Investment Funds Associate Attorney

The Standard Legal Recruiting; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 238,000 - 255,000; Full time

Job summary

The Standard Legal Recruiting is seeking a junior associate for a San Francisco-based investment funds practice. The firm handles fund formation, structuring, private offerings, adviser counseling, and regulatory matters across hedge funds, private equity, venture capital, and related strategies.

Ideal candidates have 2+ years of investment funds experience, strong drafting and analytical skills, and California bar admission or eligibility.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of investment funds, asset management, or corporate transactional work at a large law firm or sophisticated boutique.
• Experience with fund formation, investment management, or securities law is preferred.
• California bar admission or eligibility is required or anticipated.

Responsibilities

• Assist in fund formation, structuring, and regulatory matters for investment funds.
• Provide counsel to fund sponsors and managers on transactional and regulatory issues.

Skills

Investment funds experience

Drafting skills

California bar admission

Analytical skills

Education

J.D. from a top law school

Job description

A long-established, preeminent independent San Francisco firm is seeking a junior associate to join its nationally Chambers-ranked Investment Funds practice. The group has advises investment managers, representing clients ranging from emerging fund sponsors to established managers overseeing billions in assets.

The practice encompasses fund formation and structuring, private offerings, investment adviser counseling, and regulatory matters across hedge funds, private equity, venture capital, private credit, real estate funds, and other alternative investment strategies.

Who This Is For

• 2+ years of experience in investment funds, asset management, or corporate transactional work at a large law firm or sophisticated boutique
• Experience with fund formation, investment management, or securities law is preferred, but direct funds experience is not required
• Corporate associates with strong transactional foundations and an interest in developing a specialized investment funds practice are encouraged to apply
• Strong academic credentials, excellent drafting and analytical skills, and California bar admission or eligibility

Why This Role

The firm offers a distinctly different platform from a large national firm: sophisticated work and clients, but a leaner structure that provides direct access to experienced partners, meaningful responsibility, and opportunities to develop substantive expertise early in your career.

Compensation for this role is expected to be $237,500–$255,000 base salary depending on experience, plus bonus. The bonus structure begins at lower hours threshold than AmLaw firms. This position generally requires 2–3 days per week in the San Francisco office, with hybrid flexibility.

The employer is an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive workplace.