Legal Counsel or Senior Legal Counsel, Private Markets

Location – London

Federated Hermes, Inc. is a global leader in active, responsible investment management, with $902.6B in assets under management, as of December 31, 2025. We deliver investment solutions that help investors target a broad range of outcomes and provide equity, fixed income, alternative/private markets, multi-asset, and liquidity management strategies to more than 11,000 institutions and intermediaries worldwide.

About Federated Hermes Private Markets

Through a combination of heritage and innovation, we seek to connect institutional investors to the industry’s leading Private Markets opportunities in pursuit of delivering attractive, relevant and resilient investment returns over the long term. Our long-established position in the industry and proximity to markets allows us to see and access some of the most compelling investment opportunities in private capital markets.

Main Function

To provide general legal support to the Federated Hermes Private Markets platform focused on private equity and infrastructure, with a particular focus on investment matters in these asset classes. The Sr Legal Counsel, Pvt Markets will advise across a range of matters, primarily legal oversight and execution of co-investment transactions in the private equity business and infrastructure M&A transactions in conjunction with business teams and external legal counsel but also including fund raising and product structuring, investor relations, governance, compliance and company secretarial.

Key tasks and responsibilities:

• Lead oversight of legal matters connected with investment transactions for private equity and infrastructure and liaison with internal business stakeholders and external counsel.
• Supervise and manage other members of the team in respect of deal execution and ongoing oversight of transactional matters.
• Support launch of new funds/ fund change work and liaison with external counsel in respect thereof alongside other members of the Private Markets legal team.
• Fielding interpretative questions on LPAs, IMAs and the full range of other legal documents from across the Private Markets platform.
• Supervise and train team members where expertise can be shared.
• Becoming a trusted advisor of stakeholders from across Private Markets and wider Federated.

Minimum experience required:

• Minimum 3 years’ experience working in either a downstream corporate/ M&A or funds practice of a leading City or international law firm.
• Minimum 5-6 years’ experience for Senior Legal Counsel.
• Experience working as an in-house lawyer - ideally in a private markets fund manager or other asset management firm with experience of private equity investment transactions.
• Some understanding of private markets fund structures and terms would be preferable but is not essential.
• Educated to Degree level and qualified solicitor.

Candidate Profile:

• A proactive self-starter who is equally happy working alone or as part of a team.
• A questioning mind with a willingness to learn more about Private Markets in general and the legal principles and documents underpinning it.
• The ability to communicate clearly and concisely with lawyers and non-lawyers alike.
• An approachable and personable personality who is able to work effectively alongside colleagues at all levels of seniority.
• Robustness of character and the ability to handle pressure / conflicting time demands.
• The ability to think critically and to analyse, assess and critique others’ points of view in a constructive manner.
• The ability to prioritise effectively.
• An attention to detail, coupled with the ability to apply a broader understanding of the wider commercial issues.
• An ability to provide commercial, risk sensitive solutions – i.e. the ability to be a problem solver as well as a problem spotter.
• Uses initiative to work independently and to drive improvement or efficiencies.
• Willingness and ability to develop and supervise others.

Diversity, Inclusion and Flexible Working

We believe in genuine opportunity, fairness, and respect for all applicants and aim to ensure that no current or prospective employee is subject to discrimination or treated less favourably on the basis of their disability, gender identity or expression, race, ethnicity, religion or belief, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, age, sex, or sexual orientation, or disability.

We understand that applicants may have different needs and expectations related to their working arrangements and are committed to a discussion on flexible working.

We welcome applications from all eligible candidates, and we particularly encourage applications from qualified candidates who identify as women and/or are from a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic background, as these groups are underrepresented throughout the financial services sector.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and participate in the “Offer of Interview” scheme, intended to actively encourage applications from people with a disability or long-term condition and offer an interview to those who meet the minimum criteria set out within this job description.