Associate– Corporate M&A (2-3 years PQE)

Herbert Smith Freehills LLP; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 200,000 - 320,000; Full time

Job summary

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer in Dubai seeks a qualified lawyer with 2–3 years PQE to advise on complex corporate M&A and joint ventures, with emphasis on energy and infrastructure transactions, including cross-border work. The role involves leading on elements of deals, supervising junior lawyers and collaborating with the Digital Legal Delivery team.

You will build strong client relationships, deliver high-quality legal work, and contribute to firm profitability while applying due diligence,

Qualifications

• Qualified/admitted legal practitioner in a common law jurisdiction; UAE experience preferred.
• Excellent academics.
• 2–3 years PQE; open to more or less experience.
• Experience in corporate M&A and joint ventures; cross-border experience.
• Energy and Infrastructure sector experience desirable.
• Experience on complex cross-border M&A.
• Strong foundation in due diligence, drafting, writing, negotiation and project management.
• Familiar with law firm profitability and key drivers for financial efficiency.
• Competent and using AI.
• Ability to work on bespoke, big-ticket, complicated transactions.
• Strong interest in energy, private capital and infrastructure sectors.

Responsibilities

• Advise on transactions across multiple sectors, with focus on Energy and Infrastructure and digital infrastructure.
• Lead on aspects of transactions, supervising associates, Digital Legal Delivery team and trainees.
• Build relationships with clients and provide excellent client service with progress updates.
• Prepare legal precedents, legal articles, marketing documents and presentations.
• Comply with risk requirements, firm policies and relevant professional responsibilities and legislation.

Skills

Legal practitioner (common law)

Excellent academics

M&A experience

Cross-border M&A

Energy & Infrastructure interest

Due diligence

Drafting & negotiation

Project management

AI literacy

Profitability awareness

Job description

Job description

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer is a world-leading global law firm, where our ambition is to help you achieve your goals.

Exceptional client service and the pursuit of excellence are at our core. We invest in and care about our client relationships, which is why so many are longstanding. We enjoy breaking new ground, as we have for over 170 years.

As a fully integrated transatlantic and transpacific firm, we are where you need us to be. Our footprint is extensive and committed across the world’s largest markets, key financial centres and major growth hubs.

At our best tackling complexity and navigating change, we work alongside you on demanding litigation, exacting regulatory work and complex public and private market transactions. We are recognised as leading in these areas.

We are immersed in the sectors and challenges that impact you. We are recognised as standing apart in energy, infrastructure and resources. And we’re focused on areas of growth that affect every business across the world.

All of this is achieved by supporting the growth of our people, who help us deliver on our ambition – which is to help you achieve yours.

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer: Your goals. Our ambition

The Opportunity

Key responsibilities

Role-specific

• Advising on a range of transactions across multiple sectors, with an increased focus on transactional work in the Energy and Infrastructure sectors. Within infrastructure, digital infrastructure is prominent for us.
• Being involved in M&A, joint ventures, investments (including venture capital transactions and pre-IPO capital raisings) and reorganisations
• Leading on certain aspects of transactions, assisting and supervising associates, the firm’s Digital Legal Delivery team and trainees
• Building relationships with clients, identifying and acting on opportunities

Plan, prioritise and delegate work tasks as appropriate and update supervising team member on progress.

Build client relationships - provide excellent client service and prompt responses and progress updates to the client.

Support the firm and others - build effective relationships with individuals and groups in and across offices; uphold the firm’s values; and assist with the preparation of legal precedents, legal articles, marketing documents and presentations.

Comply with risk requirements, firm policies and all relevant professional responsibilities and legislation.

Qualifications, skills and experience

• Qualified/admitted legal practitioner in a common law jurisdiction. UAE experience preferred.
• Excellent academics
• 2 - 3 years' PQE, however we are open to considering candidates with more or less experience
• Demonstrable experience of supporting/leading on corporate M&A and joint venture matters
• Experience in Energy and Infrastructure sectors is also desirable
• Experience of acting on complex cross-border M&A
• Strong foundation legal skills, including due diligence, drafting, writing, negotiation and project management.
• Familiar with law firm profitability and key drivers for financial efficiency.
• Competent and using AI.
• Ability and drive to work on bespoke, big-ticket and complicated transactions
• A strong interest in the energy, private capital and infrastructure sectors

Competencies

Personal leadership

Embraces challenge and finds opportunities to develop and sustain themselves

Technical capability

Deepens legal knowledge and insight, applying it with judgement and clarity

Contributes to the success of others

Volunteers, assists others and contributes to positive team spirit

Supports the delivery of outcomes

Contributes to the smooth and effective running of matters

Enhances the client experience

Helps to create a positive working relationship with clients

Contributes to building the firm

Builds and innovates for the firm’s future

Team

Corporate

Working Pattern

Full time

Location

Dubai

Contract type

Permanent Contract

Diversity & Inclusion

We are committed to attracting people from all backgrounds and creating a respectful and inclusive culture where everyone thrives. We see this as essential to our success, including our ability to innovate and achieve sustained high performance. This is a key part of our Values - Human, Bold, and Outstanding.