Private Equity Associate [Junior / Mid-Level] @ Practice-Leading Law Firm

Whistler Partners; New York (NY); On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Whistler Partners, a boutique matchmaking firm, is hiring a junior to mid-level private equity associate in New York with flexibility across multiple offices. You will support and own key aspects of M&A transactions, draft and negotiate deal documents, and interact directly with clients, partners, and deal teams.

The role offers sophisticated deal work within a mature private equity practice, with room to develop deal judgment and take meaningful responsibility early in your career.

Qualifications

• 2–4 years of mergers and acquisitions experience.
• Private equity–led M&A experience or acquisition work for private equity funds preferred.
• Ability to manage deal workstreams and support M&A transactions from start to finish.
• Strong drafting experience across transactional documents.
• Strong academic record.
• Excellent writing, oral communication, and client-service skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with clients, partners, and colleagues.
• Interest in using technology to support higher-value strategic work and client engagement.

Responsibilities

• Support private equity and M&A transactions, including leveraged buyouts, independent sponsor deals, rollups, minority investments, junior capital investments, going-private transactions, and distressed acquisitions.
• Draft and negotiate transactional documents.
• Manage key workstreams and support transactions from start to finish.
• Work directly with clients, partners, colleagues, and deal teams.
• Support a broad corporate and private equity practice with continued growth momentum.
• Use legal technology tools to streamline research, drafting, and analytical work.

Skills

M&A experience

Private equity exposure

Strong drafting

Client service

Technology in legal work

Job description

Whistler Partners is partnering with an established corporate law firm looking to add a junior to mid-level private equity associate in New York, with flexibility across multiple offices.

The practice advises clients across a broad range of private equity transactions, including leveraged buyouts, independent sponsor deals, rollups, minority and junior capital investments, going-private transactions, and acquisitions of distressed companies.

The group also has meaningful fund formation experience, including work with emerging managers, general partners, and limited partners across private equity, growth equity, venture capital, mezzanine, and real estate funds.

Why This Role?

This is a strong opportunity for an M&A associate who wants private equity work inside a mature, well-resourced corporate practice with room to keep developing real deal judgment.

The team is looking for someone who can support and take ownership over key aspects of transactions, draft and negotiate deal documents, and work directly with clients, partners, and deal teams. The firm has a broad private equity practice, a deep bench, and continued growth ambitions, making this a strong fit for someone who wants high-quality transactional work and meaningful responsibility earlier in their career.

The group also uses legal technology, including AI tools, to streamline research, drafting, and analysis so associates can spend more time on strategic work, transaction execution, and client engagement.

Key Responsibilities

• Support private equity and M&A transactions, including leveraged buyouts, independent sponsor deals, rollups, minority investments, junior capital investments, going-private transactions, and distressed acquisitions.
• Draft and negotiate transactional documents.
• Manage key workstreams and support transactions from start to finish.
• Work directly with clients, partners, colleagues, and deal teams.
• Support a broad corporate and private equity practice with continued growth momentum.
• Use legal technology tools to streamline research, drafting, and analytical work.

About You

• 2-4 years of mergers and acquisitions experience.
• Private equity-led M&A experience or acquisition work for private equity funds preferred.
• Ability to manage deal workstreams and support M&A transactions from start to finish.
• Strong drafting experience across transactional documents.
• Strong academic record.
• Excellent writing, oral communication, and client-service skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with clients, partners, and colleagues.
• Interest in using technology to support higher-value strategic work and client engagement.

TL;DR

Practice-leading law firm hiring a 2nd-4th year private equity associate in New York, with flexibility across multiple offices. Strong fit for an M&A associate with private equity transaction experience who wants sophisticated deal work, meaningful responsibility, direct client exposure, and room to grow inside a broad, well-resourced private equity practice.

About Whistler Partners

Matchmakers, Not Headhunters

Whistler Partners is a boutique matchmaking firm focused on counseling the best and the brightest attorneys over the course of their careers. We believe that the right move comes from working closely with talent to curate their long-term career paths. When it comes to career advice, what matters is not the size of the agency but the strength of your individual recruiter. We readily admit that we are elite and only work with the best - after all, a little elitism is okay when it comes to your career.

Employers love us because we are picky about whom we represent, and attorneys love us because we get them their dream jobs.