Associate (NQ)

The UK Tax Group at Freshfields continues to excel, providing top quality advice on a broad range of the highest profile and most complex mandates. The shift in the economy and turbulence in the markets drives a need for innovative arrangements ahead of routine transactions, and this plays to the considerable strengths of the group. We are also ranked in the top tier and are consistently recommended as a leading tax firm by the major tax directories. The group is consistently noted as providing unparalleled strength in depth. Rather than one or two star names, the group comprises individuals of consistently very high calibre. It is this which distinguishes our practice and accounts for the quality of the work we attract and the standard of advice we deliver. Our partners feature heavily in the top echelons of various tax directories and rankings.

The London tax team offers specialist advice on all areas of corporate tax. It provides support for the firms corporate clients and also has a strong stand-alone tax practice, advising on some of the most complex structured transactions.

Key Responsibilities

Associates enjoy a wide range of work including:

• Corporate & Private Equity - Our corporate tax practice covers the full spectrum of public and private M&A, IPOs, demergers, restructurings, returns of capital, joint ventures and private equity transactions;
• Finance - Our tax finance work covers a broad spectrum of innovative equity and debt‑based work;
• Funds- Our investment funds tax practice covers the full spectrum of fund asset classes;
• Restructuring- Robust tax planning both on corporate and finance tax issues is required, and frequently innovative solutions must be devised to resolve new complex issues;
• Energy -Lawyers within our oil and gas tax group provide general tax consultancy advice and play an integral role in the groups transactional work for a number of our oil and gas clients;
• Real Estate - Our real estate tax practice continues to cover the full spectrum of commercial real estate activity, acting for developers, institutional investors, lenders and fund managers;
• VAT - We have particular experience in advising on the VAT issues relating to securitisations, assets financings, property transactions and e‑commerce projects, as well as the treatment of partially exempt business; and
• Tax Disputes - Our tax disputes group brings together specialist practitioners from our award winning corporate tax and dispute resolution teams.

Due to our large international network and the multi-jurisdictional nature of many of our clients, much of our work has a cross border element, involving a number of our international offices. This gives London associates a chance to work with lawyers in different jurisdictions and to gain familiarity with international tax aspects.

Requirements

• High quality lawyer with a strong technical and commercial background

Competencies

• Strong technical and commercial abilities
• Able to work effectively as part of a team and supervise more junior lawyers / trainees
• Highly effective communicator (both orally and in writing)
• Able to take on a high degree of responsibility and manage a challenging workload
• Committed to providing an excellent service to our clients
• Proactive involvement in business development and knowledge management

Inclusion

Freshfields is an equal opportunities employer and all applications received by the firm will be considered by the firm on the basis of their merit alone and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals regardless of background. All offers of employment will be conditional on the candidate having/securing the right to work in the UK and providing the firm with evidence of that right (as required by the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006) prior to employment commencing.

Freshfields is a Ban the Box employer. We ask applicants to disclose criminal convictions only when a conditional job offer is made. A conviction does not automatically lead to withdrawal of the offer: we make decisions on a case by case basis and take a number of factors into account (eg the role you are applying for and the circumstances of the offence). You would have the opportunity to discuss the matter with us before we make a decision.