A leading international law firm with a highly regarded Finance practice is seeking an experienced Senior Associate to join its growing Leveraged Finance team in London. This is an excellent opportunity for a 5–6 PQE lawyer looking to take on greater responsibility within a sophisticated and commercially focused practice, working alongside an established group of Finance and Private Equity specialists.
The successful candidate will advise a broad range of clients, including banks, private credit funds, direct lenders, private equity sponsors and corporate borrowers, across a variety of leveraged and acquisition finance transactions. The team has a strong presence in the mid-market and regularly handles sophisticated financing structures, including unitranche, super senior, first-out, second lien and TLB facilities.
The Team:
The Leveraged Finance practice is well established in the London market and acts for both lender and sponsor-side clients across the full lifecycle of financing transactions, from origination and structuring through to negotiation, documentation and closing.
The team works closely with the firm’s highly regarded Private Equity practice, providing exposure to sponsor-backed acquisitions and other event-driven transactions. Its client base includes major banks, debt funds, direct lenders and private equity sponsors, with the practice particularly known for its work on complex and bespoke mid-market financings.
The successful candidate will join a collegiate team with strong partner-level support and the opportunity to play a meaningful role in the continued growth of the practice. There is scope to develop existing client relationships, take ownership of transactions and build a strong profile within the market.
Key Areas of Work:
- Advising banks, private credit funds, direct lenders, private equity sponsors and corporate borrowers on leveraged finance transactions
- Acting on sponsor-backed acquisitions, refinancings, recapitalisations and other event-driven financings
- Drafting and negotiating facility agreements, term sheets, commitment papers and intercreditor arrangements
- Advising on senior, super senior, unitranche, first-out, second lien and other leveraged financing structures
- Taking responsibility for transactions from initial structuring through to completion
- Working closely with Private Equity and other transactional teams on sponsor-backed matters
- Managing junior lawyers and supporting their technical and professional development
- Building and maintaining strong relationships with clients and other advisers
Your Future:
This role offers more than the opportunity to work on high-quality transactions. It is suited to a lawyer who wants to play an active role in the continued development of a successful Finance practice and who is keen to combine excellent technical work with a strong commercial focus.
You will have the opportunity to:
- Take genuine ownership of sophisticated transactions and develop your client-facing responsibilities
- Work directly with leading financial institutions, sponsors and alternative lenders
- Gain exposure to a broad range of financing structures and increasingly complex mandates
- Work closely with the firm’s Private Equity team on sponsor-led transactions
- Contribute to business development and the development of long-term client relationships
- Support and mentor junior members of the team
- Develop your own market profile within a growing Finance practice
- Work in a culture that places emphasis on collaboration, commerciality and delivering practical solutions for clients
Candidate Profile:
- A qualified solicitor with approximately 5–6 years’ PQE
- Strong experience in Leveraged Finance, ideally gained within a leading City or international law firm
- Excellent experience advising lenders, sponsors and/or borrowers on sophisticated financing transactions
- Strong knowledge of LMA documentation, including facility agreements, term sheets and intercreditor arrangements
- Experience of sponsor-backed transactions and acquisition finance is highly desirable
- Familiarity with a range of leveraged structures, including unitranche, super senior, second lien or TLB facilities would be advantageous
- Confident taking ownership of transactions and managing matters with a high degree of autonomy
- Commercially minded, with excellent technical, drafting and negotiation skills
- Able to demonstrate strong client management and communication skills
- A collaborative team player who is also comfortable taking initiative and supporting junior lawyers
- An interest in contributing to business development and the wider growth of the practice
If you are an experienced Leveraged Finance lawyer looking for a role where you can combine high-quality transactional work with genuine responsibility, client exposure and the opportunity to contribute to a growing practice, this could be an excellent next step in your career.
Feel free to reach out to Eloise on LinkedIn or eloise@purelawrecruitment.com to discuss the role further
