Oliver James
Senior Legal Counsel – M&A/PE
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(Senior) Legal Counsel – Private Equity | London
Join one of the market’s most active private equity investors.
An exceptional opportunity has arisen to join the in-house legal team of a highly respected international private markets investor with a strong track record across complex acquisitions, carve-outs, corporate transformations and special situations. This is a business that has built an outstanding reputation for executing sophisticated transactions across Europe and beyond, offering lawyers genuine exposure to high-value, strategically significant deals.
Unlike many in-house legal roles, this position is almost entirely transactional, placing you at the centre of investment activity and giving you the opportunity to work alongside senior investment professionals on acquisitions, disposals and portfolio investments from inception through to completion.
This is an environment where legal is viewed as a genuine commercial partner, not simply a support function.
The Opportunity
You’ll become an integral member of a collaborative and high-performing legal team, working closely with investment professionals on complex domestic and cross-border transactions. Depending on the deal, you’ll either manage leading external counsel or lead matters internally, providing genuine ownership and responsibility from day one.
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The Role Offers Exposure To
- Private equity acquisitions and disposals
- Complex carve-outs and corporate separations
- Add-on acquisitions
- Corporate restructurings
- Portfolio company legal support
- Strategic transaction structuring
- Negotiation of key transaction documents
- Cross-border investments
Key Responsibilities
You Will
- Lead legal work streams across buy-side and sell-side M&A transactions.
- Draft, review and negotiate SPAs and wider transaction documentation.
- Advise on transaction structuring and legal risk.
- Coordinate legal due diligence and regulatory approvals.
- Manage external legal advisers while working directly with investment teams.
- Support portfolio businesses on corporate and restructuring matters where required.
- Work closely with senior stakeholders throughout the investment life cycle.
About You
We’re interested in speaking with England & Wales qualified lawyers who have approximately 5-8 years’ PQE gained within a leading Corporate M&A or Private Equity practice, or from a comparable in-house environment.
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You’ll Ideally Bring
- Strong private equity and M&A transaction experience
- Confidence negotiating complex legal documentation
- Excellent commercial judgement
- Experience managing multiple live transactions simultaneously
- A collaborative approach and the confidence to engage directly with senior investment professionals
- An interest in technology and AI-enabled legal working practices
- A genuine desire to build a long-term in-house career within private markets.
Why This Role?
Opportunities of this nature are rare.
You’ll join an established legal function where lawyers are embedded within the deal teams, receive significant responsibility from the outset and benefit from exceptional mentoring and career development. The business continues to invest heavily across private markets internationally, creating long-term progression opportunities for ambitious transactional lawyers.
If you’re currently in private practice and looking to make your first move in-house-or you’re already in-house and want broader transactional exposure within a highly active investor-this represents one of the strongest opportunities currently available in the London market.
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