Mergers & Acquisitions Associate Attorney

Job Description

Job Description

Corporate Mergers & Acquisitions Associate Attorney

Direct Counsel is seeking a Corporate M&A Associate to join the elite mergers & acquisitions practice of a premier global law firm.

This is an exceptional opportunity for a 2–5 year corporate associate with significant private and public company M&A experience to join a dynamic, high-growth team handling sophisticated domestic and cross-border strategic transactions.

The role offers substantial autonomy, direct deal ownership, and exposure to public and private M&A, takeover defense, and shareholder activism matters across a broad range of industries.

Locations

Boston, Massachusetts; New York, New York

Position Overview

The ideal candidate will have 2–5 years of sophisticated mergers & acquisitions experience , including meaningful responsibility running deals, managing workstreams, and handling high-level transaction execution .

This role is ideal for an associate with strong experience in:

• Public company M&A
• Private company acquisitions and sales
• Strategic transactions
• Takeover defense
• Shareholder activism response
• Board and governance matters
• Deal process management
• Market terms and negotiation strategy

The successful candidate will join a highly regarded M&A platform known for representing leading corporations, investment banks, asset managers, and financial sponsors.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage private and public company M&A transactions
• Draft and negotiate:
  • Merger agreements
  • Purchase agreements
  • Disclosure schedules
  • Ancillary transaction documents
• Run transaction processes and coordinate deal teams across practice groups
• Advise boards, executives, and deal principals on corporate governance and strategic considerations
• Support takeover defense and shareholder activism matters
• Manage diligence, signing, closing, and post-closing workstreams
• Coordinate with specialists across:
  • Tax
  • Finance
  • Employment
  • Regulatory
  • Antitrust
• Build direct client relationships and contribute to business development initiatives

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school
• 2–5 years of significant M&A experience
• Strong experience with:
  • Public company M&A
  • Private company M&A
  • Deal management
  • Negotiation of market terms
  • Corporate governance
• U.S. law firm experience required
• Outstanding academic credentials
• Strong commercial judgment and client management skills
• Business development-oriented mindset
• Admission and good standing in the applicable jurisdiction required

Compensation

Base salary range: $235,000 – $390,000

Compensation will vary based on class year, experience, office location, and overall fit.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal attorney will be:

• A strong deal quarterback
• Comfortable taking ownership of sophisticated transactions
• Commercially minded and business-oriented
• Experienced in high-responsibility client-facing roles
• Interested in public company and strategic board-side work
• Motivated by autonomy and long-term platform growth

Why This Opportunity

This is an exceptional opportunity for a rising M&A associate seeking a premier global platform with top-tier strategic deal flow, meaningful autonomy, and exposure to activism and takeover defense work . The combination of elite sponsor and public company representation makes this especially compelling for laterals looking to accelerate into senior deal leadership.