Associate - Private Funds Group

Who we are

We are one of the largest international law firms in the world. With over 30 offices across the globe, we strive to exceed the expectations of our clients, providing them with the highest-quality advice and legal insight, which combines the firm’s global standards with in-depth local expertise.

Our firm, work and people span jurisdictions, cultures, and languages. We offer our clients a truly international perspective. We believe every career should be rewarding and stimulating - full of opportunities to learn, thrive, and grow. That’s why we’re so proud of our inclusive, friendly, and team-based approach to work.

You’ll find our clients in commercial and industrial sectors, the financial investor community, governments, regulators, trade bodies, and not-for-profit organisations. But no matter who they are or why they’ve reached out to us, we provide a world-class service every step of the way. And that’s possible thanks to the entrepreneurial spirit and conscientious approach to work that you’ll find across all of our teams.

Whichever area of the business you join, you’ll become an integral part an innovative, diverse and ambitious team of people. Clifford Chance is a place where the brightest minds and the best of colleagues meet.

The role

Group Overview

Clifford Chance's London private funds group (PFG) advises fund managers on the establishment of the full range of private capital funds: private equity, real estate, infrastructure, debt/credit and emerging markets funds. We are a market leading global team, advising a wide range of fund managers on raising predominantly closed-ended funds and structuring their related executive arrangements and management structures. In addition, we advise on secondary transactions, working closely with our transactional M&A teams. We also carry out ancillary advisory work for fund managers and advise some institutional investors on their participation in private funds.

Who you will work with

The group comprises six partners, thirty-five associates and ten trainees. In addition, PFG has a dedicated Knowledge Director, a dedicated Business Development Manager and a Head of Strategy and Delivery to support the team.

The team is truly global in its approach and client base. We have private funds groups in New York, Singapore, Hong Kong, Beijing, Luxembourg, Paris, Munich and Madrid and these teams work together seamlessly on a regular basis. In particular, our London team works very closely with our Luxembourg practice. Clifford Chance has private funds tax and regulatory specialists in each of these jurisdictions, who work on almost all our PFG mandates. Our global, one-stop-shop approach is what sets the CC private funds practice apart from competitors.

What you will be responsible for

• Working on all aspects of the fund establishment and fundraising process as part of the matter team, including the following workstreams:
  • structuring and term sheet phase
  • drafting/advising on PPM and related offering documents
  • vehicle establishment
  • drafting all fund documents
  • obtaining specialist tax and regulatory advice from relevant teams
  • handling investor comments and managing multi-party negotiation process.
  • preparing carried interest and co-investment arrangement documents.
  • running the investor subscription process and closing process
  • leading on the post-closing MFN process
• Advising on ongoing fund operational issues.
• Working on secondary transactions and restructuring mandates.
• Carrying out fund-review mandates for significant institutional investors.
• Advising managers (and investors) on appropriate fund terms and other topical issues in the industry. 
• Working with our funds regulatory teams in the UK and overseas to help advise our fund manager clients on regulatory and licensing requirements relevant to the private fundraising process.
• Producing internal articles, monitoring industry developments (legal and commercial) and contributing to our extensive know how collections and resources.
• Developing relationships with clients and actively engaging in business development and thought leadership initiatives and seeking out opportunities for new work.
• Drafting legal documents clearly and concisely, creating solutions using legal knowledge and commercial judgement to advise and support leading multi-national corporates.
• Project managing fundraising mandates and delegating appropriately. Supervising junior lawyers and trainees as part of a matter team and more generally as part of PFG.

Your experience

You will have a background in private fund formation, with solid technical skills in fund formation gained through working in a similar group probably at a city firm, or at an overseas common law practice with a highly regarded profile.

An outstanding academic history and proven first rate legal skills, combined with a strong reputation amongst existing clients for providing commercial solutions, excellent transactional and managements skills, and be recognised as a lawyer that is sought out by existing clients.

You will naturally be able to demonstrate excellent document drafting skills. You should demonstrate strong communication and analytical skills along with a high level of commercial awareness.

You will need to demonstrate that you can thrive in a team with high professional standards and a flexible client-friendly commercial approach. You will have had strong exposure of collaborating with multi-jurisdictional and multi-disciplinary teams.

It is crucial that you can demonstrate an appetite for business development, client relationship management and thought leadership.

How we will support you

From your first day with us, you will have varied opportunities to continuously grow and development your skills and knowledge. From formal training, informal coaching and mentoring through to skills-based and technical training and on the job learning.

You will be working for a firm which is ranked #1 in both Chambers UK and Legal 500 for this group.

You will be working with a broad range of clients and the firm's other teams and practice areas, not only in London, but across the globe.

You will be exposed to work which often involves complex, high margin matters that frequently headline in the financial and business press.

You will have extensive client contact both as part of your daily working routine but also have the opportunity to develop client contacts through recognized seminars for our key clients, including providing client training.

You will develop an unbeatable multi-disciplinary skill set as well as client facing skills whilst working with some of the best-known market leaders in their respective practice areas.

We will provide the opportunity for you to develop as a recognised practitioner in the field.

Equal opportunities statement

At Clifford Chance, we understand that our true asset is our people. Inclusion is good for our team and their families, our firm and society.

We are committed to treating all employees and applicants fairly and equally regardless of their gender, gender identity and expression, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour, national or ethnic origin, social or economic background, disability, religious belief, sexual orientation, or age.  This applies to recruitment and selection, terms and conditions of employment including pay, promotion, training, transfer and every other aspect of employment.

We have a variety of flourishing employee networks. These networks are a place for colleagues to share experiences and advocate for change wherever they see an opportunity for improvement.

Our goal is to deliver an equality of opportunity, an equality of aspiration and an equality of experience to everyone who works in our firm. 

Find out more about our inclusive culture here.