Associate

Executive summary

We are looking for a 3 – 5 years PQE Associate with expertise in Corporate M&A to join our fast-paced and highly regarded Corporate and Commercial team. This role offers the opportunity to work on a diverse range of complex and varied corporate transaction acting for buyers and sellers.

The successful candidate will have experience supporting corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, reorganisations and investment rounds, and will be confident drafting and negotiating a wide range of corporate and commercial documentation for private companies. They will demonstrate strong commercial awareness, work collaboratively with colleagues across the firm, and contribute positive to a growing, relationship-driven practice.

The role is based in our London office located in Farringdon.

Key responsibilities

• Advise clients across the full corporate lifecycle, including business set‑up, growth, investment, restructuring, and exit transactions, working with owner‑managed businesses, SMEs and private equity‑backed clients.
• Support and manage transactional matters, including share and business/asset sales and purchases, M&A transactions and reorganisations, with responsibility for coordinating workstreams through to completion.
• Draft, review and negotiate a range of corporate and commercial documentation, including share sale and purchase agreements, business & asset sale and purchase agreements, shareholders’ agreements, articles of association, commercial contracts, and terms and conditions of business.
• Assist with due diligence exercises, maintaining transaction checklists, and ensuring key issues are identified to the client, pragmatic solutions are recommended and progressed efficiently through to completion.
• Demonstrate strong commercial awareness by understanding clients’ business objectives and advising pragmatically on legal and commercial risk at each stage of the business lifecycle.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across different practice areas, including Tax, Employment, Intellectual Property, Real Estate and other specialist teams, to ensure joined‑up advice on transactions with cross‑disciplinary elements.
• Build and maintain effective client relationships, communicating clearly and confidently with clients, and contributing to a high standard of client service.
• Contribute to business development and networking activity, supporting the growth of client relationships and the firm’s corporate and commercial practice.
• Coach, support and delegate work to trainees and paralegals as appropriate, contributing to their development through ongoing guidance and feedback.
• Uphold a collaborative team culture, working positively with colleagues and contributing to the overall success and smooth running of the corporate and commercial team.

Knowledge, skills and experience

• Experience advising on corporate and commercial matters across the full business lifecycle.
• Practical experience supporting corporate transactions, including M&A, from instruction through to completion.
• Strong drafting and negotiation skills across core corporate and commercial documents.
• Sound knowledge of corporate governance, shareholder matters and general company law, delivering clear and pragmatic advice.
• Demonstrated commercial awareness, with the ability to advise proportionately on legal and commercial risk in line with clients’ business objectives.
• Experience working collaboratively on cross‑disciplinary transactions, liaising effectively with Tax, Employment, Intellectual Property, Real Estate and other specialist teams.
• Experience using document management systems, databases, virtual data rooms and other transaction tools in a fast-paced legal environment.
• Ability to take ownership of workload, exercising sound judgement on prioritisation and escalation.

Personal attributes

• Commercially minded, with a practical and solutions-focused approach to legal advice.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships with clients and colleagues at all levels.
• Well organised and detail-orientated, with the ability to manage competing priorities and transaction timetables effectively.
• A collaborative team player who contributes positively to a supportive, high-performing team culture.
• Confident working as part of a wider transaction team, while also able to take responsibility for allocated matters and workstreams.
• Proactive and engaged, with an interest in business development, networking and contributing to the growth of the firm and the corporate and commercial practice.