Aviation Finance Associate

We will offer you a place where you can be yourself and where there are no limits on what you can achieve. With us, you can take ownership of your career and have honest conversations throughout. You would join an ambitious firm with a clear strategy for profitable growth where you can get early responsibility and early involvement in growing the business. Here you can expect a competitive and fair reward as well as recognition based on all round performance. This forms part of our internal promise to you, The Deal, between the firm and its employees.

You can expect:

• A competitive salary and a host of family friendly policies
• Life assurance, private health and dental care for you and your family
• A range of flexible benefits including gym discount and retail vouchers
• Tech, cycle and electric car schemes
• We support the causes you care about by giving you one day per year off to volunteer with any charity that you are involved with outside of work
• A wellbeing strategy that focuses on preventative measures to maintain overall health, and tools and support for when our people experience physical or mental difficulties. The strategy focuses on four pillars: physical, emotional, financial and social aspects.
• We are an equal opportunity organisation, committed to having a diverse workforce. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, culture, or any other protected characteristics. We aim to create a culture where everyone can be themselves and is valued for their strengths and unique perspectives

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Ranked amongst the top firms by leading legal directories for aviation finance and leasing, our team has a well-established reputation for excellence and standout service delivery. Our reputation is built on delivering exceptional results in the areas where we strategically focus our efforts. Clients consistently view us as a credible and high-quality alternative to the leading Magic Circle and US firms, valuing our commitment to providing market-leading service, commercially astute advice and outstanding expertise—all delivered with efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Whilst we have considerable experience in all areas of aviation finance and leasing, we are particularly well-known for advising operating lessors, investors and asset managers, in particular on operating leasing, aircraft trading and portfolio management transactions. We have strong and long standing relationships with a number of well known industry players and our client base is growing.
We do high quality work with other leading and highly ranked aviation firms acting for our counterparties on transactions.

Our growing team currently consists of two partners, four associates and dedicated paralegals and is part of the wider finance practice group. We also have aviation finance and leasing specialists across our hubs in Paris, Hong Kong and Singapore as well as a market-leading aviation disputes team in London.

This role will offer the opportunity to work on a variety of transactions, often taking the lead with partner support where needed.

• Acting as the lead associate on transactions, with appropriate partner support
• Drafting, reviewing and amending documentation
• Liaising with clients providing commercially focussed advice and managing expectations
• Developing own informal internal and external network of contacts
• Building excellent working relationships with clients and peers within the firm
• Attending business development and profile raising events (client events, graduate recruitment activities)

• Qualified lawyer with proven experience in aviation finance and leasing
• Background in a firm with an excellent reputation in aviation and asset finance
• Ability to manage own workload and lead a transaction with partner support, including delegating to more junior lawyers
• Accuracy and attention to detail
• Excellent verbal and numerical communication skills
• Cooperative and collaborative in approach and able to develop excellent working relationships at all levels and roles
• Organised and able to work to strict deadlines with the ability to prioritise realistically
• Manages and records time promptly and accurately
• Ability to operate professionally and proactively at all times
• Exhibits an understanding of the Firm's position in the market and how it distinguishes its services from its competitors
• Excellent academic and professional qualifications

This job description is indicative only and does not represent an exhaustive list of responsibilities. The firm reserves the right to alter or change the responsibilities at any time, in line with the firm's strategy and business needs.

Stephenson Harwood is an international law firm, and we're committed to creating 'positive partnerships' with our clients. We represent listed and private companies, institutions and individuals, building lasting relationships to help them succeed in a complex and ever-changing world.

Our focus is on five core sectors: Energy Transition, Life Sciences and Healthcare, Private Capital and Funds, Technology, and Transportation and Trade.

With more than 1,500 people, including 220+ partners, across ten offices in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, we combine deep legal capabilities and broad commercial expertise. We have also forged close ties with high quality law firms around the world, blending local knowledge with global savvy for clients in over 100 countries.

We understand the power of diversity in delivering that high calibre advice to our clients. We want to attract diverse talent and we particularly encourage applications from underrepresented demographics.

• 220+ PARTNERS
• 10 OFFICES
• 45+ LANGUAGES SPOKEN BY OUR PEOPLE

Offices in Al Khobar, Athens, Dubai, Hong Kong, London, Paris, Riyadh, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore and associated office in Guangzhou.

Our brand strengths:

GO FAR, GO TOGETHER

EXPERTS IN MORE THAN LAW

CAN DO PERSONALITIES

ALWAYS READY