Private Equity Lawyer

Buchanan Law; England; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading private equity legal firm in London seeks a 4–5 PQE Private Equity Lawyer to join their top-tier team. The ideal candidate will have strong transactional experience from an elite firm and possess excellent drafting and negotiation skills. This role offers exceptional exposure to high-profile clients and deals, compensation on Cravath-scale, and opportunities for significant career advancement within a prestigious practice.

Qualifications

• 4-5 PQE in private equity law.
• Experience from top-tier Magic Circle, US elite, or top UK firms is essential.
• Proven ability to thrive in a high-performing team environment.

Responsibilities

• Working on top-tier private equity transactions.
• Handling all aspects of deals with significant responsibility.
• Providing support to partners on complex, high-value PE transactions.

Skills

Strong transactional experience in private equity

Excellent drafting and negotiation skills

Commercial awareness and client-facing experience

Motivated and hardworking

Ability to thrive in a high-performing team

Job description

Private Equity Lawyer - London

We are working with a top-tier London private equity team that is seeking a 4–5 PQE associate to join its elite platform. This role represents an exceptional opportunity to work with one of the strongest and most highly regarded PE practices in the market, delivering high-profile deals for top-tier clients.

The team is led by a well-known market figure with deep experience in private equity and corporate transactions, supported by three other senior partners, all with pedigrees from leading global firms. The group is complemented by a few counsels and eight associates, making up a tight-knit team of approximately 14 lawyers. This is a team that focuses exclusively on private equity work, and the partners are highly selective about hires.

Associates in the team work on top-tier private equity transactions, with exposure to complex, high-value deals that are often market-leading in their scope. The work is exclusively transactional PE, providing a specialist focus that is unparalleled in London. The team handles all aspects of deals, offering associates both technical depth and commercial exposure, with meaningful responsibility from an early stage.

Candidate Profile

• 4–5 PQE
• Private equity-focused associates from top-tier Magic Circle, US elite, or top UK firms
• Strong transactional experience in private equity
• Excellent drafting and negotiation skills
• Commercial awareness and client-facing experience
• Motivated, hardworking, and able to thrive in a high-performing team environment

Compensation is on Cravath-scale salaries, reflecting both the seniority of the work and the elite positioning of the team in the market. This is a rare opportunity to join the top private equity team in London, working alongside four highly respected partners with market-leading reputations. The team offers unparalleled partner exposure, responsibility, and access to high-profile clients and deals, making it an ideal role for a PE-focused associate looking to accelerate their career within a specialist, best-in-market practice.