Private Markets Associates
Trainee Lawyer
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Trainee Lawyer – Private Markets Associates
Location: Mayfair, London (fully office-based)
Contract: Full-time, permanent
Salary: Competitive
Websites: privatemarketsassociates.com, h-bay.io
About PMA
Private Markets Associates is a small boutique strategic and structuring consultancy, working across private markets, principally private equity, venture capital and hedge funds. We design and structure funds, fund managers and investment strategies, and lead or assist on M&A, secondary and fund transactions through to closing.
Our ethos: we don't leave the room. We stay with our clients from strategy through execution – and then into their operations.
In addition to what we do at PMA, our sister company, H-Bay, provides entity management and company secretarial services to clients worldwide.
The Role
This is a hands-on trainee role at the intersection of law, strategy and deal execution. You will work directly with PMA's senior team on live mandates, including high-profile transactions, with genuine responsibility from early on. PMA’s team includes UK solicitors with practising certificates.
The role provides legal-services experience that counts towards Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) under the SQE route. Your QWE will be confirmed by an SRA-admitted solicitor. Please note that this is not a traditional offer of a training contract. Study leave and funding for taking SQE1 and SQE2 are not offered under this role.
What You'll Do
- Support fund formation and structuring work, including drafting and reviewing LPAs, side letters, subscription documents, PPMs and investment management agreements.
- Assist on M&A and secondary transactions, including due diligence, transaction documents, completion checklists and closing mechanics.
- Support project management of deals and fund closings, coordinating clients, counterparties and external advisers across jurisdictions.
- Research legal, regulatory and market issues affecting private equity, private credit, real assets and alternative funds.
- Support PMA's outsourced General Counsel work for client managers and funds.
- Contribute to KYC/AML onboarding, internal knowledge resources and PMA insights content.
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Company Secretarial and Entity Management (H-Bay)
You will also support H-Bay's company secretarial work for a portfolio of client entities, including:
- Incorporations, Companies House filings and compliance deadlines.
- Maintaining statutory registers and client records on the H-Bay platform.
- Drafting board minutes and written resolutions.
What We're Looking For
Essential
- A degree in any subject. A law degree/law conversion is preferable.
- Ability to work full-time from our Mayfair office.
- Right to work in the UK.
Skills and Attributes
- Commercial acumen: a genuine interest in private markets and comfort with fund economics.
- Drafting precision: clear, accurate writing and strong attention to detail.
- Project management: able to manage deadlines and multiple parties through to closing.
- Analytical and research skills: quick to get to grips with unfamiliar structures and regulations.
- Technology skills: adept at use of AI, as well as fluent across word/excel/ppt.
- Client-facing confidence: a professional, credible manner with clients and senior advisers.
- Ownership and resilience: a self-starter, comfortable in a small team and during busy deal periods.
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Desirable
- Prior experience in a law firm, in-house legal team, investment firm, fund administrator, corporate services provider, consultancy firm or accountancy firm.
- Exposure to corporate, finance or funds work.
- Company secretarial or entity management experience.
- Additional languages, particularly given our cross-border work.
Important Information About PMA's Status
PMA is not a law firm and is not regulated by the SRA, the FCA or any other regulator. However, many members of our legal team are solicitors who are individually regulated by the SRA.
How to Apply
Send your CV, cover letter, and a one-page document (11-point font) answering the three questions below to bd@privatemarketsassociates.com by 9th October 2026. Please note that the closing date may be earlier if we receive a high volume of applications.
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What IT/digital experiences do you have (other than AI, or basic office skills such as using Microsoft 365), which can help PMA with day-to-day operations?
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What will the typical law firm look like in 5 years, i.e. how might it be materially different from now?
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Do you think Europe will ever get close to the US as a place for early-stage tech start-ups to be successful or scale? Explain why.
Use of AI in your application is permitted for spell checking and research. However, excessive use of such tools will detrimentally count towards your application.
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