Job Description
Credit Funds Associate - Elite International Firm
A market-leading Investment Funds and Private Capital practice at a prominent international firm is seeking to make two hires within its specialist credit funds team — one at the junior level (approximately 1–3 PQE) and one at a more senior level (approximately 4+ PQE). Both roles form part of a genuine growth phase for the practice, and the hires are being made to increase capacity on the back of a consistently high volume of sophisticated work, not to replace anyone who has left.
The Opportunity
The credit funds practice sits within a broader Investment Funds and Private Capital group that also encompasses private equity funds, ESG, and regulatory matters. The specific focus of these hires is the credit side, and candidates should have relevant credit funds experience rather than a background purely in traditional private equity or investment funds work. The team is currently described as very busy, with a strong and consistent pipeline of sophisticated, deal-driven mandates a reflection of the practice's standing as one of the most highly regarded credit funds teams in the London market.
The wider practice has deep experience across the full spectrum of fund-related work, including private equity, private debt, real estate, infrastructure, direct lending, CLOs, CDOs, distressed and special situations, fund restructurings, continuation vehicles, secondary transactions, and complex structured credit transactions. It acts for some of the most prominent names in the credit and private capital markets, including major asset managers, direct lending platforms, and global institutional investors, and holds Band 1 recognition in Chambers UK for Investment Funds: Private Equity: Credit Funds, alongside strong recognition in The Legal 500 and repeated recognition as Law Firm of the Year for fund formation in Europe. The practice has advised on some of the most significant credit fund formations in the market in recent years, including a $17 billion direct lending fund and a $5.2 billion senior credit secondaries programme.
Why This Role Stands Out
Both roles offer the opportunity to join a well-established and internationally recognised investment funds platform at a moment of active growth, working closely with highly regarded partners on a consistent flow of sophisticated, market-leading mandates in the credit space. The senior hire in particular represents a genuine opportunity to make an impact within a team that is expanding and that has strong momentum. ESG is integrated across the wider practice rather than sitting separately, adding a further dimension to the work. Compensation is at Cravath scale, with a discretionary bonus payable on hitting the 2,000-hour target. A minimum of three days in the office is expected, often four.
Candidate Requirements
The team is targeting lawyers currently in private practice at London-based funds teams, with relevant credit funds experience. England and Wales qualification is preferred, though some flexibility exists for candidates already working within a London-based team. In-house candidates and those based at offshore firms will not be considered. For the junior hire, the team is looking for a 1–3 PQE associate from a well-regarded funds practice with a genuine interest in credit and the ambition to develop within a high-performing team. For the more senior hire, the team is seeking a 4+ PQE lawyer with a strong track record in credit funds work and the capability to operate effectively in a busy, deal-driven environment; there is some flexibility on level for the right candidate.
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