ASSOCIATE LAWYER JOB DESCRIPTION

One sentence: Corporate legal work is unforgiving in its precision. An Associate Lawyer in a corporate practice manages transactional agreements, due diligence exercises, and governance filings that determine whether M&A deals close cleanly or unravel at the eleventh hour. Sitting at the center of a firm's client-facing work, this role answers to Partners and senior counsel while coordinating directly with business leaders, financial institutions, and regulatory authorities across multiple jurisdictions. The scope runs from routine board resolutions to cross-border private equity transactions.

As the Associate Lawyer, you will drive contract negotiation, compliance advisory, and transactional support across corporate and commercial mandates, ensuring clients meet their legal obligations while advancing their strategic objectives. You will work within a team of lawyers reporting to Partners or a General Counsel, managing a concurrent portfolio of matters that spans governance, M&A documentation, and regulatory liaison.

Career Impact: Exposure to M&A, private equity, and multi-jurisdictional transactions within the first two years builds the deal experience that distinguishes senior corporate counsel from generalists.

Business Impact: Clients depend on accurate Due Diligence reports, closing documentation, and governance records to execute transactions lawfully - errors here carry direct financial and regulatory consequences.

Growth Opportunity: The variety of corporate mandates - from Companies Act filings to cross-border ECM work - accelerates the path toward Senior Associate or in-house General Counsel roles faster than single-practice environments.

• Draft, review, and negotiate transactional agreements, including corporate, commercial, and governance documents for client mandates.
• Conduct Due Diligence reviews across target entities, summarizing findings and flagging material legal risks for supervising counsel.
• Manage corporate governance matters including board minutes, shareholder resolutions, share issuances, and statutory filings.
• Research applicable laws, regulatory decisions, and judicial precedents to support client advisory and compliance positions.
• Liaise with regulatory authorities, financial institutions, and external counsel to progress matters and satisfy filing requirements.
• Monitor legislative and regulatory developments, advising Partners and business clients on potential impact to ongoing matters.
• Coordinate closing processes for M&A and finance transactions, including document execution, condition satisfaction, and post-closing filings.

• Bachelor's degree in Law (LL.B, J.D., or equivalent) or equivalent work experience.
• 2 or more years of post-qualification legal experience in corporate, commercial, or transactional practice, with exposure to M&A or governance work.
• Admission to a recognized bar or law society, or eligibility to practice as in-house counsel.
• Demonstrated ability to draft and negotiate corporate agreements, board resolutions, and statutory documents independently.
• Sound understanding of corporate law principles including governance obligations, shareholder rights, and transactional compliance.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the precision and formatting discipline required for legal documentation.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent matters, prioritize competing deadlines, and escalate appropriately.

• Experience with private equity transactions, ECM, or IPO processes in a law firm or in-house setting.
• Postgraduate legal qualification (LLM or equivalent) or overseas legal training in a common law jurisdiction.
• Proficiency in a second language relevant to the firm's client base, such as Mandarin, German, French, or Italian.
• Company secretarial experience, including maintenance of statutory registers and preparation of Companies House filings.

• Matter throughput rate, measured by the number of files progressed to closure per quarter without rework.
• Due Diligence report turnaround time, reflecting accuracy and speed relative to transaction timetables.
• Governance filing compliance rate, tracking timely and error-free submission of statutory documents.
• Drafting revision cycles per agreement, indicating independence and precision on first-draft transactional documents.
• Regulatory escalation rate, measuring how often monitored developments are flagged before they affect active matters.
• Typical tools: Legal research platforms (commonly Westlaw or LexisNexis); document management systems (commonly iManage or NetDocuments).

• Base Salary Range: $85,000 to $140,000 depending on PQE and firm size.
• Bonus: Discretionary annual bonus, typically 5% to 15% of base salary.
• Equity: Not standard at this level in private practice.
• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage; firm contribution varies.
• PTO: 15 to 20 days annually, plus public holidays.
• Common Perks: Bar dues reimbursement, CLE allowance, hybrid working arrangements.

