We are looking for a M&A lawyer (3-10+ years PQE) with private equity experience to join the in-house legal team of an ambitious and successful PE firm based in Brighton. This is a rare and exciting opportunity to gain genuine commercial insight into the entire private equity investment cycle (including the chance to attend investment committee meetings and to understand the basis for the decisions to acquire/sell portfolio companies) and to work as an integral part of the deal team.
The new legal team currently comprises a partner (who has worked at both magic circle and regional law firms) and a paralegal and the addition of a person in this role would complete the team. The team intends to do all of the PE firm’s UK acquisitions in-house, likely to be 3 or 4 large platform deals a year and 10-15 smaller bolt-on transactions. We aim to standardise the deal process to make it run as smoothly as possible and develop a playbook for key transaction documents.
The new role
- Key responsibilities:Buy-side: leading and/or assisting with legal workstreams on UK acquisitions including:
- implementing transaction structuring steps, incorporating holding company structures and funding arrangements
- drafting/negotiating NDAs, offer letters/Heads of Terms, other ancillary documents
- undertaking/reviewing targeted legal due diligence (focussing on those matters that are commercially important)
- drafting/negotiating the acquisition documents, including the SPA/BPA and disclosure letter
- drafting/negotiating the equity documents, including the investment agreement, articles of association (in particular different share rights, distribution waterfalls etc), loan note instruments, management incentive arrangements/growth shares
- Sell-side: assisting with legal workstreams on disposals, these will typically be led by external Counsel, but with support from the in-house team for example on NDAs, adviser engagement letters and on sale preparation/focussed vendor due diligence
- Ad hoc portfolio company support: assisting portfolio companies on important day-to-day corporate/commercial needs including integration support/resolving issues identified in legal DD, purchase of management stakes, management exits, implementing growth share schemes etc
- Delivering clear, pragmatic and commercially focused legal advice to support the deal team
- Working closely with colleagues in the deal team and building relationships with the founders and portfolio companies
The structure and size of the team mean that there is plenty of scope for the person in this role to develop their skills and take on more responsibility for the larger deals over time, whilst learning from and being supported by a highly experience corporate partner.
What you’ll need to succeed
- To succeed in this role, you will typically have:3-8+ years’ post‑qualification experience in corporate law
- Qualification as a UK Solicitor (England, Wales or Scotland)
- Experience handling high‑quality corporate work, ideally including private equity
- Excellent drafting and analytical skills
- The ability to communicate complex legal issues clearly to non‑lawyers
- A proactive, commercially minded approach and strong team ethic
- An interest in founder-led businesses, particularly in the services and software sectors
What you’ll get in return
- A market leading salary and a bonus linked to the performance of the PE funds, as well as other benefits
- An ambitious and collaborative working environment, with the entire team working together towards achieving the best outcomes for the portfolio companies and the PE firm
- A great team spirit, with most people in the office in Brighton most days (when they are not out with portfolio companies) – and a sea view from the balcony
- Access to high‑quality, intellectually stimulating work
- An opportunity to gain commercial insight into the PE investment lifecycle and enhance your existing, and develop new, skills
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