Paralegal – Leading Private Equity Fund

The Company

Our client is one of the world’s leading infrastructure funds closing deals and making strategic investments globally in this area.

Reporting of the Role

This role reports to the Senior Legal Counsel based in London

Overview of job

Working with the London legal team (3 others) you will support all parts of the legal team, with a focus on the less transactional aspects of the processes while gaining exposure to the wider business and an insight into the world of private equity at the decision-making end. You will cover the full range of legal and compliance needs including, in particular, real estate transactions.

A pro-active attitude is essential along with a dynamic, flexible and calm approach in order to plan ahead and prioritise.  Excellent attention to detail and good drafting skills are also key.

3 best things about the job

• Experience a wide variety of high-quality work, including a range of real estate transactions, real estate disputes and litigation, commercial and media related contracts.
• Join a dynamic multi-disciplinary legal team with a collaborative and positive culture.  
• Be part of an exciting and growing investment business.

Measures of success – In the first few months, you would have

• Built strong relationships of trust with the rest of the Legal Team and senior stakeholders including the Partnerships team who manage the real estate portfolio.
• Undertaken a wide variety of legal work, supporting all areas of the business, focusing on real estate, and other parts of the business.
• Made a valuable contribution to the wider running of the legal function including process improvement and document management.

Responsibilities of the role

• Providing legal support to the UK legal team and other non-UK professionals.
• Drafting and negotiating a broad range of real estate contracts including licences and leases for advertising panels and associated compliance requirements.
• Work at a deal-like pace in respect of NDAs, release letters, shareholders’ agreements etc
• Advising on advertising management and partnership agreements, associated commercial letters and amendment agreements with landowners and franchise partners.
• Advising the Operations team with ad hoc queries and drafting various purchase agreements.
• Working with the wider Legal team to fulfil corporate and regulatory requirements.
• Assisting on the standardisation of certain contract templates.
• Organising workload to ensure matters are prioritised in accordance with the needs of the business.
• Keeping up to date on changes in the law and legislation.
• Assisting on the training of business people on legal issues and use of standard contracts.

What you will need

Effective Communication:

Must have an ability to:

• Articulate a clear message and persuade and influence others to gain support for ideas or actions in the best interest of the organisation. 
• Draft “easy to understand” emails without legal jargon.
• Convey messages in an impactful, candid and credible manner through a variety of communication channels.
• Gain respect and attention.
• Challenge in a compelling and tactful manner.

Client Partner Focus:

• Understand the business, the competitive environment and shareholder needs and demands.
• Understand and articulate customer needs and expectations and translate these into departmental and business responses.
• Initiate, understand and respond to detailed analysis of client needs and priorities in order to set and maintain a competitive advantage for the business.
• Be insightful about the current marketplace, through maintenance of strong formal and informal network/relationships.

Collaboration:

• Manage potentially conflicting priorities and focus to reach a positive outcome for all.
• Listen and respond positively to challenge, compromise.
• Work with, and through, managers on projects and tasks, and seek input and advice from colleagues.
• Raise difficult issues with senior members of the Legal Team and develop positive outcomes.

Personal characteristics:

• Have excellent attention to detail.
• Be approachable, willing to listen.
• Be pragmatic, customer orientated and have a proven ability at building and maintaining relationships both internally and externally.
• Be able to demonstrate decision-making and prioritisation skills, with limited input and guidance.
• Have a commercial interest and desire to understand the workings of the business.
• Have an ability to anticipate and predict situations and potential problems.
• Have an ability to keep a cool and level head.
• Maintain good working practice with integrity and diplomacy.
• Be a personable individual with a good sense of fun and humour.
• Have excellent organisational and communication skills.
• Be able to be collaborative– willing and able to help out with any departmental activities.
• Be able to “think outside the box” and not be afraid to work in areas of law that are new to you.

Experience:

• Possibly a newly-qualified lawyer seeking a personal experience or a seasoned paralegal seeking longevity in their next position
• A team player attitude – comfortable operating within multi-disciplinary teams.
• Able to build relationships with key people both internally and externally.
• Accuracy and a high attention to detail.
• Ability to demonstrate high levels of customer service.
• A proven ability to manage a busy workload and work to deadlines.
• A commercial interest and understanding of the workings of the company.
• Ideally, some in-house experience (whether gained on a secondment or in employment).

Qualifications:

• Experience as a paralegal or Company Secretary in a law firm or fund
• This role is suitable for a NQ – 1 Year PQE legal practitioner although applications from candidates with more experience are welcome.
• Good academic qualifications in England and Wales or other common law jurisdiction.

Contact James Bernie for more information
T: 0203 826 1809
E: jbernie@ckgsearch.com