Figures are estimates based on general US market benchmarks and may be outdated. Adjust based on location, company size, and seniority level.

Successful completion of a background check is a condition of employment for this role given the nature of client-facing legal work. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. Reasonable accommodations are available to individuals with disabilities throughout the hiring process upon request. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

The Associate Lawyer owns end-to-end compliance projects for technology companies, identifying applicable legislation across Fintech, Personal Data, Intellectual Property, and Commercial Law fields, and evaluating regulatory limitations at the stage of client policy development. Working alongside legal counsels and client stakeholders, the Associate Lawyer shapes advisory outcomes by preparing M&A and Due Diligence participation, contract negotiation support, and licensing application projects that directly advance clients' regulatory positioning.

Key Responsibilities

• Opportunity for getting involved and self-development in the fields of Fintech, Information Technologies, Personal Data, Intellectual and Industrial Property, Law of Obligations; Commercial Law and other related fields.
• Opportunity to identify the legislation to which the products of companies operating in different fields of technology are subject, and to take part in end-to-end compliance projects for these products.
• Opportunity to take part in M/A and DD projects of companies operating in the technology sector.
• Opportunity to take part in the processes regarding preparation, review and negotiiation of contracts for all needs of clients, especially software, outsourcing and procurement, to be executed with any of their stakeholders.
• Opportunity to take part in application projects of entities operating in regulated sectors for licensing/operation permits.
• Possibility to prepare information notes covering insights into legislation, regulatory and supervisory agency decisions, and other developments.
• Opportunity to evaluate the advantages and limitations of the legislation at the stage of identifying our clients' policies and projections.

Required Qualifications

• 2–3 years of legal experience excluding internship, with priority given to candidates with background in company, technology, or financial technologies law.
• Active role in compliance with personal data protection legislation and experience preparing and negotiating contracts in similar fields.
• Technology literate and meticulous about grammar and format.
• Strong analysis, productivity, and communication skills; able to adapt to remote or hybrid working models and work effectively in a team.
• Proficient in English spoken and written; English proficiency certificates may be requested.

Reporting to the immediate superior, the Associate Lawyer shapes daily legal operations by preparing affidavits, filing pleadings with courts and government agencies, and coordinating law office activities including subpoena delivery and case summary reporting. Partnering with legal counsels and multiple government agencies such as NLRC, SC, CA, DOLE, and BIR, the Associate Lawyer contributes to timely, accurate legal outcomes for clients through research, document drafting, and administrative coordination.

Primary Duties

• Assist and provide administrative and legal support to legal counsels.
• Prepare and maintain affidavits and legal documents.
• File pleadings with courts, government agencies, or quasi-court.
• Direct and coordinate law office activities, including delivery of subpoena and other legal documents.
• Prepare case summary reports.
• Gather and analyze research data, such as statutes, decisions, legal articles, codes, and documents.
• Help in drafting of pleadings, letters, and contracts.
• Coordinate and communicate with various government agencies (NLRC, SC, CA, Courts, BI, DOLE, BIR, etc.) to achieve desired results.
• Perform other tasks and responsibilities as assigned by the immediate superior.

Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor's/College Degree in Legal Management, Humanities/Liberal Arts, Political Science, or equivalent; Juris Doctor or LLM preferred.
• New bar passers are welcome to apply.
• Experience in paralegal work, preferably in a law office or in-house legal department, is an advantage.
• Proficient in basic office computer applications and software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).
• Organized, proactive, solution-based, results-oriented, and has initiative; high degree of confidentiality.
• Excellent writing and interpersonal skills.
• Flexible and able to work under pressure within tight timeframes.
• Willing to work at Bonifacio Global City.

Sitting at the intersection of client service and transactional execution, the Associate Lawyer leads residential purchase, sale, and mortgage file management from opening through closing, including title searches, deeds, and closing documentation. Operating across dealings with clients, financial institutions, and all transaction parties, the Associate Lawyer delivers smooth, compliant closings that protect client interests and meet Law Society of Upper Canada standards.

