Associate

Watson Farley & Williams is an international law firm advising on complex disputes and transactions through local knowledge and an integrated international network.  We have a strong sector focus, combining our technical excellence with deep industry knowledge across Energy, Transport and associated Infrastructure.

The firm has achieved rapid expansion and year-on-year growth owed almost entirely to a focused strategy, strong leadership and the quality of its people.  The next stage in the firm’s growth plan is to achieve full-service strength within core sectors across the global platform.

We strive for excellence in all that we do and view investment in our people as key to achieving our business goals and values, which rest on developing deep and long-lasting relationships externally and internally through respect, sharing, communication and integrity.

Our global practice is integrated across our offices in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and North America delivering consistently high levels of service across borders and locally through a deep understanding of local business customs and culture.

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace to attract and retain the most talented people from all backgrounds and cultures.  We believe in celebrating difference and that people from any background can rise to the top, ensuring opportunities to develop and progress are available for all from day one.

With one of the largest dedicated asset finance legal practices in the world, we have a presence in all the major asset finance centres and have over 100 specialist lawyers across our international offices. 

Asset finance has been a core part of our business from the beginning and we have one of the leading practices in the international legal market.  Our Assets & Structured Finance group comprises over 150 lawyers spread throughout our offices internationally.

Our team is particularly strong in London, New York, Paris, Greece and Hamburg, which enables us to advise on all aspects of cross-border asset financings between the respective jurisdictions.  In Chambers we have been reported as being “a first class player” in asset finance.

Utilising the depth and breadth of our combined finance and sector expertise, our lawyers have the distinct advantage of understanding not only the finance-related mechanics of the transactions in which we advise, but the complexities and specific considerations relating to the underlying assets.

Our Assets & Structured Finance group acts for all parties involved in asset financing transactions: lessors, lessees, financiers, airlines, manufacturers, arrangers, borrowers, export credit agencies, trustees, private individuals and others.

We advise on all aspects of domestic and cross-border asset financing including:

• export credit backed financing;
• syndicated and bilateral debt;
• project and asset financing;
• capital markets products;
• securitisations;
• advising on distressed asset finance transactions;
• tax planning and structuring;
• reducing credit and structure risk for lessors;
• cross border leasing;
• off-balance sheet structures;
• Islamic financing; 
• operating and finance leases (both tax and non-tax based);
• sale and purchase of leasing companies;
• sale and purchase of aircraft portfolios and lease transfers;
• procurement contracts with airframe and engine manufacturers, and maintenance support arrangements;
• pre-delivery payment financing;
• vendor leasing documentation including lease/rental agreements and programme agreements receivables financing;
• currency swaps and other hedging arrangements;
• asset sale and purchase (including sale and leaseback);
• aircraft repossessions;
• airline restructurings and insolvencies; and
• insurance issues.

We would be interested in speaking with aviation finance lawyers who:

• are qualified as a solicitor in England & Wales (or another common-law jurisdiction) with 5+ years' relevant and high quality post-qualification experience;
• have proven technical skills in non-contentious aviation finance and leasing and related transactions;
• have a well-practiced understanding of the aviation sector;
• have relevant and significant experience of acting on major, multi-party transactions, domestically or internationally or both;
• have the ability to operate autonomously;
• have strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines.

Jim Bell - Partner, Global Aviation Sector Co-Head.

Gary Walsh – Partner, London Assets & Structured Finance Group Co-Head.

We offer a competitive benefits and wellbeing package for all employees.

The Firm promotes a culture of agility and flexibility and is fully supportive of flexible working arrangements where these can be accommodated.

Associates are eligible to participate in a performance-related bonus scheme of up to 25% of base salary.

Respect for different backgrounds and perspectives is at the heart of our firm’s core values and we recognise the importance of fostering an inclusive environment that allows everyone to reach their full potential. This is a key feature of our Global Code of Conduct, which places diversity and inclusion at the centre of our firm’s ways of working.

We believe that exceptional client service can only be delivered by exceptional people. For this reason, we aim to attract, retain and develop the best talent from a wide range of backgrounds. All decisions relating to employment will be objective and based on merit and ability.

We are committed to ensuring that our recruitment processes are as inclusive and barrier-free as possible. This includes making adjustments for candidates with a disability or long-term health condition.  If you require adjustments to be made at any stage of the recruitment process, we’d encourage you to get in touch with a member of our team who would be happy to discuss options with you.