Corporate Associate

Stevens & Bolton LLP; Guildford; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Stevens & Bolton LLP, a leading independent corporate practice in the South East, seeks technically strong and commercially minded lawyers. The team handles high-quality corporate transactions for multinational clients and mid-market businesses, supported by specialists across tax, employment, real estate and finance.

With eleven partners and a firm-wide growth strategy, the team offers first-class support, detailed learning opportunities, and early responsibility for capable lawyers in a busy,

Qualifications

• Strong technical ability, drafting skills and attention to detail.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to communicate concisely and with confidence.
• Enthusiastic to learn.
• Highly motivated, responsive and reliable.
• The ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Able to manage a varied workload with a number of ongoing matters at any time.
• Dedicated to delivering client service to the highest standards and the skill to effectively manage and nurture client relationships.
• An interest in, and keenness to develop skills in, business development.

Skills

Broad corporate experience

Drafting skills

Interpersonal skills

Business development interest

Team player

Job description

The Team

Our award-winning corporate team offers quality and strength in depth unusual outside the City. The leading independent directories consistently rank us in the top tier. We are committed to an active intelligent growth strategy, for the team and the whole firm, and it is with this in mind that we welcome applications for technically strong, commercially minded and ambitious lawyers.

The corporate team is one of the top corporate practices in the South East and consists of eleven partners with a team of 40 in total supported by at least two dedicated knowledge lawyers.

The work of the team is high-quality and diverse and covers a broad range of corporate transactional and advisory matters, including:

• Private M&A (both buy side and sell side)
• Private equity (principally management advisory and portfolio work)
• Venture capital and other equity fundraisings
• Shareholders’ agreements and corporate joint ventures
• Inward investment and cross border
• Share incentives (working closely with our excellent employment law and tax teams)

The team is supported by the full range of specialists required to deliver high quality, fast-paced corporate transactional work - including tax, employment, immigration and pensions, real estate, banking and finance, regulatory and anti-trust, intellectual property and commercial. A large proportion of our clients are multinational, based overseas or have international business interests, and we frequently work with overseas law firms, including the major jurisdictions in Europe and the US.

Our clients include household name FTSE 100 PLCs and other major national and international groups, mid-tier businesses (quoted, private equity and privately owned), management teams in private equity backed businesses, high-net-worth private clients and high growth companies.

In the run-in to the first Labour government budget in November 2024, the corporate team closed 30 deals in 30 days with a total aggregate transaction value of just under £1 billion, demonstrating the team’s exceptional transactional capability.

Examples of clients that you may experience working with are listed below and further information about our experience can be found on our website here:

Diploma plc, Bunzl, Philips, The Ardonagh Group, Specialist Risk Group, Davies Group, Bright Stars Nursery Group, Rock Rail, Optio Group, Nord-Lock International AB, Corus Dental, Vestey Holdings, BMT, Clinigen, Bright Path Sports Partners (investor in Ipswich Town Football Club), Wates Group, OCL Vision Group.

Qualifications and Experience

Candidates should have drive and an enthusiasm for a broad diet of corporate work but experience in all of the above areas is not required. Most team members have areas of greater specialisation and there are opportunities to become a go-to lawyer in areas or industry sectors of particular interest. An appetite to develop into a rounded and commercially focussed business adviser is a must. Successful candidates are also likely to be strong team players with good inter-personal skills, have strong academics and some relevant experience.

You might have started your career with a major City or a leading national/regional practice or be ready for a step-up in terms of your exposure to more varied and challenging work in a supportive environment which is focused on bringing out the best in you. First-class support and learning and development opportunities are provided and early responsibility is offered for those ready and able to take it on.

• Strong technical ability, drafting skills and attention to detail (commensurate with your level of experience);
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to communicate concisely and with confidence;
• Enthusiastic to learn;
• Highly motivated, responsive and reliable;
• The ability to work both independently and as part of a team;
• Able to manage a varied workload with a number of ongoing matters at any time;
• Dedicated to delivering client service to the highest standards and the skill to effectively manage and nurture client relationships;
• An interest in, and keenness to develop skills in, business development;