Duties

• Manage residential purchase, sale, and mortgage files from start to finish.
• Prepare and administer agreements of purchase and sale.
• Review and execute title searches, deeds, closing documentation, and all associated processes.
• Liaise with clients and financial institutions to ensure smooth transactions.
• Coordinate with all parties involved to support completion of each transaction.

Education & Experience

• LL.B and member in good standing of the Law Society of Upper Canada.
• 3–5 years of experience in residential real estate.
• Strong experience with Conveyancer, Teraview, and PCLaw.
• Ability to work independently as well as cohesively with supervising lawyers and other departments.
• Strong business acumen with excellent oral and written communication skills; strong interpersonal skills with a client experience focus.

Embedded within a full-service legal team, the Associate Lawyer delivers legal services and advice across foreign investment, corporate, M&A, finance and banking, real estate, tax, and labour matters, reporting to the firm's Partners and senior lawyers. Working closely with clients, third parties, regulatory authorities, and fellow associates, the Associate Lawyer builds client relationships and supports smooth case progression through contract drafting, legal research, and authority liaison.

Core Functions

• Report to the firm's Partners and senior lawyers and join hands with other associates to provide legal services and advice on matters including foreign investment, corporate, M&A, finance and banking, real estate, tax, and labour.
• Establish and maintain contact with clients to identify and understand their issues, commercial objectives, and legal needs.
• Attend meetings with clients and other third parties; represent clients in negotiations.
• Draft, review, and negotiate corporate and transactional agreements and other legal documents.
• Conduct research and analysis of information and legal documents; check with authorities on the application of laws in practice.
• Liaise with relevant authorities to deal with their requirements and follow up on ongoing cases.
• Perform other assignments as delegated by Partners and senior lawyers from time to time.

Qualifications & Experience

• Vietnamese-qualified lawyer with less than six years PQE; soon-to-be-qualified candidates with solid working experience will also be considered.
• At least two years of experience in legal advisory.
• Overseas study or a master's degree in Law is a plus.
• Fluent in English, both spoken and written.
• Dynamic, responsible, and priority-minded with excellent teamwork ability; able to work independently and under pressure of deadlines.

A key member of the Employment Legal Team, the Associate Lawyer leads counsel on global employment matters spanning recruiting, compensation, employee relations, terminations, wage and hour compliance, and harassment and discrimination risk, working closely with Human Resources across multiple jurisdictions. Collaborating across legal, People & Culture, and business stakeholder teams, the Associate Lawyer delivers research-based guidance, contract and policy design, and legislative monitoring that reduce employment-related risk at scale.

Functions

• Review and monitor law developments; advise business partners on potential impact and risk to the company.
• Provide guidance and recommendations to business partners on applicable current and pending legislation.
• Counsel the business on applicable legal matters and help maintain company-wide guidelines and practices.
• Assist with the design of contracts, policies, and best practices in collaboration with other Employment Legal team members.
• Support the global employment legal team to develop and implement best practices, policies, and broad employment-related matters.
• Conduct legal research and provide responses to the Employment Legal Team on relevant matters.
• Partner with company stakeholders and field inquiries from various teams regarding employment legal matters and processes.

Experience & Qualifications

• J.D. or Bachelor's degree in law from an accredited institution.
• Admission to the bar of practice, or ability to register as in-house counsel.
• 0–3 years of employment legal experience as a practicing attorney; prior in-house experience preferred; some employment or general litigation experience is an asset.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize, and manage multiple matters simultaneously in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.
• Keen attention to detail, excellent organizational skills, and good judgment with understanding of when to seek guidance.
• Excellent analytical, written, verbal, research, and communication skills.
• Entrepreneurial spirit, personal accountability, courage, honesty, and ability to innovate and build trusting relationships.

