Fund Formation Associate

BCL Legal; New York (NY); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

BCL Legal, a leading private funds practice, seeks an associate with meaningful private equity fund formation experience to advise global sponsors and institutional investors across fund formation, governance, and cross-border structuring.

You will shape fund strategy by drafting and negotiating PPMs, partnership agreements, subscription documents, side letters, and other formation materials that set the economic and governance architecture of each vehicle.

Qualifications

• JD with substantive private equity fund formation experience.
• Experience advising global sponsors and institutional investors.
• Strong drafting and negotiation skills across fund documents.
• Working knowledge of the Investment Advisers Act and related securities rules.
• Experience with secondaries or GP-led restructurings would be useful.
• Bar admission in the state where you will practice (NY/IL)

Responsibilities

• Draft and negotiate PPMs, partnership agreements, subscription documents, side letters, and other formation materials.
• Review sponsor documentation and negotiate fund terms for economics and governance for LPs.
• Draft management company and GP documents defining control, economics, and regulatory posture.
• Apply securities rules to sponsor decisions, investor negotiations, and fund structuring.
• Support secondaries and GP-led restructurings to reshape portfolios and capital paths.
• Coordinate cross-border execution across regions to align sponsor and investor expectations.

Skills

JD

Fund formation

Negotiation

Cross-border

Securities rules

Investor relations

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Bar admission (NY/IL)

Job description

Join a private equity fund formation practice trusted with some of the largest sponsor mandates in the market, led by a partner recognized in Best Lawyers for Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law. You'll step directly into multibillion‑dollar fund formation work, gain real influence over sponsor and investor outcomes, and build the kind of drafting, negotiation, and structuring range that moves careers forward fast.

Job purpose

The firm is hiring an associate with meaningful private equity fund formation experience to advise global sponsors and institutional investors across fund formation, governance, and cross‑border structuring matters.

What you'll do

• Shape fund strategy by drafting and negotiating PPMs, partnership agreements, subscription documents, side letters, and other formation materials that set the economic and governance architecture of each vehicle.
• Influence investor outcomes by reviewing sponsor documentation and negotiating fund terms that determine economics, protections, and long‑term alignment for institutional LPs.
• Build governance structures by drafting management company and GP documents that define control, economics, and regulatory posture.
• Apply securities rules in real time, including the Investment Advisers Act, to sponsor decisions, investor negotiations, and fund structuring choices.
• Advance liquidity solutions by supporting secondaries and GP‑led restructurings that reshape portfolios and create new capital pathways.
• Coordinate cross‑border execution across Europe, Latin America, and Asia, ensuring sponsor and investor expectations align across jurisdictions.
• Run closing workstreams with growing autonomy, managing timelines, deliverables, and institutional client relationships.

This role is ideal if you're looking for

A seat where your drafting and negotiation work directly shapes vehicles like a US$16B megamarket buyout fund, a US$4B Asia buyout fund, and a US$5B permanent capital vehicle on Euronext Amsterdam; consistent access to global sponsors and institutional investors; cross‑border matters that build technical range fast; and mentorship from a partner recognized in Best Lawyers whose client roster spans U.S., European, Latin American, and Asian market leaders.

Live fund closings can run hot, but the responsibility and learning curve here is genuinely exceptional.

What You'll Need

• JD and substantive private equity fund formation experience.
• Background at a large law firm or strong in‑house platform.
• Proven drafting and negotiation experience across core fund documents.
• Working knowledge of the Investment Advisers Act and related securities rules.
• Experience with secondaries or GP‑led restructurings would prove useful
• Admission to the state bar of the office location (Chicago, Charlotte, or New York).

About the Firm

This Am Law 50 firm has built one of the most globally engaged private equity fund formation practices in the market. The sponsoring partner is recognized in Best Lawyers for Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law, a reflection of the group's credibility and the complexity of the work.

Recent matters include

• US$16B megamarket buyout fund
• US$4B Asia buyout fund
• US$5B permanent capital vehicle listed on Euronext Amsterdam
• Funds from US$300M to €6B across Europe, Latin America, Asia, and sector‑focused strategies

Why This Role Matters

You'll shape fund terms, negotiate directly with institutional investors, and work on vehicles that define sponsor strategy. The combination of global exposure, sponsor access, and award‑recognized leadership creates a career path where associates build technical depth and gain responsibility that translates into long‑term upward mobility.