Legal Counsel, Banking / Financing (Project finance)

Mistral AI; Paris; Sur place; EUR 120 000 - 190 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

Mistral AI seeks a Project Finance - Banking / Financing Legal Counsel based in Paris to lead and structure financing transactions fueling our external growth. You will collaborate with corporate counsel and the Head of M&A and Finance Legal Counsel to navigate complex cross-border financing for compute infrastructure and data center investments.

You will draft, negotiate, and manage documentation while coordinating with Finance, M&A, Compute, and Business teams.

Qualifications

• French or EU law degree with admission to practice in at least one jurisdiction (USA a plus).
• 7+ years of legal experience, including 4+ years at an international law firm.
• Proven track record structuring and negotiating non-dilutive financing (loans, asset-backed, project finance).
• Experience with project finance or infrastructure financing for long-term capex and compute/data-center infra.
• Fluent in English and French, able to explain complex concepts to non-legal stakeholders.
• Strong business acumen with experience across multiple industries and cross-border deals.
• Understanding of tax implications in financing and structuring.

Responsabilités

• Structure, draft, negotiate, and close documentation for non-dilutive financing (corporate loans; asset-backed and project finance).
• Serve as primary legal contact for banking and financing counterparties; work with LMA-standard docs and bespoke structures.
• Advise on financing structures for data center and compute infrastructure projects.
• Coordinate with external law firms on cross-border financing and manage multi-jurisdictional teams.

Connaissances

Bilingual English/French

International law practice

Project finance

Cross-border structuring

Excellent communication (EN/FR)

Formation

Law degree (France/EU)

Admission to practice in France (and USA a plus)

Outils

LMA documentation

Description du poste

About Mistral

Mistral provides full-stack AI solutions: from frontier models to developer tools, applications, and compute. We partner with enterprises tackling the hardest problems—across high-stakes industries like finance, manufacturing, defense, healthcare, and the public sector—co‑creating customized AI systems that they can run on their terms.

We are a dynamic, collaborative team passionate about AI and its potential to transform society. Our diverse workforce thrives in competitive environments and is committed to driving innovation. Our teams are distributed between Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East. We are creative, low‑ego and team‑spirited.

Role Summary

As our Project Finance - Banking / Financing Legal Counsel, you will work side by side with our corporate counsel and directly under the Head of M&A and Finance Legal Counsel, based in Paris.

In close collaboration with our Finance and Business teams, you will be instrumental in structuring, drafting, and negotiating the financing transactions that fuel Mistral's external growth — from compute infrastructure and data center investments to strategic company acquisitions.

Key responsibilities

Financing Transactions

• Structure, draft, negotiate, and close transaction documentation on non-dilutive financing transactions, including corporate loans, asset-backed financings, and project finance deals supporting our infrastructure and compute investments.
• Act as the primary legal point of contact for banking and financing counterparties, working with LMA-standard documentation and bespoke structures alike.
• Advise on financing structures for data center and compute infrastructure projects.
• Coordinate with external law firms on cross-border financing structures and manage multi-jurisdictional transaction teams.

Cross-functional Partnership

• Partner daily with the Finance team (Treasury, FP&A) to ensure financing solutions are aligned with Mistral's capital strategy and operational needs.
• Collaborate with M&A, Compute, and Business teams to support deal-specific financing structures.
• Provide practical, hands‑on legal guidance that enables the business to move fast while limiting legal risks.

Legal Infrastucture

• Build and maintain internal templates, precedents, and guidelines for financing documentation.
• Support on ancillary legal topics as needed, including corporate compliance, insurance, and Sapin II-related matters.

Qualifications and skills

• Bachelor degree or above (LLB, LLM, Juris Doctor preferred) from an accredited law school in France or another EU country. Admission to practice law in at least one other jurisdiction, in particular in the USA, would be a plus.
• A minimum of 7 years of relevant legal experience, including a minimum of 4 years in an international law firm.
• Proven track record in structuring and negotiating non-dilutive financing deals, including corporate loans, bridge facilities, asset-backed and project finance transactions. Familiarity with LMA standard documentation is required.
• Strong experience in project finance or infrastructure financing, particularly deals involving long-term capex or compute and data center infrastructure, is highly valued.
• Demonstrated ability to navigate cross-border structuring questions and multi-jurisdictional financing deals, including coordinating with local external counsel.
• Excellent written and verbal communication in both English and French. Strong ability to present complex legal concepts in a clear and understandable manner to non-legal stakeholders.
• Sharp business acumen, honed through direct experience working within businesses — ideally across multiple industries — where you have delivered measurable impact and demonstrated a deep understanding of operational and strategic priorities.
• Great negotiation skills, with a history of successfully leading critical discussions with banks, investors, and infrastructure partners, balancing assertiveness with collaboration, and maintaining positive, long-term relationships with all stakeholders.
• An understanding of the tax implications of financing and structuring, allowing you to optimise outcomes and mitigate risks.
• Knowledge and usage of Artificial Intelligence: an understanding of AI technologies, including machine learning, natural language processing and their applications, is important.
• Analytical Skills: ability to analyse complex cross-border structuring questions, their interactions with financing topics, and to identify potential legal risks and solutions.
• Adaptability: proactive, flexible, and able to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Ethical Awareness: a strong understanding of ethical considerations related to AI, such as fairness, transparency, accountability, and bias mitigation, is important.
• International mindset: international experience is a plus.

What We Offer

We offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your well-being, growth, and work‑life balance. Benefits vary by country and may include healthcare coverage, parental leave, retirement plans, relocation support, wellness programs, meal and transportation allowances, and other location-specific perks.

For the most up-to-date details on benefits available in your location, please refer to the Benefits page.

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