Capital Markets and Structured Investments Senior Associate

The role

DLA Piper understands that you’re building a future and our priority is supporting you to reach the full potential of your own personal career ambitions.

Our leading International Finance, Projects and Restructuring group deals with capital markets, structured finance, leveraged and acquisition finance and corporate treasury matters internationally. The practice advises borrowers and lenders on complex multi-jurisdictional transactions and works on restructurings in both the real estate and leveraged finance fields.

Our Capital Markets & Structured Investments (CMSI) team has a proven track record of advising investment grade/listed corporates, investment funds, governmental institutions and bank and non-bank lenders on leading international finance transactions across various sectors. The team forms part of the international Finance, Projects & Restructuring Group led by Colin Wilson. 

As a Senior Associate you will join a renowned and specialist CMSI team with the opportunity to lead and support on both UK and cross-border transactions, through our global network of offices.  The core team is 12 Partner strong with a wealth of experience and is internationally recognised for our representation of borrowers and lenders in both vanilla and complex structured finance transactions.

We are looking for a Senior Associate ideally between 5 – 8 years’ PQE with extensive experience in corporate lending, leveraged/acquisition finance and/or fund finance. In addition to the core loans practice which will be your area of focus, the wider team also advises on structured products such as CLOs and securitisations, derivatives, high yield bonds and debt capital markets. We encourage associates to familiarise themselves with different finance products and you will have the opportunity to work on those to the extent you wish to do so.

Our deals are typically multi-jurisdictional, across continental Europe, the United States, Africa and also Australasia. The CMSI team works collaboratively with the Corporate, Restructuring and Tax groups to pull together a strong global offering to our clients, who know they can rely on us at all stages of the transaction from term sheet and structuring stage, through closing, syndication, ongoing liability management and, if required, restructuring. Over the past few years the team has implemented a number of high profile and high value transactions including advising:

• Concord Music, a leading independent music company, in connection with financing the purchasing of the publishing and recorded music catalogues of Phil Collins, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford, individually and as members of the band Genesis and on a USD1bn debt financing involving a USD600m term loan B debt offering and USD450m revolving credit facility.
• Azrieli Group on the syndicated refinancing of its USD850m acquisition of Norwegian data centre provider Green Mountain, and the financing considerations of Green Mountain’s expansion into the United Kingdom.
• Veon Holdings on over USD5bn of financing facilities, including its USD1.25bn term and revolving credit facilities agreement.
• Neqsol Holdings on the bridge financing and bond take-out for its USD743m acquisition of Vodafone Ukraine and on a consent solicitation exercise to amend certain terms of the bond financing.
• A Private equity fund, with USD6bn in assets under management, on multiple subscription facilities totaling USD200m.
• The principal of an asset manager with over USD5bn in assets under management structuring a complex, first-of-its-kind, multilayer loan structure of around USD350m, including: 

– (i) a NAV-based facility of USD250m for his investment vehicle secured over underlying interests in the funds he managed; and 
– (ii) a USD100m personal loan secured over the principal’s shares in the investment vehicle, a yacht and other assets. 

• The investment vehicle of the two principals of a quant fund with over USD3bn in assets under management in a NAV facility of around USD400m.
• We want you to reach your full potential as part of a diverse, global team that thrives on collaboration, and seizing opportunities and commercial edge.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
By joining one of the largest teams of dedicated finance lawyers in the world, you will receive support from Partners devoted to developing and achieving your goals. Candidates will enjoy a uniquely dynamic and specialist range of work, acting for borrowers and creditors at all levels of the capital structure. Responsibilities will include, but not be limited to:

• Representing a range of international borrowers and lenders in corporate lending, acquisition finance and also complex structured finance transactions.
• Advising on cross border matters including high profile corporate lending, leveraged/acquisition financing and fund finance deals.
• Supervising and mentoring junior team members on finance transactions. 
• Collaborating with our offices in jurisdictions and different practice groups to provide a seamless offering for our clients.

ABOUT YOU
We do not set upper or lower limits of PQE for any of our vacancies.  We have however given an indicative PQE as an approximate guide for applicants. Candidates who have at least 5 years’ PQE are likely to have the right level of knowledge and have gained the right level of experience needed to be able to successfully undertake this role.
The ideal candidate will:

• Be a Solicitor or Barrister, ideally qualified in England & Wales.
• Be enthusiastic and experienced Finance lawyer, having gained experienced in a core Banking and Finance team.
• Be self-confident, proactive, and have a pragmatic approach to tasks and projects.
• Able to demonstrate strong technical skills in finance work, with an international awareness and focus to their work.
• Have good working knowledge of corporate lending, leveraged finance and/or fund finance.
• Have sufficient knowledge of drafting Loan Market Association facility agreements and intercreditor agreements, to be able to produce a first draft from a term sheet and require minimal input from the supervising partner other than to discuss and review headline issues.
• Be able to take a lead role to a Partner on complex and high value transactions.
• Have a working knowledge of lender and borrower requirements and approaches to transactions.
• Experience of multi-jurisdictional transactions would be preferable but is not essential, however a keen interest is a must.
• Be able to handle multiple priorities, working to sometimes conflicting timescales in a fast-paced and challenging environment.
• Be able to build trust and rapport to develop effective relationships, internally and externally.
• Be keen to get involved in supporting the Partners in business development.
• Comply with professional standards and all relevant regulatory obligations

ABOUT US
DLA Piper is a global law firm with lawyers and business service professionals located in more than 40 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Our global reach ensures that we can help businesses with their legal needs anywhere in the world. We strive to be the leading global business law firm by delivering quality, service excellence and value to our clients and offering practical and innovative legal solutions to help them succeed. Our clients range from multinational, Global 1000, and Fortune 500 enterprises to emerging companies developing industry-leading technologies, as well as government and public sector bodies.

OUR VALUES
In everything we do connected with our People, our Clients and our Communities, we live by these values:

• Be Supportive – we are compassionate and inclusive, valuing diversity and acting thoughtfully
• Be Collaborative – we are proactive, passionate team players investing in our relationships
• Be Bold – we are fearless and inquisitive, challenging ourselves to think big and find creative new solutions
• Be Exceptional – we are strategic and driven, exceeding standards and expectations

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
At DLA Piper, diversity and inclusion underpins how we live our values and everything we do. We believe that everyone has a voice, and that everyone’s voice counts. We know that the rich diversity across our firm makes us stronger, more innovative and creative, which helps us to better serve our clients and communities. We are committed to providing an inclusive working environment and culture across our global firm, where everyone can bring their authentic self to work.

Diversity of perspective, thought, background and culture combine to make us the leading global law firm; that’s why we actively seek to build balanced teams. We welcome the unique contribution that you will bring to our firm and actively encourage applications from all talented people – however your talent is packaged, whatever your background or circumstance and regardless of how you identify.

HYBRID WORKING
We recognise that people have responsibilities and interests outside of their career and that as a business, we all benefit from working flexibly. That’s why we are open to discussing with candidates the different ways in which we are able to support requests for agile working arrangements.

PRE-ENGAGEMENT SCREENING
In the event that we make an offer to you, and where local legislation permits and where relevant, we will conduct pre-engagement screening checks that may include but are not limited to your professional and academic qualifications, your eligibility to work in the relevant jurisdiction, any criminal records, your financial stability and work-related references.