Senior/Principal Associate - Banking/Finance - London

What does the role involve?

We need a banking/finance lawyer familiar with finance/security documentation to join our close-knit team based primarily in our London office. You will be joining a high performing and market leading Surety team that advise the leading sureties/issuers of bonds and guarantees in the UK on transactions both domestic and overseas. Our pre-eminent practice has been developed over the past 20 years, has unparalleled experience and is the ‘go to’ option for complex/structured surety transactions. It is an excellent opportunity for you to work with leading individuals in this area and for you to become a key member of the team. The Surety team is part of the firm’s banking, finance and restructuring team within the Corporate and Commercial National Service Line (“NSL”).

You will advise on all aspects of bonds, guarantees, indemnities and security arrangements. To give you a flavour, the type of transactions the team currently advises on includes:

• Bespoke, complex bond/guarantee wordings; facility/indemnity agreements; security arrangements; co-surety agreements and inter-creditor agreements.
• Backed up by in-house specialist sector knowledge/expertise, helping sureties and brokers analyse and explore innovative new market opportunities – including financial services, technology, defence, education, health, shipping, transport, retail and energy.
• Risk participation agreements with and alongside Banks.
• Positioning of sureties in corporate restructurings and work-outs.
• Positioning bonds and guarantees in complex project structures.
• Performance, adjudication and retention bonds on construction/infrastructure projects.
• Refund guarantees and advance payment bonds.
• Pension bonds and other bonds and guarantees required by statutory regulations.

What experience is required? 

You will be a 6 year+ PQE with experience substantially or wholly gained working in the finance and banking sector and you will be ambitious to progress. Whilst some familiarity with the arrangements/documents referred to above would be beneficial it is by no means a pre-requisite as support and training will be provided by the team and you will find your finance/banking background will provide an excellent grounding.

Why should I apply?

Mills & Reeve is a major UK law firm renowned for its outstanding service to national and international clients, for its collaborative culture and for its deep sector expertise.

The firm has been named for a record 20th year running as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in The Sunday Times’ annual survey and is the only UK law firm to have achieved this. We are also delighted to have been named by RollonFriday as one of the top law firms in the UK for the eighth year running.

What skills and attributes would I need?

• Excellent written English for drafting purposes
• Technically strong
• Precision and attention to detail
• Ability to work to deadlines, commitment and enthusiasm
• Thoroughness and conscientious approach to work and career
• Enthusiasm to participate in marketing and client development
• Excellent interpersonal and team skills, including the ability to work with others, influence and persuade
• The ability to build good working relationships with clients, referrers and team
• Good research skills, including an ability to use online information sources
• Good presentational skills
• Commercial approach to legal problem solving and ability to assess risk

Who will I be working with?

Primarily based in our London office, you will be working with two partners (Justin Hennessey and Lucy Collins) who jointly head the surety team and an associate and a trainee solicitor (qualifying into our team in September). You will also be part of our cross office banking, finance and restructuring team within the Corporate and Commercial NSL, with lawyers based in London, Birmingham, Cambridge and Manchester. The NSL is headed up by Kevin Lowe. So if you want to join a supportive team, dealing in high value complex and cutting edge domestic and international surety/finance work, this is a role for you.

Pre-employment screening

Please note that, in the event that we make an offer for a role, we will conduct pre-employment screening that includes, but is not limited to, a basic DBS check, right to work check, any disciplinary history recorded with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and a self-declaration to assess your character and suitability for the role. A full policy of the screening the firm undertakes is available on request.

Disclosure and barring service check and security clearance

This post is also subject to a satisfactory response from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) (to check for any previous criminal convictions and cautions) and, given the nature of the work-type, you may also be required to undergo national security vetting to SC level – the latter can be undertaken following commencement of employment.

And finally

Mills & Reeve is committed to building a diverse workforce and fostering an inclusive environment in which all our people can thrive. We hire people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes our firm stronger, and we have a collaborative culture that celebrates different perspectives and values respect for one another, working together, and openness and integrity. Our approach to flexible working means that we work in a way that achieves the right balance for our people, our clients and for our business.