Corporate Solicitor

JMC Legal Recruitment; Maidstone; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional law firm in the South East is seeking a senior corporate lawyer with over 5 years of PQE to lead complex mid-market transactions. You will have the opportunity to mentor junior lawyers while building your profile in the corporate finance market, with access to high-quality, varied transactional work. The firm offers structured career progression, a collegiate culture, and a modern, people-focused work environment with hybrid working options. Competitive compensation and support for professional development are also provided.

Qualifications

• 5+ PQE in corporate M&A with strong exposure to mid-market transactions.
• Confident managing deals end-to-end, including drafting, negotiation and client strategy.
• Commercial, proactive and comfortable advising entrepreneurs and management teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead and shape complex mid-market transactions.
• Support and develop junior lawyers in a growing team.
• Build your own profile across the regional corporate finance market.

Skills

Corporate M&A expertise

Deal management

Client strategy

Mentoring junior lawyers

Established networks

Job description

Corporate | 5+ PQE | Canterbury or Maidstone

What You’ll Be Doing

Leading and shaping complex mid-market transactions.

• You’ll work closely with partners on a mix of share and asset sales, private equity activity, group reorganisations, joint ventures and shareholder arrangements. As a senior member of the team, you’ll be given autonomy to run deals from the outset, shaping strategy, driving timetables and building trusted relationships with clients and their advisers.

Supporting and developing junior lawyers in a growing team.

This is a team with momentum. Over the past five years it has grown in size, capability and market presence, and you will play a central role in the next stage of that journey, providing guidance on drafting, due diligence and negotiations, and helping shape the team’s approach as it continues to scale.

Building your own profile across the regional corporate finance market.

You’ll have access to strong relationships with banks, accountants, advisers and investors across the South East. The environment is well set up for senior lawyers who want to broaden their networks, build referral relationships and play a visible role in the local transaction landscape.

About You

5+ PQE in corporate M&A with strong exposure to mid-market transactions

Confident managing deals end-to-end, including drafting, negotiation and client strategy

Commercial, proactive and comfortable advising entrepreneurs and management teams

Interested in developing junior colleagues and contributing to team growth

Keen to build a profile within a collaborative and well-connected regional market

What’s on Offer

A strong regional platform.

This firm has built one of the South East’s most recognised corporate practices, known for delivering high-value work with a level of partner access and strategic involvement that is hard to find in larger national or City firms. Its reputation is grounded in consistency : responsive service, commercial thinking and a deal-focused mindset that clients trust.

High-quality, varied transactional work.

You’ll be exposed to a steady pipeline of complex M&A, private equity deals, reorganisations, financing matters and cross-border work through international network links. The variety ensures senior solicitors stay challenged and continue to build breadth as well as depth.

A team that is both collegiate and commercially driven.

Collegiate here doesn’t mean soft; it means people share knowledge openly, deals are staffed sensibly, and partners are hands-on in ways that accelerate development. It’s the kind of environment where senior associates become better advisers because they are constantly exposed to strategic decision-making rather than operating in silos.

Clear progression in a team that is still expanding.

Growth is intentional, not incidental. As the team continues to scale, there is space for senior lawyers to take on leadership roles, build sector focuses, and shape how the practice evolves. The route to partnership is transparent, structured and actively supported.

A modern, people-focused culture.

The firm invests heavily in development, formal mentoring, structured progression frameworks and meaningful support from partners. Hybrid working is normal and trusted. The wider culture is open, friendly and grounded in long-term retention rather than churn.

The Firm

A well-established regional practice with national group backing, giving you both scale and stability. Known for its long-standing client relationships and strong transactional capability, the firm offers the resources of a larger organisation, specialist tax, employment, real estate and disputes teams, while keeping the accessibility, flexibility and personal culture of a regional heavyweight.

Apply now or contact Harrison for a confidential discussion.