Associate - Corporate

We are hiring an Associate to join our growing Corporate team in Leeds, as part of our national Corporate group.

The role

We are looking for an ambitious and commercially minded Corporate Associate to join our growing Leeds team. You will work with a broad range of clients, from start-ups and spinouts to international businesses, management teams and institutions. The role offers varied, high-quality work across M&A, corporate finance, venture capital, fundraising, shareholder agreements, joint ventures and general corporate advisory matters.

You will join a collaborative team of 10 corporate lawyers in Leeds, forming part of a national practice of approximately 130 lawyers. You will have the support and supervision needed to develop your expertise, take greater ownership and build a successful long-term career with us.

The person

You will be a corporate solicitor with up to two years' post-qualification experience, ideally gained within a strong regional or national practice. You will bring solid M&A experience, strong technical and drafting skills, sound judgement and excellent attention to detail. Proactive and well organised, you will be comfortable taking ownership while recognising when to seek senior support. You will also be a collaborative and resilient team player who communicates clearly, supports junior colleagues and is enthusiastic about building client relationships and contributing to business development.

If you are curious, energetic and ready to develop your career within an ambitious and supportive national practice, we would love to hear from you.

The activities

• Help run M&A and other corporate transactions, with appropriate senior support
• Draft key transaction documents and deliver clear, practical advice
• Coordinate trainees, junior colleagues and lawyers from other specialist teams
• Manage competing priorities and keep transactions moving efficiently
• Build trusted relationships with clients and understand their commercial objectives
• Get involved in business development, grow your network and help shape the team's future
• Use technology and AI confidently to support the effective delivery of your work.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

The benefits

As you'd expect, we offer a competitive salary and a wide range of benefits.

Pre employment screening

If we offer you a role, we will conduct comprehensive pre-employment screening. This screening will include, but is not limited to, a basic DBS, verification of your right to work, a three year employment history and a self-declaration to assess your character and suitability for the role. Full details of our pre-screening employment process are available upon request.

Use of AI during the recruitment process

Technology is changing rapidly and we are all increasingly using AI software in our day to day lives, as well as using it to support our learning and professional development. Here at Mills & Reeve, we embrace the use of technology and AI and we recognise that candidates may use AI tools to support their applications. As a regulated industry, we expect candidates to use such tools responsibly, honestly and in a manner that allows us to make a fair and accurate assessment of their individual skills, experience and suitability for the role.

Please ensure you have thoroughly read the document attached below to understand what we deem acceptable uses of AI.

The firm

At Mills & Reeve, our 1,450 plus people and over 850 lawyers share one vision – achieve more together. It's a state of mind in every client relationship we start and every choice we make. And it's what clients consistently say distinguishes us from your average law firm. You can expect a close and attentive working relationship with a team that's responsive when you need them. You'll receive advice tailored to your individual needs. Wherever in the world you or your business needs support, we'll draw on our network to give recommendations.

We're driven by our values – we're ambitious, we're open, we care and we collaborate. We embrace new ideas, communicate honestly and are easy to work with. We're committed to you, our planet, our communities and each other.

We've been listed in The Sunday Times Best Places to Work list as one of the best big organisations, and we've recently been reaccredited Platinum Investors in People status – a standard achieved by only 8% of assessed organisations.

And finally

Everyone at Mills & Reeve brings a unique perspective and ideas to the team and we do everything we can to help each person to thrive. We're committed to providing an inclusive and supportive working environment, are happy to consider flexible working arrangements, and want to achieve the right balance for both our people and the firm. We encourage everyone to ask if they feel they need any workplace adjustments, and will do our best to support with these.

To find out more about our diversity and inclusion work, visit our website.

Vacancy Title: Associate - Corporate Office: Leeds Contract Type: Permanent Closing Date: 20 November 2026