WHO WE ARE

Slaughter and May is a leading international law firm, recognised throughout the business community for its exceptional legal service, commercial awareness and commitment to clients. We advise across the spectrum of legal matters including high-profile, ground-breaking and complex transactions, contentious matters and all aspects of risk. We deliver innovative and bespoke solutions to our clients, domestically and internationally, providing clear legal advice that spans the globe whilst tackling the cultural nuances between jurisdictions. Our lawyers understand how to coordinate and manage matters in the jurisdictions most relevant to our clients.

We are now offering the opportunity for a 3PQE+ solicitor to become part of our dynamic incentives team, which provides first-class legal advice to some of the most prestigious and well-known global businesses.

At Slaughter and May, with over 1,200 partners and staff worldwide, everyone's contribution is valued, and we all enjoy an open, friendly and supportive environment. We have an underlying pride in who we are and what we do, and our inclusive culture gives rise to a unique diversity of thinking, which is critical to our success and helps maintain our position as a true market leader. To support our employees in achieving their  professional  development  objectives,  we  offer  an  unrivalled  variety  of  learning  and  development opportunities to everyone, as well as a highly competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package.

Would you like to join us?

We are offering a fantastic opportunity for a motivated, technically strong and engaging individual to join us as an Associate in our incentives team in London..

ROLE OVERVIEW

Slaughter and May is one of the world’s leading international law firms. In addition to our highly regarded incentives practice, the firm has extensive Corporate, Financial Institutions, Commercial and Financing practices. We also have strong practices in Employment, Pensions, Intellectual Property, Financial Regulation, Tax, Competition and Real Estate.

Much of the work spans the globe, with transactions involving our overseas offices as well as leading independent law firms in many other jurisdictions.

The matters we work on are often challenging and sophisticated. We aim to give associates as much responsibility and client contact as they are ready for.

Structure of our incentives team Our incentives team is part of our Pensions, Employment and Incentives practice

Our Pensions, Employment and Incentives practice is led by 5 partners and currently has 6 senior counsel, approximately 25 associates, 5 professional support lawyers and, 7 trainees. As an incentives associate with us, you will potentially work with two of our partners, and our Senior Counsel and Head of Incentives Knowledge, who lead this part of our practice. The work is highly varied within the incentives sphere: yes, we are a leading transactional practice, but we’re also one of the largest advisory practices too.

The  group’s  work  in  relation  to  incentives  includes  advising  on  some  of  the  UK’s  biggest  takeovers,  for example in 2021 advising RSA, Aggreko and Ultra Electronics on their acquisitions by private equity purchasers, as well as assisting a significant proportion of the UK’s largest public companies on the “business as usual” implementation and operation of their employee share and cash based incentives, including recently on clawback issues.

Our incentives work also involves advising private companies on incentivisation and remuneration arrangements for their executives, including the implementation and design of growth share schemes and other cash and equity-based incentive arrangements. We advise frequently on UK corporate governance requirements relating to executive remuneration.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The key responsibilities of this role are set out below.

• Taking responsibility for the share plan and incentives aspects of corporate transactions of all kinds, including public and private transactions.
• Acting as the day-to-day contact for advising clients on a wide range of share plan and incentives issues, including remuneration and corporate governance.
• Drafting, reviewing and amending the legal and commercial aspects of incentives documentation.
• Developing the practice by promoting the firm and its work – both to existing and potential clients and by contributing to the creation of know-how, including client bulletins and other client and firm-facing training events.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

Candidates for this position must have:

• A background in a recognised incentives practice, ideally with experience of work for public company clients
• At least three years’ relevant post qualification experience and be capable of substantial work with limited supervision. Experience post-qualification could be 100% in incentives but experience of incentives plus personal tax, financial regulatory and/or corporate work would also be beneficial
• A strong academic background and a demonstrable, high level of intellectual rigour and analytical ability
• An ability to draft, advise and negotiate in relation to complex transactions and cases,  identifying and explaining key technical issues commercially and succinctly
• First rate legal/commercial knowledge and technical skills
• Strong client relationship skills
• Strong transaction management skills
• The ability to develop and work in a fast- paced, intellectually challenging environment
• Resilience under pressure and an ability to manage and meet multiple deadlines
• Experience in running negotiations/meetings
• A high level of professionalism and integrity