Banking & Finance Associate

JMC Legal Recruitment; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

JMC Legal Recruitment represents a highly regarded independent London law firm seeking a Banking & Finance Associate (1–4 PQE) to join its busy City practice. You will work on financing transactions for lenders and borrowers with early responsibility and direct client contact.

The role offers broad exposure across acquisition finance, real estate finance and corporate borrowing within a supportive team focused on technical excellence and commercial awareness.

Qualifications

• Qualified Solicitor with 1–4 years' PQE in Banking & Finance.
• Experience handling financing transactions, including debt facilities, security packages and related documentation.
• Strong understanding of lender and borrower perspectives in complex financings.
• Excellent client relationship management and transactional drafting skills.
• Able to work autonomously with minimal supervision while contributing to a team.

Responsibilities

• Support lenders and borrowers on broad banking and finance transactions.
• Draft and negotiate core finance and security documents (loan agreements, debentures, guarantees).
• Provide practical legal advice and client-facing support with increasing autonomy.
• Contribute to business development and client relationship building.

Skills

Banking & Finance experience

Client exposure

Education

England & Wales Qualified Solicitor

Job description

Banking & Finance Associate (1–4 PQE) | City of London | Chambers, Spears & Legal 500 Ranked

Are you a Banking & Finance solicitor looking to develop your career within a well-regarded City practice, working on a broad range of financing transactions with genuine client exposure and early responsibility?

A highly regarded independent London law firm is looking to appoint an ambitious Associate (1–4 PQE) to join its growing Banking & Finance team. This is an excellent opportunity for a solicitor with solid transactional experience to work closely with experienced practitioners, develop their technical expertise and take increasing responsibility across a varied and commercially focused workload.

The Firm:

A highly regarded Legal 500, Chambers and Spears ranked independent law firm based in the heart of London, with an outstanding reputation across Private Client and Wealth Management, Property and Real Estate, Corporate and Commercial, and Litigation and Dispute Resolution.

The firm combines the quality and technical excellence of a leading City practice with the personable, tailored service of a boutique. Lawyers benefit from direct partner access, meaningful client contact and the opportunity to take ownership of their work, allowing them to develop strong commercial awareness and client relationships from an early stage in their careers.

The firm is known for its supportive and collaborative culture, with lawyers encouraged to take responsibility for their matters, contribute to business development and build long-term client relationships. It offers an environment where individuals can develop their expertise while working alongside experienced partners and colleagues across a broad range of specialist areas.

The Team:

The Banking & Finance team advises both lenders and borrowers, including UK and international banks, alternative lenders, corporates, family offices and litigation funders. The practice covers the broad spectrum of debt financing, including acquisition finance, real estate finance, corporate borrowing, secured and unsecured lending, guarantees, intercreditor and subordination arrangements, refinancing and restructuring work.

The team works closely with the firm's Corporate, Insolvency and Real Estate practices and also has access to international expertise where transactions require cross-border support. Recent matters have included acquisition and refinancing facilities, real estate development finance, private credit transactions and bespoke funding arrangements.

The Role:

This is an excellent opportunity for a Banking & Finance Associate (1–4 PQE) to join a growing team where you will gain broad transactional exposure, meaningful client contact and increasing responsibility from an early stage.

You will work across a varied banking and finance caseload, acting for both lenders and borrowers on transactions ranging from acquisition finance and real estate finance to corporate borrowing, refinancing and other specialist funding arrangements.

The role will involve taking instructions directly from clients, providing practical legal advice and managing matters with increasing levels of autonomy. You will draft and negotiate core finance and security documentation, including loan agreements, debentures, guarantees and related transaction documents, as well as dealing with corporate authorisations, notices, conditions precedent and completion processes.

You will have the opportunity to manage smaller transactions with minimal partner supervision while working as part of a wider team on larger and more complex matters. The role also offers regular client contact, including attending meetings, negotiating with opposing solicitors and developing an understanding of clients' wider commercial objectives.

Alongside your fee-earning responsibilities, you will be encouraged to contribute to business development and build strong relationships with existing and prospective clients. Working closely with the supervising partner and wider team, you will continue to develop your technical knowledge and commercial judgement within a supportive environment.

Requirements

• Qualified Solicitor with 1–4 years' PQE (England & Wales) with experience in Banking & Finance.


• Ideally, experience across both acquisition finance and real estate finance, although strong experience in one area will be considered.


• Experience acting for both lenders and borrowers.


• Good working knowledge of core finance and security documentation, including loan agreements, debentures and guarantees.


• Experience dealing with corporate authorisations, notices, conditions precedent and transaction completion processes.


• Able to manage smaller transactions with minimal supervision and contribute effectively to larger transactions as part of a team.


• Strong communication and client relationship skills, with confidence dealing directly with clients and opposing solicitors.


• Commercially minded, pragmatic and resilient, with sound judgement and the ability to manage a busy workload.

This is an excellent opportunity for a Banking & Finance Associate to join a highly regarded independent City practice, offering broad transactional exposure, early responsibility, regular client contact and the opportunity to develop within a growing team.