Associate - Corporate

Associate - Corporate

PQE: 2 – 4 PQE

Term: Permanent

Working hours: Full-time

Practice area: Corporate

Location: Hybrid, Guildford

The Role

We are seeking a technically strong and commercially minded Associate to join our corporate team. You'll work on a broad range of matters including mid-market M&A, private equity and venture capital transactions, restructurings, and general corporate advisory work, supporting a diverse client base from FTSE 100 companies to high-growth businesses. This is a great opportunity to take on high-quality work in a collaborative, well-supported environment, with clear scope for career development and responsibility.

The role is a full time, permanent role. As a firm we work flexibly and remote/hybrid working is available, with employees strongly encouraged to be in the office at least 2 days per week.

The Team

Our award-winning corporate team offers quality and strength in depth unusual outside the City. The leading independent directories consistently rank us in the top tier. We are committed to an active intelligent growth strategy, for the team and the whole firm, and it is with this in mind that we welcome applications for technically strong, commercially minded and ambitious lawyers.

The corporate team is one of the top corporate practices in the South East and consists of eleven partners with a team of 40 in total supported by at least two dedicated knowledge lawyers. The work of the team is high-quality and diverse and covers a broad range of corporate transactional and advisory matters, including:

• Private M&A (both buy side and sell side)

• Private equity (principally management advisory and portfolio work)

• Venture capital and other equity fundraisings

• Shareholders' agreements and corporate joint ventures

• Corporate rationalisations / reorganisations

• General corporate advisory / partnership law

• Inward investment and cross border

• Share incentives (working closely with our excellent employment law and tax teams)

The team is supported by the full range of specialists required to deliver high quality, fast -paced corporate transactional work - including tax, employment, immigration and pensions, real estate, banking and finance, regulatory and anti-trust, intellectual property and commercial. A large proportion of our clients are multinational, based overseas or have international business interests, and we frequently work with overseas law firms, including the major jurisdictions in Europe and the US.

Our clients include household name FTSE 100 PLCs and other major national and international groups, mid-tier businesses (quoted, private equity and privately owned), management teams in private equity backed businesses, high-net-worth private clients and high growth companies.

In the run-in to the first Labour government budget in November 2024, the corporate team closed 30 deals in 30 days with a total aggregate transaction value of just under £1 billion, demonstrating the team's exceptional transactional capability.

Examples of clients that you may experience working with are listed below and further information about our experience can be found on our website here:

Diploma plc, Bunzl, Philips, The Ardonagh Group, Specialist Risk Group, Davies Group, Bright Stars Nursery Group, Rock Rail, Optio Group, Nord-Lock International AB, Corus Dental, Vestey Holdings, BMT, Clinigen, Bright Path Sports Partners (investor in Ipswich Town Football Club), Wates Group, OCL Vision Group.

Qualifications and Experience

Candidates should have drive and an enthusiasm for a broad diet of corporate work but experience in all of the above areas is not required. Most team members have areas of greater specialisation and there are opportunities to become a "go-to" lawyer in areas or industry sectors of particular interest. An appetite to develop into a rounded and commercially focussed business adviser is a must. Successful candidates are also likely to be strong team players with good inter-personal skills, have strong academics and some relevant experience.

You might have started your career with a major City or a leading national/regional practice or be ready for a step-up in terms of your exposure to more varied and challenging work in a supportive environment which is focused on bringing out the best in you. First-class support and learning and development opportunities are provided and early responsibility is offered for those ready and able to take it on.

Essential Requirements:

• Strong technical ability, drafting skills and attention to detail (commensurate with your level of experience);
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to communicate concisely and with confidence;
• Enthusiastic to learn;
• Highly motivated, responsive and reliable;
• The ability to work both independently and as part of a team;
• Able to manage a varied workload with a number of ongoing matters at any time;
• Dedicated to delivering client service to the highest standards and the skill to effectively manage and nurture client relationships;
• An interest in, and keenness to develop skills in, business development;
• Commercial awareness; and
• Strong academics.

The Opportunity

• Pension Scheme (5% employer contribution)
• Discretionary profit share and performance related bonus scheme
• Private medical insurance
• Permanent health insurance
• Life assurance
• Contribution to travel costs or reimbursement of car parking costs, and option to apply for an interest free loan for a season ticket
• Enhanced maternity/paternity pay (after sufficient service)
• Cash plan benefit enabling you to claim for everyday medical costs up to a maximum limit

Comprehensive flexible benefits package including:

• Critical illness insurance
• Buy/Sell holiday scheme
• Dental insurance
• Cycle to work schemes
• Taste card
• Fun pass
• Give as you earn
• Discounted gym memberships and shopping

The Firm

Stevens & Bolton – making a positive difference to your career

You'll work with people who listen, and who actively and willingly support one another within a collaborative and engaging environment. We genuinely care about our people and strive to build and maintain a diverse, inclusive and happy workforce.

We are recognised as a top firm in The Times Best Law Firms 2025, shortlisted for "Law Firm of the Year: The Independents" at The Lawyer Awards 2025 and shortlisted for "Regional/Offshore Team of the Year" at the Legal Business Awards 2025. The Firm was recently named "Law firm of the year" at the 2025 Legal Cheek Awards, was shortlisted for "ESG Initiative of the Year" at the Women, Influence & Power in Law UK 2024 Awards and shortlisted for "UK Law Firm of the Year - Small/Mid-Sized Firm" at the British Legal Awards 2023. Our refurbished office has been awarded a RICS SKA silver certificate and a 2-star Fitwel accreditation.

We've made excellence the hallmark of our firm: in the clear advice we give, in the enduring client relationships we build and in our proactive and highly responsive service. We seek to recruit people who will help us maintain and build on this, and in return we offer excellent long-term career and development opportunities.

Diversity & Inclusion

We have a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion (D&I). This drives a strategy which focuses on constant promotion of an inclusive culture that encourages everyone to realise their full potential and be themselves at work. In 2020 we were shortlisted for "Best D&I Initiative" at The HR Awards and for "Best Talent and Inclusion Initiative" at The Lawyer Awards.