Buchanan
Corporate Tax Associate
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Tax Associate - Transactional Corporate Tax (3–5 PQE, Open Across Levels)
Location: London
Practice: Tax (Transactional / Corporate & Finance)
Level: Open across levels, core focus 3–5 PQE
The Opportunity
We're working on a genuinely opportunistic opportunity with a lean, highly specialised Tax team led by a well-regarded partner. There's no formally signed-off headcount behind this search, which is worth being upfront about but the team has a real track record of successfully making the case internally for standout hires, and this is very much a quality-first mandate rather than a process-driven one. In practice, that means the usual rules about "is there a live requisition" matter less here than they normally would: if the right person comes along, the team will find a way to bring them in.
That kind of search tends to suit the current market well. Tax recruitment in London has stayed notably resilient through 2026, with hiring activity holding up across specialisms even against a more cautious economic backdrop, and much of the most attractive movement at the experienced end of the market happening through direct engagement rather than ever reaching a formal job board. This search fits that pattern closely it's the kind of opportunity that's usually gone before most candidates even hear about it.
The team itself is deliberately small: a hiring partner, one Special Counsel, and three associates. That's a lean structure by design, and it means direct partner access and genuine involvement in complex, high-value matters from very early on, rather than sitting several layers back from the client relationship the way associates often do in larger, more siloed tax groups.
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What They're Looking For
The search is open across levels, but the core focus is 3–5 PQE, with the team open to considering both more junior and more senior candidates where the profile is compelling enough. Emphasis throughout is on overall quality rather than ticking rigid boxes, though in practice they're looking for:
- Training and qualification at a Magic Circle, Elite US, or leading international firm
- Broad transactional tax experience, ideally with genuine exposure to corporate and finance matters
- Strong academics from a leading institution
- The ability to operate effectively and comfortably within a lean, high-performing team rather than a larger, more layered structure
Given how deliberately small the team is, this tends to suit candidates who are commercially minded as well as technically strong, and who are comfortable being one of a handful of associates working closely with a partner, rather than one of many.
Compensation
Compensation here follows the Cravath scale, which as of mid-2026 runs from roughly $235,000 at first year up to $455,000 by eighth year in base salary alone, with total compensation for senior associates (once bonuses are included) regularly reaching into the mid-to-high $500,000s.
On top of base, the team offers a competitive bonus structure aligned with the leading US firms both a summer bonus and an end-of-year bonus along with sign-on bonuses where appropriate, and a choice of either a fixed or variable FX rate on pay. The billable hours target sits above 2,000, though it's rarely a point of discussion internally, since most associates in the team hit it comfortably given the volume of work coming through.
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Why Join This Practice
For candidates currently sitting in a larger team where visibility can be hard to come by, this is a genuinely rare opportunity to move into a smaller, partner-facing environment instead. Direct access to a market-leading partner, real involvement in complex transactional work, and an Elite US pay platform combined with a lean team dynamic make this a compelling move for the right candidate and because the structure is so small, there's a genuine opportunity to stand out and progress more quickly than would typically be possible in a bigger group.
It's also worth noting that broader market data on transactional tax hiring in London continues to point toward strong, sustained demand for lawyers who can combine deep technical ability with commercial judgement, which puts well-qualified candidates in a genuinely strong negotiating position right now.
Interview Process
The process typically runs across 2–3 stages: an initial meeting with the partner, follow-up discussions with the wider team, and a final stage where required.
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