About Ashurst:

Ashurst is a leading global law firm with a history spanning almost 200 years, and clear strategy for our future growth. Our in-depth understanding of our clients and commitment to providing exceptional standards of service have seen us become a trusted adviser to local and global corporates, financial institutions and governments in all areas of commercial law. To find out more please visit here.

In order to comply with regulatory and client requirements, Ashurst will undertake appropriate vetting of staff. When applicants accept a job offer, Ashurst, alongside a specialist provider, will undertake professional verification and background checks. These checks are only undertaken with consent, and in accordance with our legal and regulatory obligations.

Team overview:

Ashurst's funds group is an award-winning, highly ranked, international investment funds practice. It operates from the UK, Luxembourg, Munich, Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia, and is supported by a global network of tax and regulatory specialists.

The group advises some of the world's most ambitious fund managers, and leading international investors, on a wide range of private investment funds. Its work includes the structuring and formation of private equity, real estate, infrastructure and debt funds as well as carried interest and co-investment arrangements.

The Ashurst investment funds group is consistently recognised as a thought leader and innovator within investment funds. That is demonstrated by, for example, our widely respected "Funds Insider" publication and the numerous awards the group has won (including in recent years "Funds Team of the Year" at the Lawyer Awards 2020, "Private Equity Team of the Year - Funds" at the British Legal Awards 2019, and "Law Firm of the Year - Europe" at the Private Debt Investor Awards 2019 and 2018).

The group delivers bespoke advice covering all aspects of funds: from cutting edge tax structuring to innovative commercial terms, from advising on leverage facilities to secondary transactions and management spin-outs.

The group has developed organically since the 1980s, and has a supportive and collegiate approach with a strong track record for associate career development.

Job overview:

Ashurst combines the benefits of a leading investment funds practice with a supportive and collegiate environment. The firm is looking to make a long term investment in a strong investment funds lawyer who is similarly looking to make a long term career commitment to investment funds.

The candidate should be an ambitious lawyer, with demonstrable experience in a funds-related role at another major law firm. Ashurst has a proven track record in developing its lawyers, and the vacancy represents an outstanding opportunity for a team-player with strong technical skills and a commercial approach to progress.

The Expertise Lawyer role covers traditional knowhow work as well as the development and presentation of internal and client training. There is a particular focus on developing the client-facing aspect of the Expertise function - our Expertise Lawyer will work closely with senior members of the team to support the department's business development objectives, for example through the production and delivery of technical documents, market updates, and tailored training programmes for clients, as well as thought leadership and PR initiatives.

This role is intended for an experienced investment funds lawyer with at least four or five years (or more) of fee-earning experience at a large international firm.

The role is expected to be 4 days a week although working days/hours can be discussed.

Essential skills and experience:

• Mid-senior level qualified lawyer.
• Experience in investment funds gained in a reputed City law firm.
• Excellent drafting skills.
• Keen interest in technical expertise and sound commercial understanding of this area of law.

Duties:

CLIENT-FACING WORK (INCLUDING TRAINING)

• Monitoring legal/procedural developments and identifying issues relevant to our clients.
• Identifying appropriate topical issues and producing articles for client publications.
• Overseeing the production and maintenance of the department's client technical literature.
• Drafting and updating the team's contributions to external publications.
• Administering and contributing to regular client seminars and workshops, whether for general client training programmes or tailored for specific clients.
• Assisting with PR work such as press releases and drafting media comments.
• Liaising with the Business Development team to actively support the department's business development objectives.

KNOWHOW

• Ensuring that fee earners are kept up-to-date with changes in law and practice, and other relevant information.
• Creating and maintaining standard documents and practice briefing notes to capture knowledge and to ensure the less experienced members of the team can tap into the knowledge and expertise of the most senior members.
• Assisting in the maintenance and development of the Investment Funds department's online resources.
• Motivating fee earners to contribute to knowhow initiatives.
• Fielding a range of queries from fee earners from across the global team.
• Providing guidance to juniors on where to find relevant internal and external resources for their research, as well as undertaking more complex research to support client work.
• Co-ordinating and drafting responses to public consultations in the industry.
• Working with Ashurst Advance to support the introduction of legal tech products into the resources of the Investment Funds team, as well as inputting into central Expertise projects concerning the design and development of the Expertise IT infrastructure.
• Liaising with other Expertise Lawyers across the firm to ensure appropriate flow of information between departments and to help identify potential cross-selling opportunities, particularly in the context of client training.
• Liaising with the Library in relation to the sourcing and management of paid-for resources and subscriptions.
• Monitoring and co-ordinating: membership of and participation in industry committees and organisations; and attendance at appropriate industry events and initiatives.

TRAINING (INTERNAL)

• Developing and delivering the training programme for fee earners, including preparing and presenting updates on developments in the industry.
• Developing and delivering knowhow training sessions for the global team.
• Developing and delivering the Investment Funds foundation course for junior fee earners.
• Contributing to wider investment funds training for fee earners in other departments.
• Planning and overseeing training days for the team.
• Liaising with the Learning and Development team.

Career advancement:

An established Expertise Career Path Framework is in place clearly defining expectations and outlining opportunities for promotion.