Senior Legal Counsel

La Caisse; Greater London; On-site; GBP 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

La Caisse, based in London, seeks a Senior Legal Counsel to support Europe investment teams in cross-border M&A, portfolio management and related financings. You will partner with business units across London and Paris, providing practical legal guidance throughout the investment cycle.

The role emphasizes strong drafting, clear communication and the ability to operate in a fast-paced, multi-geography environment, collaborating with Tax, Risk and Public Affairs to uphold governance and

Qualifications

• Three to five years of PQE in international law firms or institutional investors.
• Experience in corporate, M&A (private equity) and infrastructure transactions across Europe.
• Strong cross-border transactional experience with UK/France focus is valuable.

Responsibilities

• Assist investment teams in negotiation, structure and execution of cross-border M&A transactions across infrastructure, private equity and real estate.
• Collaborate with Tax, Risk and Public Affairs to ensure consistent policy application.
• Ensure compliance with antitrust, foreign investment, governance and ABC/AML laws.

Skills

Drafting skills

Communication skills

Commercial mindset

Fast-paced environment

Independent work

Judgement

Cross-border collaboration

Travel willingness

Tools

Legal AI tools

Job description

Become invested in the community!
Join a global investment group and take pride in helping build a sustainable future.

At La Caisse:

• We value your unique contribution to a world-class team.

• We give you work that allows you to flourish and excel.

• We offer opportunities to learn from experts who generously share their knowledge.

• We are fully invested so that you can fulfil our mission every day.

Over the years, we have built a strong culture based on four pillars: ambition to push ourselves further, accountability to bring our convictions to life, openness to grow through creative ideas, and collaboration to drive us toward the best outcomes.

Job Description

Within the European Legal affairs team based in London, the Senior Legal Counsel will primarily support the Europe investment teams in London and Paris on acquisition, disposition, and portfolio management mandates across infrastructure, private equity and real estate asset classes. This role is heavily transaction-focused.

We are looking for a bright, motivated commercial problem-solver who is willing to partner with the business to drive execution and provide sound guidance all throughout the investment cycle.

What you will do

• Assisting the investment teams, primarily in Europe, in the negotiation, structuring and execution of complex cross-border M&A transactions in infrastructure, private equity and real estate (in industries such as energy/renewables, financial services, health and technology);
• Proactively collaborating with investment teams to identify issues and mitigate risks in post-investment support of portfolio companies, investment platforms and their respective follow-on/build-up investments and related financings;
• Collaborating across multiple offices with internal functions such as Tax, Risk and Public Affairs, to ensure consistent application of La Caisse’s policies across its portfolio holdings;
• Ensuring compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, including antitrust, foreign investment, corporate governance and ABC/AML, as well as La Caisse’s constating legislation: the Act respecting the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec.

What makes you unique

• Strong drafting and communication skills;
• Ability to explain complex legal concepts in clear and practical terms;
• Ability to operate in a fast-paced environment;
• Commercial mindset and ability to use legal skills to achieve practical outcomes;
• Strong professional judgement to identify key issues and risks beyond legal ones (e.g. reputational and commercial);
• Ability and desire to grow your skills beyond your current areas of expertise;
• Ability to collaborate with professionals from different disciplines and work cultures across various geographies;
• Ability to work independently.

What you bring

• Full professional proficiency in English and French, both spoken and written;
• Three (3) to five (5) years of PQE (indicative) gained in an international law firm and/or an institutional investor (including secondment experience);
• Experience in corporate, M&A (private equity) and infrastructure transactions (including in the energy/renewables, transportation, health and technology sectors) is essential;
• Strong cross-border transactional experience across Europe with the UK and France being of particular interest;
• Experience in fund investments, particularly LPA and side letter negotiation, an asset;
• Experience in real estate investments, an asset;
• Experience in managing external attorneys and legal professionals, an asset;
• Familiarity with legal AI tools, an asset;
• Knowledge of any other European language, an asset;
• Availability for international travel is preferred.

Feeling that my role is important. Having fun every day. Growing in step with my ambitions. Earning compensation that reflects my contribution. That’s the professional experience La Caisse offers!

We carefully review each application and directly contact those selected for an interview.

La Caisse offers equal employment opportunities to everyone. Women, visible/ethnic minorities, Indigenous people and individuals with disabilities are all encouraged to apply. La Caisse is also committed to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion as key values and sees them as a source of enrichment and pride for all its employees. Please let us know if you require adopted measures for the recruiting process.

Studies show that women and individuals from groups that are traditionally underrepresented are more likely to apply only when they meet all requirements. If you’re interested in this job but you don’t meet all the criteria, apply anyway!