Staff Attorney

Skadden’s London banking group is a multidisciplinary and flexible team servicing a wide range of clients in some of the largest and most complex and innovative financing transactions worldwide.

We are consistently recognised as having one of the leading  leveraged and acquisition finance practices, and regularly advise private equity and family fund sponsors, corporate borrowers and lenders in both public and private leveraged and acquisition financings. In addition to leveraged finance, a substantial part of the group's practice comprises real estate finance, investment grade finance, restructuring, receivables financing, project finance and advising on “alternative” funding techniques, including total return swaps, credit default swaps and repurchase agreements.  An enthusiasm to broaden established skills along with flexibility and an ability to think outside the box in structuring deals, identifying and solving challenges in a transaction are important qualities that we look for in our lawyers.  The practice's sweet spot is in the more intellectually stimulating and challenging forms of finance rather than "cookie-cutter" type work.

The team in London works closely with the finance practices in our other  offices around the world, primarily the US, Germany and HK.  This leads to a necessary, sound understanding of techniques and challenges thrown up by those jurisdictions and, most importantly how terms and structures developed in the US might be safely adapted to European financings.   Integration of teams across all offices is key to providing the high level of service our clients demand.  Few transactions are purely domestic and solid transaction management skills are key to the role.

The banking teams across the firm regularly works alongside the high yield practice (eg. on a bank bridge to a HY exit or the provision of a SSRCF sitting alongside a HYB).  Consequently, members of the London banking team become quickly very knowledgeable about High Yield financing structures and techniques (which increasingly inform the terms of European financings).

Skadden is one of the very few firms in the London market genuinely able to advise clients across all tiers of the capital structure.   

We are looking for one individual with NQ - 4 years' relevant post qualification experience in banking.  The new hire will be working with the banking deal team on a variety of financing deals, with a focus on parts of the deals that can be appropriately managed by a staff attorney, including searches, preparing and collating corporate authorisations and other conditions precedent / deliverables and coordinating with overseas counsel re. documentary conditions precedent for non-UK entities; undertaking financing due diligence in connection with M&A transactions, preparing legal opinions; drafting simple documents like deeds of release, amendment agreements, consent and waiver letters. 

Excellent written communication and drafting skills are required as well as the ability to demonstrate initiative.  You must posses the skills to take on a high degree of responsibility within a fast-paced and friendly environment.  A strong academic record is essential.  You will be flexible as to the hours you work to meet client demands, but will not be expected to work on transactional matters regularly and so can expect to work fewer and more fixed hours, in a more flexible way, than a deal team member. 

As of 2021, the package includes:

• Discretionary year-end bonus
• Technology allowance
• 22 days holiday and 3 personal days
• Enhanced maternity/paternity and parental leave
• Private medical insurance
• Permanent health insurance
• Life assurance
• Interest free season ticket loan
• Gym allowance

Skadden has a sophisticated training programme that includes both in-house and external seminars and training sessions.  We also pride ourselves on providing our lawyers with "on-the-job" training and constructive "real-time" partner feedback.  The formal training programme includes:

• Regular know-how meetings.
• Weekly and monthly training seminars and workshops for all levels covering legal topics relevant to the firm’s practice areas and skills.  These are presented by partners and associates and external specialists, QC’s and other professionals.
• Regular banking group meetings for Skadden's offices in Europe and Asia.
• Regular banking group meetings for all Skadden offices.
• Targeted banking group training sessions
• Live video-links to seminars presented across Skadden’s network of offices.

Pro bono

Skadden strongly encourages its lawyers to assist, through pro bono work, those individuals and groups unable to afford legal services. A number of pro-bono opportunities are also available to our lawyers through our pro-bono programme.  We are affiliated to LawWorks, a registered charity which supplies pro-bono projects to the firms.