Job Description
Job Description - Leveraged Finance Associate (2100004D)
Job Description
Leveraged Finance Associate - ( 2100004D )
Description
Overview of the firm
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is a major international law firm, providing business law advice of the highest quality. We want to be the law firm that clients turn to for legal advice where it most matters, wherever in the world that may be. The Firm has over 2,400 lawyers in 28 offices around the world, providing a comprehensive service to national and multinational corporations, financial institutions and governments.
Our people make our firm - we are a people business and want to create a welcoming and supportive environment where all can flourish. We see diversity as a strength which creates fresh perspectives and generates new ideas. We enjoy our work and are determined to do an outstanding job. We deliver best when working in teams. Our culture is a product of the combined mindsets and behaviours of our people which is through the Being Freshfields principles, outlined below:
- we show respect to everyone
- we are there for one another
- we are open with each other
- we are positive role models
We think and work globally - we don’t just say we are one firm; we act like one firm right across the world. We work wherever our clients need us. This is how we define ourselves, not by reference to where we have offices. Cross-border work isn’t just what we do, it is what we excel at. We understand what it really takes to work across different legal systems and commercial environments and to bridge language and cultural gaps.
We aim to add value in everything we do - we are passionate about helping our clients succeed. We use our experience and creativity to help clients make judgements and achieve their goals. In everything we do, we seek to make a real difference to the communities in which we operate.
Location overview
Our London office is at the heart of our global network, in one of the most exciting world cities.
London is arguably the world’s greatest financial centre: all of the world’s leading financial institutions have a significant presence here. It’s home to the headquarters of more than 100 of Europe’s largest companies.
Our London team has a reputation that’s second to none.
They’re the team the world’s leading businesses turn to for help with their most challenging problems. They work with colleagues around the world on complex, cross-border deals and disputes.
Whether you join as a lawyer, a recent graduate or in a business services role, London is a great place to work.
You will have the opportunity to work on challenging, engaging work that will give you the opportunity to make your mark and progress your career. We believe there is no better place to work.
Overview of the Leveraged Finance Group
The Leveraged Finance group sits within firm’s Global Transactions department – alongside public and private M&A, corporate finance and real estate. Our group primarily focusses on large and complex leveraged buy-out transactions and other financing arrangements for our core financial investor clients, including top tier private equity sponsors, sovereign wealth funds and infrastructure funds. We also work on a broad range of leveraged financing products for public and private companies, investment and commercial banks and alternative capital providers. We work closely with our corporate, tax, competition and other colleagues to deliver integrated advice to our clients on their most important transactions.
We recognise the importance to our clients of seamless advice across multiple products. Our group in London is a roughly even split of English law and New York law practitioners, with expertise in European/US cross-border financings, bank/bond structures involving both European and US term loan B and second lien debt, unitranche, senior/mezzanine, private high yield and back-leverage transactions. We are an integrated team with our leveraged financed colleagues based in New York and in the principle financial centres in Europe and Asia --- supporting our clients globally and sharing best practice and market developments.
We wish to expand the team in London to meet increasing demand from our top-tier financial sponsor clients, and are looking for ambitious, bright and motivated associates looking to join the team for the long term.
Freshfields is committed to promoting equality and diversity and to developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds make important and positive contributions to our business and how we service our clients.
Qualifications
Role summary/purpose of job
Our leveraged finance lawyers will work on a broad mix of transactions for our clients, including debt financing for public and private M&A, refinancings, recapitalisations, strategic investments and work-outs. Most of the work will have an international dimension and will range from some of the largest and most complex transactions to smaller deals which provide an opportunity for associates to take greater responsibility.
We offer comprehensive training and career development for associates at all levels and encourage secondments, both within our international network and to our clients.
Key responsibilities and deliverables
- Working on a wide variety of large, complex, cross-border leveraged finance transactions
- Focus on acquisition financing for private equity and other financial sponsor clients across a range of finance products
- Drafting and negotiating transaction documentation including facilities agreements, intercreditor agreements and security documents
- Coordinating cross-border teams
Key requirements
- General and leveraged finance experience, whether for creditors or borrowers/issuers from a leading firm involving cross-border transactions
- Strong technical and commercial abilities
- Able to work constructively and effectively as part of a team and supervise more junior lawyers
- Highly effective communicator (both orally and in writing)
- Able to take on a high degree of responsibility and manage a challenging workload
- Committed to providing an excellent service to our clients
- Committed to the Being Freshfields principles
- Proactive involvement in business development and knowledge management
Freshfields is an equal opportunities employer and all applications received by the firm will be considered by the firm on the basis of their merit alone and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals regardless of background. All offers of employment will be conditional on the candidate having/securing the right to work in the UK and providing the firm with evidence of that right (as required by the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006) prior to employment commencing. Please note that, in line with the requirements of the UK Border Agency, non-EEA candidates may not be appointed to a post if a suitably qualified, experienced and skilled EEA candidate can fill the position.
Freshfields is a Ban the Box employer. We ask applicants to disclose criminal convictions only when a conditional job offer is made. A conviction does not automatically lead to withdrawal of the offer: we make decisions on a case by case basis and take a number of factors into account (eg the role you are applying for and the circumstances of the offence). You would have the opportunity to discuss the matter with us before we make a decision.