Senior Associate - Private Funds & Secondaries

We have an opportunity for an experienced Senior Associate/ Counsel to join our Private Funds and Secondaries practice.

Practice Summary

Freshfields’ private funds and secondaries team is part of the firm’s global private capital practice. The team’s focus is on sponsor-side fund formation across all types and strategies, LP primary investments and co-investments and secondary transactions. Our secondaries experience includes GP-led continuation fund transactions and portfolio sales, GP-staking transactions and liquidity transactions such as preferred equity deals and NAV financings. 

Private Funds and Secondaries

We act for a wide variety of private capital clients and fund managers across the full range of strategies and asset types in connection with their fund formation, LP primary investment and secondaries activities. With respect to primary fundraising, we advise primarily on closed-end funds, but also on evergreen and open-end funds, in each case targeting institutional investors. We also advise on client executive and management arrangements and incentivisation. Our lawyers can either work in very small or very large teams which will frequently include colleagues from other practice groups. Additionally, we work closely with our colleagues overseas, in particular throughout our European network and in our New York and Dubai offices.

Key responsibilities and deliverables

• Leading on all aspects of the fund establishment and fundraising process, including:

- transaction management

- structuring

- drafting and advising on offering and fund documentation

- obtaining, communicating, implementing specialist advice from relevant teams

- managing investor negotiations, onboarding and closing

- advising on ongoing fund operational issues

• Working on secondary transactions

• Carrying out fund-review mandates for significant institutional investors

• Coordinating cross-border teams, with service providers and local counsel

• Monitoring industry developments and advising managers (and investors) on appropriate fund terms, market trends and other topical issues

• Managing, supervising and playing an active role in the development of mid-level and junior associates

• Developing and strengthening relationships with clients

• Proactive involvement in business development, thought leadership and knowledge management 

• Highest degree of responsibility, trust and autonomy available to non-partners

Key requirements

• At least 7 years post qualification experience as a solicitor in England & Wales, or a similarly experienced common law qualified lawyer with an outstanding academic record

• Currently an Associate / Senior Associate / Counsel with strong experience from a leading fund formation practice

• Excellent technical, written and analytical skills, demonstrating intellectual rigour in their work and ability to develop innovative solutions to client issues

• Commercial ability gained at a leading practice in London, New York or at an overseas practice with a highly regarded profile

• Clear understanding of clients’ business needs and commercial objectives.

• Experience leading fund formation and fundraising projects, including managing budgeting, resourcing and billing

• Stays at the forefront of legal, industry and business issues, regulations and developments

• Prior LP primary investment, secondaries and related experience is beneficial but not mandatory

​About you

• Proactive, professional, resilient and committed to providing an excellent service to clients

• Able to take on a high degree of responsibility and manage a challenging workload

• Team player that is also able to lead, supervise and develop more junior lawyers

• Highly effective communicator (both orally and in writing)

• Commercially minded, enthusiastic and entrepreneurial lawyer who has ambitions to progress in a team with significant growth potential over the next 5 years

• Dedicated to the ongoing success and development of the practice, including assisting in winning new business

Overview of the firm

Freshfields is a leading 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 matters most, 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.

We think and work globally.  We don’t just say we are one firm; we act as one firm right across the world and our systems and structures support that one-firm approach. 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 gaps in language, culture and market practice.

Inclusion

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.

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 (e.g. 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.

Please let us know if you require any support, or adjustments to be made, in order to submit your application to Freshfields.