Accurate corporate governance records, timely Companies House filings, and well-managed M&A and Private Equity transactions depend on the Associate Lawyer, who leads company secretarial services, statutory document preparation, and internal legal project coordination across an entire corporate group. Based within the in-house legal team and reporting to senior legal leadership, the Associate Lawyer serves as the first point of contact for ad-hoc employment, commercial, and data protection queries while managing external law firm relationships against pre-agreed fee estimates.

Accountabilities

• Support M&A, investment opportunities, group reorganisations, and integration projects.
• Assist with corporate governance matters including share issuance/transfer, shareholder meetings, board meetings, and committee meetings.
• Provide company secretarial services including preparation of statutory documents and Companies House filings.
• Assist the finance team with banking considerations and manage external law firms against pre-agreed fee estimates.
• Lead internal legal projects and assist with implementation of new legal processes and technology.
• Provide ad-hoc legal advice on employment, commercial, and data protection matters; support delivery of legal training for staff.
• Prepare and arrange documents for signature; maintain statutory books and accurate legal records across the group; develop a knowledge bank of precedent corporate documents.

Professional Experience

• Qualified Solicitor with at least 2 years PQE, ideally with a corporate background; in-house experience desirable.
• Sound understanding of the Companies Act; experience with M&A and Private Equity transactions.
• Experience drafting board minutes, shareholder resolutions, routine consents, and developing precedent documentation; company secretarial experience desirable.
• Proven ability to manage a high volume of legal projects simultaneously across a wide variety of legal issues.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills; comfortable taking on high levels of responsibility.
• Willing and enthusiastic to assist with legal work outside core area of expertise including employment and commercial law.

As the Associate Lawyer, this role delivers high-quality legal services across Corporate M&A, ECM, IPO, corporate finance, private equity, and compliance mandates, managing transactions from due diligence through closing and providing strategic corporate advice coordinated across relevant overseas jurisdictions. The client-facing team relies on this work to maintain strong client relationships, contribute to departmental know-how, and support business development through pitch presentations, client webinars, and sector-focused initiatives.

Scope of Work

• Provide high-quality legal services to all Reed Smith clients.
• Manage transactions from start to finish, including due diligence, structuring exercises, preparing and negotiating key transaction documents, and coordinating closing.
• Provide strategic corporate advice and coordinate input from relevant overseas jurisdictions.
• Attend and represent at client meetings as required; develop and maintain strong client relationships.
• Contribute to departmental precedents, know-how, and relevant training sessions.
• Participate in pitch and panel presentations; identify hot topics and support business development initiatives including client presentations, webinars, and social media strategy.

Background & Experience

• Mid-level: qualified lawyer with at least 4 years' experience; Senior-level: at least 6 years' experience.
• Experience in Corporate M&A, ECM, IPO, corporate finance, private equity, and compliance work.
• High degree of sector knowledge and commercial awareness.
• Excellent written and oral drafting skills; strong oral and written business language skills in English and Chinese Mandarin.
• Self-confident, proactive, pragmatic, enthusiastic, and self-motivated with commitment to excellent client service.
• Ability to build relationships at all levels and work well both in a team and individually; proactively involved in business development and networking.

Associate Lawyer shapes legal risk strategy for a technology business, identifying regulatory and compliance exposures across privacy, machine learning, and global policy while structuring, drafting, and negotiating technology-related and commercial agreements. Success in the position means building scalable legal processes that allow the business to innovate quickly, advising business development teams, and managing outside counsel across commercial matters of varying complexity.

Areas of Ownership

• Identify legal risks and propose mitigation strategies.
• Advise on regulatory and compliance matters, privacy, and go-to-market strategy.
• Provide day-to-day input on business strategy.
• Structure, draft, and negotiate agreements; manage outside counsel and advise business clients on commercial matters of varying complexity.
• Analyze and contribute to policy positions around the world.
• Develop strategies for handling legal issues in creative, business-centric ways; build processes that address risk and allow the business to innovate and scale.

