Corporate (M&A) Legal Director in Ipswich

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The firm

Birketts is a full service, UK Top 50 law firm. With a heritage spanning 160 years, we have more than 700 lawyers and legal professionals based in Bristol, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, London, Norwich and Sevenoaks. We advise businesses, government and public sector organisations and individuals in the UK and internationally across four principal practice groups: Real Estate, Corporate Services, Dispute Resolution and Private Client.

We are defined by our Next Level Law proposition. We work with our clients as a proactive partner, horizon scanning and thinking ahead to the changes, challenges or opportunities that they may face. Next Level Law is also applied to our people. Our collegiate culture means everyone is encouraged to achieve their next level in everything they do. RollOnFriday recently ranked us as the 5th best law firm to work at in 2024.

With our ambition to succeed, comes a strong desire to make a positive contribution to the communities we serve, and we are committed to delivering the objectives set out in our ESG strategy. Diversity plays an integral part in all that we do, with female partners comprising 40% of our partnership.

The department

The Corporate Team consists of more than 20 partners and 50 lawyers, working across the firm’s 7 offices, on a wide range of corporate transactions, advising entrepreneurs, private equity and venture capital funds, financial institutions, owner-managed and privately owned businesses, as well as international investors and public companies, on the full range of transactions from trade sales/purchases, institutional sales/purchases, management buyouts and employee ownership trust sales, to financial distress transactions.

As well as UK deals, our Corporate Team is experienced in dealing with international transactions, including acquisitions and disposals of UK companies by and to international buyers, and assisting UK buyers with their acquisitions of overseas companies.

Purpose of job

We are looking to recruit a Legal Director into the Corporate Team who has the drive and commitment to assist Birketts’ in the continued growth and development of our firmwide corporate practice and to become an essential core member of the Corporate Team. The ideal candidate will hold a pivotal role in advising clients on complex corporate transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, disposals, joint ventures, and corporate restructurings. This senior-level position demands deep legal expertise, commercial acumen, and leadership skills to manage high-value and complex deals and mentor and supervise junior team members.

A key aspect of the role is the development and management of new and existing client and referrer relationships and taking an active role supporting the partners in the team in the management and supervision of the Ipswich office Corporate Team. Prior knowledge or experience of the Suffolk/East Anglia market is not a pre-requisite, however the successful candidate will be expected to become integrated into the market over time.

This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated initiative-taker to join a successful and friendly Corporate Team, based in our Ipswich office, in a growing firm which enjoys an excellent reputation, and with excellent career progression opportunities.

Accountabilities

• A qualified solicitor in England & Wales with 10+ years PQE in corporate/M&A law.
• Demonstrable experience in the following key areas:

• Transactional Leadership
  • Lead and manage end-to-end M&A transactions, including due diligence, drafting, negotiation, and completion.
  • Advise clients on legal risks, deal structures, and strategic implications.
• Client Relationship Management
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with clients.
  • Act as a trusted advisor, delivering commercially focused legal solutions.
• Legal Drafting & Negotiation
  • Draft and negotiate complex legal documents including Heads of Terms, SPAs, shareholder agreements, and investment agreements.
• Team Development
  • Supervise and mentor junior solicitors, trainees and other team members.
  • Provide technical guidance and contribute to internal training initiatives.
• Business Development
  • Identify and pursue new business and client opportunities.
  • Lead, initiate and support marketing efforts, including thought leadership, networking events, and client pitches, working closely with the partners in the team, and the firm’s BD and marketing team.
  • Identify, manage and develop relationships with business referrers such as corporate finance advisors.
• Regulatory & Compliance
  • Stay abreast of changes in corporate law and regulatory frameworks.
  • Ensure all transactions meet legal standards, as well as the Corporate Team’s and the firm’s own policies and procedures.

Experience in any of the sectors in which the firm operates or specialist practice areas such as private equity, venture capital, or capital markets.

Equal opportunities

Birketts is committed to being an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our policy is unequivocal: we do not tolerate discrimination based on age, disability, sex, race, religion or belief, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, or sexual orientation. We pride ourselves on being an inclusive organisation that actively promotes equality of opportunity for all, valuing the right mix of talent, skills, and potential. We welcome applications from a diverse range of candidates, and selection for roles is based solely on individual merit.

Benefits

• Long Service holiday award - 1 extra week every 10 years continuous service
• Private Healthcare with BUPA (offered after probation is passed)
• Staff Profit Share and Individual Performance Bonus Scheme
• Salary sacrifice (Pensions, Staff Profit Share)
• Life Assurance - 4 x salary / Permanent Health Insurance
• Paid CSR Day
• Enhanced Maternity/Paternity Leave
• Subsidised gym membership
• Electric car scheme
• Agile/Hybrid Working Policy
• Dress for your Day Policy

Birketts is a flexible business which has embraced a hybrid working model where our colleagues enjoy a mix of home and office working. We welcome applications from people looking for flexible, agile, and part-time roles and we are happy to explore your preferred working patterns as part of your application.

Please note that this job profile is not an exhaustive list of duties but merely an outline of the key components of the role. You may be required by your line manager to take on additional responsibilities when requested.