Baker McKenzie

The Team

The London Corporate Finance team provides a comprehensive range of services across its practice, including public M&A, private M&A, ECM, DCM, High Yield, as well as public company corporate governance and other advisory work. The team works with a wide range of clients, acting for UK PLCs and multinationals in their capacity as issuer, bidder or target, as well as financial institutions on both capital markets and M&A transactions.

The team has acted on some of the most high profile transactions in the market and grown significantly in recent years. The team is still growing and looking for an associate to join during this exciting period and to be part of the team's long-term future.

The London Corporate Finance team forms part of Baker McKenzie's London Corporate department which is the largest within the office and at the heart of the Firm's business. The London Corporate team has over 150 fee earners and business professionals and we work across 6 key industry groups: (i) Consumer Goods & Retail, (ii) Energy Mining & Infrastructure, (iii) Financial Institutions, (iv) Healthcare, (v) Industrials, Manufacturing & Transportation, and (vi) Technology, Media and Telecoms.

Our key differentiator is that we are lawyers who collaborate across borders, markets and industries around the globe. Our lawyers embrace new ideas and emerging technologies to give businesses confidence in these uncertain times. Baker McKenzie's clients include nearly all of the world's 100 largest public companies and more than three-quarters of the Fortune 500. 

The Role

The Corporate Finance team is looking for Corporate associates that have had good transactional experience in the public company space and the role will include, but is not limited to, the following: 

• Front-line management of deals, including drafting and negotiating the key transactional documents, control of due diligence and disclosure exercises and closings, managing projects to a budget, and taking responsibility for client satisfaction
• Invariably cross-border, the nature of the work will fall into three broad categories:
  • advising on transactions, including public M&A but also private M&A, joint ventures and investments;
  • fund raisings and equity capital markets transactions, including initial public offers and secondaries (such as placings, rights issues etc..), as well as buy-backs, acting for issuers and banks/underwriters; and
  • advisory work, involving Takeover Code, Listing Rules and AIM Rules, Prospectus Rules and MAR, as well as corporate governance advice
• Associates will work in a highly collegiate environment, for a range of partners, and can expect a good variety of work
• Developing relationships with clients including gaining a good knowledge of the client’s businesses, economic drivers, market and sector requirements in order to ensure advice is relevant, pragmatic and commercial
• Engaging in business development activities and being active in the promotion of the firm and seeking opportunities for new work
• Working as part of a team, including assisting with the supervision of junior lawyers’ work, and taking an active part in sharing knowledge and experience with the team

Associates are given regular and direct contact with clients, with a culture based on associates being given the level of responsibility they are ready for, rather than a PQE based method of work allocation. There are regular opportunities for secondments with clients. Posting to other offices under the firm's associate transfer programme is also a possibility.

Skills and experience: 

• A qualified lawyer with excellent academics credentials as a mid-level associate  (1 - 4 years of post-qualification experience)
• First rate technical skills needed to support the client work of the team and department
• Commerciality and demonstrable business development experience
• Excellent written communication and drafting skills
• Initiative and proactivity
• Maturity and gravitas
• Strong service orientation - a "client first" culture
• Ability to develop strong relationships with clients and to take responsibility for this relationship
• High work standards
• Flexible work practices
• Outstanding communication skills and the ability to adapt style as required
• Ability to work well in both a team and individually
• A keenness to learn
• Respects and enjoys the diversity of cultural, social and academic backgrounds found in the Firm

At Baker McKenzie we are different in the way we think, work and behave. With our team of 13,000 people, including over 6,500 locally admitted lawyers, in over 70 offices worldwide, we have a passionately collaborative community of 60 nationalities and are committed to world-class career development to everyone in every job at every level. Baker McKenzie can offer you both the uncompromising commitment to excellence expected of a top firm paired with a passionately global and genuinely collaborative working environment.

Why Join Us?

Baker McKenzie is a truly global law firm. Founded in 1949, we advise many of the world's most dynamic and successful business organizations through our 13,200 people in 74 offices in 45 countries. Yet big does not mean impersonal. We work hard to ensure that everyone knows their role and has the support they need to perform it to the highest standard. Our culture encourages this - how we work, think and behave in a collaborative and fulfilling way.

In London you will be part of a 1,000 person office, which is also our largest office globally. Originally opened in 1961, Baker McKenzie London is well established in the UK as a leading international law firm and is regularly involved in some of the country's most high-profile legal matters. We can offer you the work, pride and experience of being part of a leading law firm but in a local office environment that is hardworking, friendly and supportive.

The strength of the firm and our culture is evidenced by a number of recent awards, including:

• Ranked in Law.com's 2024 UK A-List of best firms to work at
• Included in The Times 2024 list of Best Law Firms
• Ranked in the Financial Times Most Innovative Law Firms in Europe 2024 list
• Listed in The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers 2024-2025
• Winner: Pro Bono Initiative of the Year - The Lawyer Awards 2024
• Winner: Finance Team of the Year - Legal Business Awards 2024
• Ranked as one of the top 5 largest US law firms in London in The Lawyer's 2024 US 50

Have a look at our YouTube channel to find out more about us!

To Apply:

At Baker McKenzie we welcome direct applications.

Please click on the Apply icon to start the online application process for this role. We will then be in touch with you once we have reviewed your application. If you are unable to apply online, please contact the Recruitment Team on either 020 7919 1000 or Recruitment.London@bakermckenzie.com

For more information about this position or to discuss any adjustments you may require during the process please contact in confidence, Vanessa Renforth, Recruitment Manager, at Vanessa.Renforth@bakermckenzie.com

Please review our Applicant Privacy Notice here.

NO AGENCIES PLEASE

Please note Baker McKenzie does not accept unsolicited CVs. Please click here for details of our Agency Policy and commitment to sourcing directly.

Baker McKenzie is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to promoting diversity and inclusion for all. Our unique international culture is reflected in the drawing together of a worldwide family of individuals from diverse cultures and backgrounds in all of our offices. We encourage the best people - regardless of race, religion or belief if any, gender, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation or age - to fulfill their professional aspirations with us. We are committed to ensuring an inclusive and accessible experience for all candidates.