partners who advise across a wide range of private equity transactions, acting for corporates, private equity houses, management teams and other leading financial institutions.

The team are given commercial and transactional support by experienced, high-quality specialists in banking, commercial contracts, competition, tax, employment and pensions, intellectual property, information technology, intellectual property and financial regulatory issues.

The department runs regular legal training sessions covering the core practice areas listed above as well as associate development centres focusing on 'soft' skills and BD. The ongoing support and development of our associates is regarded as essential to our future growth and success.

• Project management and deal co-ordination; a managing associate in the team is expected to be front of house on transactions.
• Clear, concise and unambiguous preparation and drafting of main transaction documentation.
• Negotiation of transaction documents and provision of commercially minded legal advice as an integral part our clients' deal team.
• Liaison with clients, specialist lawyers and other service providers in managing transactions.
• Developing own informal internal and external network of contacts.
• Supervision, training and mentoring of junior experience level team members.
• Building excellent working relationships with clients and peers within the firm.
• Participating in and contributing to business development and profile-raising events, such as client seminars, client e-alerts and graduate recruitment activities.

• Qualified lawyer with private equity and M&A experience is essential.
• A demonstrable keen interest in the private equity sector.
• Background in a top tier firm with an excellent private equity reputation.
• Excellent academic background.
• Knowledge and experience of high-profile acquisitions including document drafting.
• Experience coordinating closings of private equity transactions.
• Ability to acquire, consolidate and apply fundamental and up-to-date knowledge of the law including a strong understanding of Companies House filing requirements.
• Excellent accuracy and attention to detail.
• Excellent verbal communication skills and a proven ability to deal directly with clients.
• Organised and able to work to strict deadlines with the ability to prioritise realistically.
• Resilient with the ability to handle setbacks and pressure.
• Cooperative and collaborative in approach and able to develop excellent working relationships at all levels and within all roles.
• Ability to operate professionally and proactively at all times.
• Exhibits an understanding of the Firm’s position in the market and how it distinguishes its services from its competitors.

Stephenson Harwood is an international law firm, and we're committed to creating 'positive partnerships' with our clients. We represent listed and private companies, institutions and individuals, building lasting relationships to help them succeed in a complex and ever-changing world.

Our focus is on five core sectors: Energy Transition, Life Sciences and Healthcare, Private Capital and Funds, Technology, and Transportation and Trade.

With more than 1,500 people, including 250+ partners, across eleven offices in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, we combine deep legal capabilities and broad commercial expertise. We have also forged close ties with high quality law firms around the world, blending local knowledge with global savvy for clients in over 100 countries.

We understand the power of diversity in delivering that high calibre advice to our clients. We want to attract diverse talent and we particularly encourage applications from underrepresented demographics.

• 250+ PARTNERS
• 11 OFFICES
• 45+ LANGUAGES SPOKEN BY OUR PEOPLE

Offices in Al Khobar, Athens, Dubai, Hong Kong, London, Madrid, Paris, Riyadh, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore and associated office in Guangzhou.

Our brand strengths:

GO FAR, GO TOGETHER

EXPERTS IN MORE THAN LAW

CAN DO PERSONALITIES

ALWAYS READY