Corporate Associate

What we will offer

We will offer you a place where you can be yourself and where there are no limits on what you can achieve. With us, you can take ownership of your career and have honest conversations throughout. You would join an ambitious firm with a clear strategy for profitable growth where you can gain early responsibility and early involvement in growing the business. Here you can expect a competitive and fair reward as well as recognition based on all round performance. This forms part of our internal promise to you, The Deal, between the firm and its employees.

Team Structure

Our Corporate Finance team advises on a broad range of corporate transactions and advisory work. Currently, the team is seeking to recruit a mid-level associate with experience of private M&A transactions, joint ventures and corporate reorganisations. Candidates with alternative and/or equivalent experience would be considered. The clients served cover a broad range of industry sectors, including Financial Services, Life Sciences & Healthcare, Decarbonisation, Technology, Transportation and Corporate Real Estate.

Main Responsibilities

• Clear, concise and unambiguous preparation and drafting of corporate and transaction documentation
• Negotiation of transaction documents and provision of commercially-minded legal advice as an integral part of our clients’ deal team
• Liaison with clients, specialist lawyers and other service providers in managing transactions
• Building excellent working relationships with clients and peers within the firm
• Developing own informal internal and external network of contacts
• Participating in and contributing to business development and profile-raising events such as client seminars and graduate recruitment activities
• Conducting legal research using internal and external knowledge management resources

This job description is indicative only and does not represent an exhaustive list of responsibilities. The firm reserves the right to alter or change the responsibilities at any time, in line with the firm's strategy and business needs.As part of the team, you will have the opportunity to work on market-leading, high profile deals. Candidates must be able to strive to achieve very high quality standards and a passion for delivering excellence to clients. This role will suit an ambitious and enthusiastic lawyer with good communication skills who would enjoy the challenge of an exciting and growing practice area.Candidates will have strong academic credentials, qualified in either England & Wales or any other common law jurisdiction, had exposure to and experience of finance work, ideally gained at a top City or US firm. Successful candidates can expect an attractive remuneration and benefits.

Attributes/Skills Required

• Mid-level experience qualified lawyer
• Understanding of Chinese outbound investment rules and regulations, issues and challenges
• Experience with regulatory approvals related to outbound investments (ODI) and inbound investments involving Chinese regulatory bodies
• Familiarity with complex negotiations and documentations specifically involving Chinese regulatory interfaces
• Experience working in or with international law firms or top-tier China law firms and multinational clients with an understanding of both Common Law and PRC legal frameworks
• Strong private M&A skills
• Strong technical abilities and drafting skills (English and Chinese)
• Ability and desire to work within a growing, ambitious and entrepreneurial team
• Ability to acquire, consolidate and apply fundamental and up-to-date knowledge of the law
• Accuracy and attention to detail
• Bilingual proficiency with native fluency in both English and Mandarin Chinese (spoken and written) is essential
• Organised and able to work to strict deadlines with the ability to prioritise realistically
• Good housekeeping/file management practices; managing and recording time promptly and accurately
• Resilient with the ability to handle setbacks and pressure
• Cooperative and collaborative in approach and able to develop excellent working relationships at all levels and within all roles
• Exhibits an understanding of the Firm’s position in the market and how it distinguishes its services from its competitors
• Excellent academic and professional qualifications
• Ability to work effectively within cross-cultural teams
• Demonstrated working experience advising PRC clients and Chinese SOEs would be highly preferred
• Business development and networking capabilities are desirable

About the Firm

With 8 offices worldwide and with our headquarters based in London, Stephenson Harwood is a law firm where our people are committed to achieving the goals of our clients - listed and private companies, institutions and individuals across the globe. Our mix of expertise and culture results in a combination of deep local insight and the capability to provide a seamless international service.Our experience encompasses corporate, commercial litigation and arbitration, employment, pensions and private wealth, finance, marine and international trade, and real estate and projects. We assemble teams of bright thinkers to match our clients' needs and give the right advice from the right person at the right time. Dedicating the highest calibre of legal talent to overcome the most complex issues, we deliver pragmatic, expert advice that is set squarely in the real world.We understand the power of diversity in delivering that high calibre advice to our clients. We want to attract diverse talent and we particularly encourage applications from underrepresented demographics.

Our vision into 2026To be a successful firm where talented people work together in an entrepreneurial environment, building long term client relationships.This vision is about who we want to be, as well as who we are. It is as much about our values as about our character – the attributes we want to see from all of our people. That's how we unlock our entrepreneurial spirit, advising our clients with top performing teams.A key part of the 2026 strategy is to focus on five core sectors: energy transition; life sciences and healthcare; private capital and funds; technology; transportation and trade. These have been identified as crucial in the drive for accelerated profitable growth.