Corporate Associate

Reporting to senior partners and the team lead, you will deliver high‑quality corporate legal services from our London office. You will manage a transactional caseload, provide commercially focused advice, and ensure matters progress efficiently and in line with firm and regulatory requirements.

Key responsibilities:

• Manage a portfolio of corporate matters, including share and asset sales and purchases, mergers and reorganisations, joint ventures, corporate governance and company secretarial work; take ownership of files from instruction to completion under partner supervision.

• Draft, review and negotiate transaction documents such as sale and purchase agreements, share purchase agreements, shareholders’ agreements, subscription agreements, articles of association, loan agreements and ancillary documents; ensure all documentation is accurate, clear and commercially practical.

• Provide practical, commercially focused legal advice to clients across a range of sectors, explaining legal implications clearly and proposing pragmatic solutions aligned to clients’ business objectives.

• Undertake legal and factual due diligence, prepare disclosure schedules, assist with vendor due diligence packs and highlight material issues to supervising solicitors; co‑ordinate responses to buyer and seller enquiries efficiently.

• Liaise with clients, banks, accountants, other law firms, regulatory bodies and advisers by telephone, email and in person to progress matters and maintain professional client relationships.

• Supervise and mentor junior associates and paralegals on files; allocate tasks, review work and provide constructive feedback to ensure adherence to the firm’s standards.

• Support completion and post‑completion processes including completion accounts, escrow arrangements, Companies House filings, share transfers and updates to statutory records; ensure deadlines and statutory requirements are met.

• Support billing and business development activities by recording time and disbursements promptly and accurately, preparing fee estimates, assisting with fee notes and contributing to pitches, proposals and client care initiatives.

• Comply with professional and firm regulatory obligations including client identification, anti‑money laundering checks, confidentiality and data protection requirements; escalate compliance issues to line management when necessary.

Key skills and experience:

• Qualified solicitor with 5 years post‑qualification experience in corporate law within a law firm or in‑house legal team, with demonstrable experience of supporting and leading transactional matters.

• Proven experience drafting and negotiating a wide range of corporate and commercial documents and conducting due diligence on transactional matters.

• Strong commercial awareness, excellent legal judgement and the ability to provide clear, pragmatic advice to clients across different sectors.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with high attention to detail and accuracy when preparing client documentation and correspondence.

• Confident user of case management systems, electronic document management and Microsoft Office applications (Word, Outlook, Excel); experience with document automation tools is desirable.

• Well organised with the ability to prioritise competing demands, manage deadlines and supervise junior team members while maintaining a client‑focused approach.

• Good numeracy and an understanding of commercial and financial aspects of transactions, including basic awareness of tax or accounting considerations relevant to corporate deals.

• Awareness of confidentiality, data protection, regulatory and anti‑money laundering requirements relevant to corporate practice and the competence to follow firm compliance procedures.