Associate - Corporate

A&O Shearman; Belfast City District; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

A&O Shearman Belfast is seeking Associates to join the growing Corporate team. You will work on the full range of corporate matters, with a focus on M&A, private equity, and large-scale reorganisations, supporting offices across our global network.

This role emphasizes legal expertise, teamwork, and the ability to manage complex, multi-jurisdictional matters while delivering high-quality outputs and exceptional service.

Qualifications

• Strong technical corporate experience (due diligence, reorganisations, company law advisory) preferred.
• Experience in a commercial legal environment such as US, City, or major regional law firm preferred.
• Experience coordinating complex multi-faceted matters, including multi-jurisdictional or multi-specialist matters.

Responsibilities

• Develop strong working relationships with Partners and Associates from other offices and support on current transactions.
• Provide legal expertise, including issue spotting, drafting, reviewing and amending documentation.
• Work with Legal Tech teams to develop solutions that support clients and integrate technology.
• Manage and liaise with internal and external clients, address questions, and report progress.
• Supervise and motivate Legal Professionals to deliver high-quality outputs on time.
• Advise and educate Legal Professionals on commercial and legal details, ensuring quality checks.

Skills

Strong corporate experience

Complex matter coordination

Commercial awareness

Job description

Corporate team - Belfast

Our Corporate team in Belfast is comprised of high-quality, tech-enabled associates and legal professionals. The Corporate practice group in Belfast work on the full range of corporate matters, with a particular focus on M&A, private equity, and large-scale reorganisations. The team provides support to offices across our global network, working on high profile transactions with global clients. Our Corporate practice is a clear area of growth for the firm and as part of this we are looking to strengthen our presence in Belfast to further compliment and develop our team.

We are seeking Associates to join the growing Corporate team in Belfast. We are keen to speak to Legal Professionals with an interest in corporate and commercial law.

What you will do

• Develop strong working relationships with Partners and Associates from other offices, interacting with them daily as an extension to their team to support on current transactions and other corporate or commercial matters.
• Provide legal expertise, including issue spotting, report writing, drafting, reviewing and amending documentation, document management, legal research, maintaining and improving templates and precedents.
• Work with our Legal Process Improvement and Legal Tech teams to develop new solutions that help our clients (both internal and external) grow, innovate and thrive, and support the integration of technology into the everyday work of the Corporate team.
• Manage and liaise with internal and external clients to address points of relevance or concern, resolve queries and issues and report on progress.
• Manage the work of Legal Professionals within the team, ensuring that individuals assigned to a particular matter have the required skills, knowledge and support to deliver outputs that are on time and of the highest quality.
• Advise and educate Legal Professionals on points of commercial and legal detail including quality checking their work; and
• Supervise, develop and motivate Legal Professionals, instilling an excellent service delivery ethos and impeccable quality standards.

What you will have

• Strong technical corporate experience (including due diligence, re-organisations, company law advisory and commercial contract negotiation) is preferred - although applicants with a strong general background and a strong interest in corporate law and transactions may also be considered.
• Experience in a commercial legal environment such as a US, City, or major regional law firm preferred.
• Experience of coordinating complex multi-faceted matters, including multi-jurisdictional or multi-specialist matters.
• Consistently demonstrate a professional manner with evidence of exceptional levels of judgement, commercial awareness, and critical thinking.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines.
• Strong focus on detail and high levels of self-motivation.
• Excellent relationship-building skills - a team player with the ability to establish credibility and inspire confidence with clients and senior colleagues.
• Demonstrate a high level of affinity with legal technology and a desire to expand experience in legal technology.
• Flexible, resourceful, and prepared to take a hands-on-approach, comfortable operating in a rapidly evolving business and interested in identifying and shaping that evolution.

What we can offer you

To learn more about the culture and benefits available at A&O Shearman, please visit: Culture and benefits A&O Shearman careers

Should you require additional support at any stage of the recruitment process due to a disability or a health condition, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our recruitment team who will work with you to provide any adjustments as required.

We are an equal opportunities recruiter and do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or any other protected characteristic.

NO AGENCIES PLEASE - A&O Shearman does not accept unsolicited CVs. For further information, please see our UK Recruitment Agency Policy and our commitment to direct sourcing here.