Buchanan
Private Equity Associate
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Corporate (Private Equity) Associates - 1–5PQE - Elite US Firm
A rare opportunity to join the corporate practice of an elite US firm as it builds out its Private Equity offering with five associate roles open across 1–5PQE. This is a genuine growth story, and early joiners will help shape the platform rather than inherit one already built.
The team sits within a well-established, well-resourced corporate practice with strong partner support and a genuinely lean structure meaning associates are trusted with real responsibility well ahead of their PQE level, rather than waiting years for exposure.
About the team:
- Sits within a wider corporate group of 12 partners and c.30 associates
- Corporate M&A generalist focus with a clear strength in private equity work
- Broader exposure than many PE-focused teams — this is not a pure LBO shop, and the mandate spans a wide range of high-value corporate matters
- Meritocratic culture — workload and progression are not dictated purely by PQE
- Genuine room for long-term partnership progression, without the senior bottleneck seen at more established platforms
- Lean, partner-led environment offering direct access and exposure to complex, high-value transactions
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
What they're looking for:
- 1–5PQE corporate generalists with a clear affinity for private equity work
- Trained and qualified at a Magic Circle or Elite US firm
- Commercially minded, confident operators who thrive with autonomy rather than heavy structure
- Team players with no ego, willing to turn their hand to unfamiliar work
- Foreign-qualified candidates considered, provided they have strong London experience
- Candidates with limited PE experience but a genuine willingness to learn are welcome, as are LBO specialists looking to diversify and generalist corporate/M&A lawyers looking to build a PE practice
Compensation & Benefits:
- Cravath scale elite US market-leading compensation
- NQ salary from $235,000
- Summer and year-end bonuses, plus sign-on bonuses available
- Choice of fixed or variable FX rate on pay
- Personalised, individual training plans for every associate
- Dedicated knowledge lawyers and talent development managers supporting each practice group
- 1:1 mentoring for every associate, alongside a wider support network
- Strong track record of secondments, including in-house placements and international rotations
- Access to bespoke US-focused training programmes for more senior associates
- Excellent office environment — collaborative culture, open-door policy across partners and associates, and strong social scene
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Process:
A typically 2–3 stage process involving partner meetings, with additional technical or informal stages depending on seniority.
This is a highly selective search for top-tier profiles looking to join a lean, high-calibre corporate team with genuine partner access, broad M&A exposure, and elite compensation with the potential to establish a visible, senior presence within a growing practice rather than being one of many.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills
Location