Associate / Attorney -Corporate M&A

Watts & Associates Recruitment; Dallas (TX); Hybrid; USD 235,000 - 365,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Professional development

Bonuses

Job summary

Watts & Associates is recruiting a Corporate M&A Associate for the Dallas office. This hybrid role targets 3rd–5th year lawyers to handle sophisticated domestic and cross-border transactions, representing public and private companies, financial sponsors, and investors. You will lead drafting, negotiation, due diligence, and closing processes, coordinating with partners and specialist teams, and supervising junior lawyers as needed.

Qualifications

• Three to five years of corporate transactional experience.
• Mergers and acquisitions experience.
• Exposure to private equity, venture capital, securities or general corporate matters.
• Strong drafting and negotiation skills.
• Ability to manage multiple workstreams and deadlines.
• Active Texas Bar membership.

Responsibilities

• Represent public and private companies in mergers and acquisitions.
• Advise private equity sponsors, investors and portfolio companies.
• Draft and negotiate acquisition agreements and related documents.
• Lead and coordinate legal due diligence.
• Manage signing and closing processes.
• Coordinate cross-office and cross-border transaction workstreams.
• Supervise junior lawyers where appropriate.
• Identify and communicate material legal and commercial risks.

Skills

M&A experience

Drafting & negotiating

Due diligence coordination

Client interaction

Cross-border transactions

Education

JD from a T25 law school

Texas Bar licensed

Job description

Corporate M&A Associate | Dallas, Texas | Hybrid | 3rd–5th Year | $235,000–$365,000 Base Salary + Bonus

Are you ready to move beyond diligence-heavy assignments and take greater ownership of sophisticated transactions?

Watts & Associates is working discreetly with a highly regarded AM Law 50 international full-service law firm seeking a 3rd- to 5th-year Corporate M&A Associate to join its growing Dallas office.

This opportunity offers meaningful responsibility within a collaborative, partner-led corporate team. The successful associate will advise public and private companies, financial sponsors, investors and multinational organisations on complex domestic and cross-border transactions.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

AM Law 50 international law firm with a respected corporate and transactional platform

Sophisticated work across M&A, private equity, venture capital, securities and general corporate matters

Direct access to experienced partners within collaborative and less heavily layered deal teams

Meaningful responsibility for drafting, negotiation, due diligence, transaction management and closings

Exposure to domestic, cross-border and multidisciplinary transactions

Growing Dallas platform offering strong associates greater visibility and long-term progression opportunities

Market-leading compensation, comprehensive benefits and structured professional development

The Role

The successful associate will:

• Represent public and private companies in mergers and acquisitions
• Advise private equity sponsors, investors and portfolio companies
• Support venture capital and growth-equity investments
• Draft and negotiate acquisition agreements, disclosure schedules and ancillary documents
• Lead and coordinate legal due diligence
• Manage signing and closing processes
• Work directly with clients, opposing counsel and specialist teams
• Coordinate cross-office and cross-border transaction workstreams
• Supervise junior lawyers where appropriate
• Identify and communicate material legal and commercial risks

This is an excellent opportunity for an associate who wants to progress from completing individual assignments to becoming a genuinely relied-upon member of the deal team.

Ideal Candidate

The firm is seeking an attorney with:

• Three to five years of corporate transactional experience
• Meaningful mergers and acquisitions experience
• Exposure to private equity, venture capital, securities or general corporate matters
• Strong drafting, negotiation and transaction-management skills
• Experience leading or coordinating due diligence and closings
• The ability to manage multiple workstreams and deadlines
• Strong commercial judgment and attention to detail
• Confidence interacting with clients and opposing counsel
• JD obtained from a T25 or better law school is advantageous
• Active membership in the Texas Bar
• The ability to work from the Dallas office four days per week

Compensation and Benefits

The anticipated base salary range is $235,000–$365,000, depending on class year, experience and qualifications.

The broader package includes performance-based bonus opportunities, comprehensive medical benefits, 401(k), paid leave, professional-development support, wellbeing resources and pro bono opportunities.

Confidentiality

The firm’s identity will be disclosed during a confidential conversation with Watts & Associates.