Allen & Overy is a leading international legal practice with a truly global presence. The firm operates at the forefront of the legal industry and we are renowned for the high quality of our banking, corporate and international capital markets advice but also have major strengths in areas such as litigation and dispute resolution, employment and benefits, real estate and tax. Our deals and cases often make headline business news and we work with a large number of the top financial institutions and governments. With many of our partners acknowledged as leaders in their field, and with all our people demonstrating the highest levels of professionalism, we have a reputation for delivering excellence in all that we do. We have developed a culture in which difference is positively valued, and our people are free to be themselves. We are in every sense one global team; supportive and collaborative, but also ambitious and driven. Our capacity to combine these qualities and provide a setting in which our people can thrive is what makes us different. Department Purpose and Structure We are looking for two UK/Wales or Common law qualified associates to join our Madrid office. You should have experience at least in one of the following fields: project finance, leveraged finance or real estate finance, all of them key business practices for A&O. On the leveraged finance space, Allen & Overy can advise on any form of financing that borrowers or lenders choose to undertake, and clients often call on us to advise on the ground-breaking deals and structures which eventually become the market standard. The focus of the Leveraged Finance group is leveraged acquisition finance, particularly large, multi-jurisdictional transactions, and including both public and private bids. Allen & Overy’s leveraged finance practice is widely recognised as one of the market leaders. We are able to offer our clients exceptional market knowledge, built from a broad client base and from regularly working on big-ticket, cross-border deals, gained in times of both boom and bust. Our lawyers have been active in transactions all across Europe and beyond and we work on some of the most cutting-edge and high profile deals in the market. In addition to that, Allen & Overy is the world’s leading Projects, Energy and Infrastructure practice. With over 70 partners and 250 lawyers worldwide, we have, since 2000, consistently closed more project finance deals globally than any other law firm has. We advise the most sophisticated sponsors, project and construction companies, debt providers and governments across a wide array of sectors, including oil & gas (upstream, midstream and downstream), power generation (thermal, nuclear and renewable) and transmission, social infrastructure, transport, telecommunications, waste & water, mining and natural resources. We provide our clients with a totally integrated service on all aspects of projects work in both the primary and secondary markets, drawing on and marshalling Allen & Overy’s specialist skills in relation to, among other things, project development, deal-structuring, bankability, equity strategy, debt financing and refinancing (including bank, capital markets, ECA and multilateral), hedging, project contracts, construction and regulatory compliance. Finally, we are also recognised as the market’s leading Real Estate Finance practice. Clients have described us as “preeminent” in Chambers & Partners. We advise the world’s most advanced investment banks, specialist real estate lenders, borrowers, funds and investors on their most critical and pioneering transactions. No other practice can match our depth of experience and unique understanding of every aspect of real estate finance in both domestic and international markets. If you are looking for an opportunity in one of the leading and most recognized law firms and have experience of at least 2 years in any of the fields just mentioned, this could be a very interesting option. Key Relationships Leveraged/Project/Real Estate Finance and Banking Partners in general, Associates and the wider team Allen & Overy banking lawyers from across the international network Wider A&O community Role and responsibilities Drafting, reviewing and negotiating documentation Managing and co-ordinating large, multi-jurisdictional transactions Liaising with colleagues throughout the A&O network Strategically advising clients in meetings, on the phone and by email Matter (or sub-section) management and maximising financial contribution Managing client expectations and project delivery appropriately Building relationships with clients (both on and off deal) and assisting with and implementing business development initiatives Legal research Legal and sector knowledge development and sharing (internally and externally) Key requirements UK/Wales or Common law qualified lawyer with 1-3 PQE Outstanding academic credentials Strong technical knowledge of the legal framework surrounding general financing transactions Experience in at least one of: Project finance related work; Project development related work including construction, power purchase, concessions and similar commercial agreements; or Infrastructure acquisition work Leveraged finance Real Estate Finance Familiarity with the main documents (e.g. credit agreements, security documents and intercreditor agreements) used in financing transactions Intellectual curiosity and versatility Self-starter with the desire and ability to continuously acquire, build upon and share knowledge Detail-focused and self-motivated approach Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines Excellent client relationship skills Sound experience of operating at associate level within a complex international organisation Strong commercial/business acumen with the ability to deliver creative and pragmatic solutions and advice Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to interface at all levels and particularly to win the respect of the partner and fee-earner community, building strong relationships with both internal and external stakeholders Collaborative team player with the ability to develop and work in a fast paced, intellectually rigorous environment A person of sound judgment, able to establish a high level of credibility Who we are looking for We are looking for high quality applicants with strong experience in any of these fields to join a friendly and dynamic team where the quality of work is second to none.