Private Equity Associate

Taylor Wessing

  • London
  • Permanent
  • Full-time
  • 26 days ago
Taylor WessingTaylor Wessing is a global law firm that serves the world's most innovative people and businesses. Deeply embedded within our sectors, we work closely together with our clients to crack complex problems, enabling ideas and aspirations to thrive. Together we challenge expectation and create extraordinary results. By shaping the conversation in our sectors, we enable our clients to unlock growth, protect innovation and accelerate ambition.With 1200+ lawyers, 300+ partners, 28 offices and 17 jurisdictions we are looking to expand our Private Equity team, with the addition of a Private Equity Associate.The opportunity for youThe Private Equity team in the UK is led by Ed Waldron, as one of seven private equity focused partners in London, supported by a team of dedicated Private Equity associates, trainees and paralegals (including one associate in Liverpool plus our paralegal team based there).We deliver a partner-led service providing private equity, M&A and other related corporate law services to sponsors, investee companies, debt providers and management teams on mid-market (typically £80m-£500m) transactions across various sectors. Most of our transactions have an international aspect to them.Our PE team is an ambitious high-growth team and has an outstanding practice acting for long term clients including Bridgepoint, Caledonia Investments, Inflexion etc.The depth and variety of deals our team advises on is testimony to the excellence of the technical, legal and commercial advice we are able to provide to private equity sponsors and management teams. Our transactions tend to be high-value, highly complex, cross-border and headline-grabbing, attracting coverage in national and international press and trade publications. Our clients often turn to us to help them navigate their most complex transactions.Our core team is supported by highly skilled specialists in banking and finance, tax, employee benefits and regulatory. The firm's particular focus on the TMC, life sciences and healthcare and the retail and consumer sectors also allows us to offer in-depth, tailored advice in those areas; our technology focus gives us a particular competitive advantage as PE investors increasingly seek value enhancement through technology solutions across their investment.Key responsibilitiesThe UK private equity practice is seeking an ambitious and energetic 3 - 5 PQE Associate to join the group to work alongside the other members of the team. You will work closely with partners but must be willing to assume significant responsibility in providing principal support in transactions.The private equity team advise on buy-out, leveraged transactions, buy and build and/or development (growth) capital transactions, special "distressed" situations, exit strategies (including capital markets transactions), as well as general M&A and corporate work. We are also able to advise on structuring and establishing private equity funds, although that is not an area this role will focus on.Our experience in the sector, coupled with our established venture capital and private wealth offerings, allow us to deliver what we believe to be a unique "private capital" model from early stage investment, through to growth capital, buy-out and exit transactions. The size and strength of our team allows us the ability to offer clients a great depth of firm-client relationship and service and we believe the breadth and variety of the work that we can offer as a private equity team make us distinct not only for clients, but for private equity lawyers.Knowledge, skills and experienceCandidates must be UK qualified or equivalent, coming from a recognised private equity or transactional legal practice, with experience in, and a sound understanding of, buy-out and M&A transactions. Experience of cross-border transactions is also sought.The following skills/experience/aptitudes are also essential:
  • Good knowledge of the private equity sector.
  • Good commercial acumen.
  • Strong technical ability and drafting skills, with and without reference to precedents.
  • Desire to assume responsibility for principal associate roles on a transaction.
  • The ability to work within and contribute to a strong team.
  • Experience of supervising and mentoring trainees and, where appropriate, junior lawyers.
  • A focus on business development and building and maintaining client relationships.
BenefitsHere are a select few benefits that Taylor Wessing offer;
  • Hybrid working (Offering the opportunity to work remotely, while maintaining a social boundary by working from our award-winning offices for 3 days a week)
  • Holiday (Our basic annual holiday entitlement starts at 25 days, with a further discretionary day of paid leave in December. You may also purchase up to five extra days each year (pro rata).
  • Enhanced Maternity and Paternity leave (After one-year service, you are entitled to up to 26 weeks leave full pay if you or your partner give birth or adopt a child).
Along with these there are many more benefits we offer, with the addition of a comprehensive flexible benefits package available.Our cultureNurturing a diverse, inclusive culture allows all of our talent to flourish, sparks creativity and powers innovation. We continue to build a team that exemplifies inclusivity and reflects the firm's core values: creative, excellence, integrity, responsible, respect and team. We value and celebrate the differences in who we are, what we have experienced and how we think, so all candidates will be treated fairly regardless of age, caring responsibilities, disability, gender identity, marital status, neurodiversity, pregnancy, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation and socio-economic background.The way we workAt Taylor Wessing, we never settle for average. We're creative thinkers, problem solvers and continuous learners who excel at what we do and believe our best work is still ahead of us. We are a firm that's large enough for you to achieve your ambitions, but connected enough to be a true community.

Taylor Wessing