Associate /Managing Associate

iCIMS; City of Westminster; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading international law firm is seeking a qualified lawyer to join its growing Debt Finance team in City of Westminster. This role involves providing specialist advice on transactions including real estate finance, aggregated financial services, and non-contentious restructuring. The successful candidate should have excellent UK law qualifications and experience in a reputable firm, with a focus on developing strong client relationships and actively engaging in business development. A competitive salary and a hybrid working model are offered.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Life assurance

Private health and dental care

Flexible benefits including gym discounts

Support for charitable volunteering

Wellbeing strategy focusing on overall health

Hybrid working arrangement

Qualifications

• Must have experience in private practice with real estate finance.
• Ability to manage transactions independently with limited supervision.
• Experience in running legal research effectively.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, negotiate, and mark up complex financing documentation.
• Liaise with clients and other law firms to run transactions.
• Develop and maintain a network of internal and external contacts.

Skills

Real estate finance experience

Excellent verbal communication

Numerical communication skills

Business development enthusiasm

Accuracy and attention to detail

Cooperative and collaborative

Education

Qualified lawyer with relevant UK law experience

Job description

The Debt Finance team is part of our wider Finance practice. The team deals with a wide range of transactional debt financings, including lender‑side and borrower‑side real estate finance, which will be the focus of this role. You will also work on leveraged and acquisition finance, asset‑based lending and secured and unsecured corporate lending as well as non‑contentious debt restructurings and distressed situations involving corporate trustees. You can expect to act for many UK and international banks and debt funds as well as investment companies, corporate borrowers, funds, corporate trustees and other stakeholders on challenging transactions which often involve novel instruments or structures. The team generates its own work, as well as supporting the firm’s transactional practices. Associates within the team are actively encouraged to work for all of the partners and to broaden their experience and expertise within the banking team. You would join a culture that is informal and supportive; we are aiming to do work of the highest quality, but in an environment which prizes enjoyment as well as excellence. The banking team benefits from the support of a dedicated Knowledge Development Lawyer.

Purpose of the role: This role is to work within the growing Debt finance team. It is to provide specialist advice to borrowers and lenders on a wide range of real estate finance matters, where you can expect to be involved in some of the most high‑profile financings and advise lenders and borrowers on investment financing for a range of assets: retail, industrial, student accommodation, hotels and commercial offices, including large portfolio acquisitions. However, reflecting the breadth of work done in the Debt finance team, there will also be opportunities to get involved in a wider range of transactional lending matters, including acquisition/leveraged finance, private credit and non‑contentious debt restructuring. You can expect to lead the drafting and negotiation of facilities agreements with some partner involvement, where necessary, and supervise more junior members of the team on all other aspects of the transactions.

Responsibilities

• Clear, concise and unambiguous preparation, negotiation and marking‑up of complex financing documentation
• Liaising with clients and other law firms, with the ability to run transactions independently with limited Partner supervision
• Developing own informal internal and external network of contacts
• Building excellent working relationships with clients and peers within the Firm
• Active involvement in business development including preparation of client pitches, teach‑ins and presentation materials, and attending and helping to arrange business development and profile‑raising events
• Conducting legal research using internal and external knowledge management resources
• Taking the lead on transaction management and in supervising matter teams including delegating work to, and managing, trainees and junior lawyers

Qualifications

• Qualified lawyer with relevant UK law experience, excellent academic and professional qualifications
• Real estate finance experience gained in private practice is essential
• Background in a firm with an excellent reputation in the field of banking and finance
• Ability to acquire, consolidate and apply fundamental and up‑to‑date knowledge of the law
• Accuracy and attention to detail
• Excellent verbal and numerical communication skills
• Enthusiasm for business development
• Organised and able to work to strict deadlines with the ability to prioritise realistically
• Good housekeeping/file management practices; manages and records time promptly and accurately
• Resilient with the ability to handle set‑backs and pressure
• Cooperative and collaborative in approach and is able to develop excellent working relationships at all levels and roles
• Ability to operate professionally and proactively at all times
• Exhibits an understanding of the Firm's position in the market and how it distinguishes its services from its competitors
• Experience of managing newly qualified solicitors, trainees or paralegals

Benefits

• A competitive salary and a host of family‑friendly policies
• Life assurance, private health and dental care for you and your family
• A range of flexible benefits including gym discount and retail vouchers
• Tech, cycle and electric car schemes
• We support the causes you care about, by giving you one day per year off to volunteer with any charity that you are involved with outside of work
• A wellbeing strategy that focuses on preventative measures to maintain overall health, and tools and support for when our people experience physical or mental difficulties. The strategy focuses on four pillars: physical, emotional, financial and social aspects.
• Most of our roles are hybrid, meaning that colleagues benefit from working in our office and remotely. We are happy to discuss this and other flexible working arrangements with you as part of the application and interview process.
• We are an equal‑opportunity organisation, committed to having a diverse workforce. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, culture, or any other protected characteristics. We aim to create a culture where everyone can be themselves and is valued for their strengths and unique perspectives

Stephenson Harwood is an international law firm, and we're committed to creating 'positive partnerships' with our clients. We represent listed and private companies, institutions and individuals, building lasting relationships to help them succeed in a complex and ever‑changing world.