Diavin International
INVESTMENT FUNDS / PRIVATE CAPITAL ASSOCIATE | 1–6 PQE
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INVESTMENT FUNDS / PRIVATE CAPITAL ASSOCIATE
London | 1–6 PQE | Permanent
Two leading international practices | International common-law applicants welcomed
THE OPPORTUNITIES
Diavin International Recruitment is working with two leading international law firms seeking talented Private Funds Associates to join their highly regarded London practices.
These are two genuinely different opportunities, offering strong funds lawyers the chance to choose between a broad private capital platform and a highly sponsor-focused international practice.
One offers an exceptionally broad private funds practice, combining fund formation with sponsor advisory, investor representation, co-investments, secondaries and sophisticated private capital solutions.
The other sits within a highly international, sponsor-focused asset management practice advising some of the world’s most sophisticated private equity houses and alternative asset managers on major global fundraisings and strategic transactions.
Importantly, both offer considerably more than traditional fund formation.
Associates can gain exposure to co-investments, continuation vehicles, GP-led secondaries, GP stakes, preferred equity and wider sponsor-side transactions alongside core fundraising work.
Both practices also offer genuine responsibility, direct partner and client exposure and the opportunity to develop real transaction ownership rather than operating solely in a narrow supporting role.
Strong international candidates are expressly encouraged to apply.
London experience is not essential where the underlying funds experience is sufficiently strong and transferable.
THE PRACTICES
The teams advise across the full spectrum of private capital and alternative investment strategies, including:
- Private equity
- Private credit and direct lending
- Infrastructure
- Real estate and real assets
- Growth equity and venture capital
- Energy and renewables
- Secondaries
- Special situations and other alternative investment strategies
The client base includes leading international private equity houses, alternative asset managers, institutional investors, sovereign wealth funds, family offices and other sophisticated participants in the global private capital market.
THE WORK
Associates will gain exposure to sophisticated domestic and international matters across the lifecycle of private investment funds.
Depending on the practice and level of experience, this may include:
- Structuring and establishing private investment funds across multiple jurisdictions
- Acting on significant private fundraisings from initial structuring through to final close
- Drafting and negotiating limited partnership agreements, subscription agreements, offering documents and other core fund documentation
- Negotiating investor side letters and bespoke investment arrangements
- Advising on the regulatory, tax and jurisdictional aspects of fund structures alongside specialist teams
- Advising sponsors on governance, structuring and ongoing operational matters
- Co-investment arrangements
- Continuation funds and GP-led secondary transactions
- Traditional secondary transactions and liquidity solutions
- GP stake and seed capital transactions
- Preferred equity and other structured private capital solutions
- Carried interest, incentive and remuneration arrangements
- Advising institutional investors on primary investments, co-investments and secondaries
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Associates may also work alongside corporate, finance, tax and regulatory teams on wider transactions involving funds, managers and private capital businesses.
THE ROLES
We are interested in lawyers from approximately 1–6 PQE.
Junior Associate | Approximately 1–2 PQE
At the junior level, candidates will develop strong technical foundations across fund formation and related private capital matters while progressively assuming responsibility for substantive drafting, investor negotiations and individual workstreams.
Candidates who have already gained meaningful drafting responsibility during their training or early post-qualification career will be particularly attractive.
Mid-Level / Senior Associate | Approximately 3–6 PQE
More experienced associates will have the opportunity to take substantial ownership of fundraisings and related transactions, manage significant workstreams, negotiate directly with investors and counsel, supervise junior lawyers and become a key day-to-day contact for sophisticated clients.
Both practices offer the opportunity to move beyond a purely process-driven role and develop genuine transaction ownership and client responsibility.
CANDIDATE PROFILE
The firms are interested in candidates with:
- Approximately 1–6 years of relevant post-qualification experience
- Experience gained within a strong private funds, investment funds, secondaries or asset management practice
- A solid grounding in one or more areas of private funds or private capital work, including fund formation, secondaries, co-investments or related sponsor-side transactions
- Experience drafting and/or negotiating sophisticated fund, investment or transaction documentation
- Exposure to private equity, private credit, infrastructure, real estate, venture capital or other alternative investment strategies
- Strong technical drafting and analytical skills
- Experience dealing with sponsors, fund managers, investors or other sophisticated institutional clients
- The ability and appetite to take responsibility for substantive workstreams
- Strong commercial judgement and attention to detail
- A genuine interest in developing a long-term career within private capital
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Candidates are not expected to have experience across every product or transaction type listed above.
Lawyers with a traditional fund formation background are strongly encouraged to apply, but this is not the only route into these opportunities.
Candidates with significant secondaries experience — including GP-led transactions, continuation funds, LP-led secondaries, tender offers, preferred equity or other liquidity solutions — may also be particularly well suited to certain teams.
Similarly, lawyers who have developed broader experience across co-investments, investor representation, sponsor advisory or other sophisticated private capital transactions are encouraged to make contact.
INTERNATIONAL CANDIDATES
Candidates do not need to be currently based in the UK.
Applications are expressly welcomed from suitably qualified lawyers practising in established common-law jurisdictions who are considering a move to London.
This includes candidates from Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Singapore and other comparable common-law markets.
Candidates currently practising offshore or in other major international financial centres may also be considered where they have strong, transferable private funds experience.
Applicants who have trained at leading domestic or international firms and can demonstrate substantive experience in private fund formation are particularly encouraged to make contact.
London experience is not essential where the underlying experience is sufficiently strong and transferable.
WHAT THE FIRMS OFFER
- Top-quality private funds and private capital work
- Two distinct practice models, allowing candidates to consider the platform best suited to their long-term development
- Exposure to leading global sponsors, private capital managers and institutional investors
- Major domestic and international fundraisings
- Experience across a broad range of alternative asset classes
- Sophisticated secondaries, co-investment and sponsor-side transactions
- Genuine responsibility and transaction ownership
- Direct interaction with leading partners and clients
- Cross-border work and international exposure
- Excellent technical training and development
- Strong long-term career and progression opportunities
APPLICATIONS
Please apply through LinkedIn with an up-to-date CV.
All applications and conversations will be treated in strict confidence.
Candidates who would prefer an initial confidential discussion before applying are very welcome to contact:
Ciarán O’Connor
Director, Diavin International Recruitment
Ciaran@diavin-international.com
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