Technical Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) and admitted to at least one state bar (or equivalent).
• 3+ years of sophisticated legal experience focused on privacy, new technologies, and machine learning.
• Experience structuring, drafting, and negotiating technology-related and commercial agreements; experience supporting business development teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines.
• Team player who works cross-functionally with a variety of stakeholders cooperatively and efficiently; sound and practical business judgment with ability to work independently in ambiguous situations.
• Experience with a technology company is a plus.

The Associate Lawyer produces practical legal actions across European contract management, compliance matters, and dispute resolution, reporting directly to the Regional General Counsel and serving as a legal advisor to business leaders on the implications of business initiatives. Contract drafting, regulatory monitoring, and liaison with external counsel allow the Associate Lawyer to support global and regional team members while ensuring the company meets applicable governmental rules across multiple European jurisdictions.

Key Deliverables

• Drive compliance with applicable governmental rules and regulations; determine appropriate legal actions to mitigate compliance risks.
• Provide effective contract management including drafting, negotiation, approval, and retention.
• Act as a partner to business leaders by consulting on less complex legal issues and implications of business initiatives.
• Research and analyze actual and potential legal disputes to prepare recommended practical legal actions.
• Monitor relevant legislative and regulatory developments.
• Provide support to global and regional legal team members and liaise with external counsel as required.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master of Law degree or equivalent from a European university; admission to the bar is a plus.
• No prior legal work experience necessary.
• Verbal and written fluency in English and German required; knowledge of French or Italian is a plus.
• Effective communication skills with strong relationship management capabilities.
• Highly motivated with ability to work independently and within a team; able to handle competing priorities and remain composed under pressure.

Reporting to senior legal leadership, the Associate Lawyer oversees corporate legal work across investment, labour, and immigration law, drafting legal advice and documents, conducting Due Diligence reports, and managing Board of Directors and Shareholder meeting requirements including notices and minutes. Working closely with government authorities, clients, and an international firm's legal team, the Associate Lawyer advances regulatory compliance and client relationship outcomes across company establishment, capital increase, and directorship change proceedings.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities

• Provide and draft legal advice, legal documents, and interpret legal information and regulations.
• Prepare all applications and proceedings for registration in various matters such as company establishment, capital increase, and changes of director and shareholders.
• Review, check, and conduct Due Diligence reports.
• Research matters of laws, regulations, and past judicial decisions.
• Handle corporate legal work in fields of corporate, investment, labour, and immigration law.
• Manage and prepare all requirements for Board of Directors meetings and extraordinary/ordinary Shareholder meetings, including drafting notices and minutes.
• Develop strong client relationships; handle correspondence with clients in a timely manner and assist team in carrying out responsibilities.

Knowledge Skills & Abilities

• Bachelor's Degree in Law or higher.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in the corporate field, preferably with an international firm.
• Strong knowledge of regulatory law and legal aspects, including government and commercial law.
• Able to communicate and deal with government authorities and clients; able to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
• Good command of written and spoken English.

Reporting to senior legal leadership, the Associate Lawyer refines the firm's medical indemnity practice by managing end-to-end claims and investigations against doctors, hospitals, and allied health staff, appearing across civil jurisdictions, the Coroners Court, NCAT, and Medical Council proceedings. Partnering with insurers, corporate counsel of health entities, and individual practitioners, the Associate Lawyer contributes to junior cohort development and new client engagement that strengthens the firm's position in health, aged care, and personal injury defense.

Work Activities

• Manage claims and investigations brought against doctors, hospitals, and allied health staff from end to end.
• Appear in all civil jurisdictions as well as the Coroners Court, NCAT, Medical Council, and before commissions.
• Provide timely and accurate written advice to insurers and insured clients.
• Appear at mediations, witness interviews, inquests, and disciplinary hearings.
• Drive direct marketing and engagement of new clients.

Position Requirements

• 3–7 years PAE.
• Experience and expertise in medical indemnity, health, aged care, and/or personal injury law for defendants preferred.
• Passion for medico-legal issues and claims management.
• Strong writing skills and ability to engage well with insurers, corporate counsel of health entities, individual practitioners, and clinic management.
• Strong leadership skills to assist in developing the junior cohort.