Senior Associate – Corporate & Commercial Law at eRecruiter Nigeria

JOB SUMMARY:

• Our client is a reputable legal firm delivering outstanding legal services to a broad range of companies, private clients, and governments. They are currently looking to hire a Senior Associate with technical expertise in corporate and commercial law, particularly in leading complex transactions from structuring through completion.
• The role is ideal for candidates with hands-on experience in mergers and acquisitions, private equity, joint ventures, corporate restructuring, and capital markets transactions. The candidate must demonstrate skills in drafting, reviewing, and negotiating high-value transaction documents, and have good understanding of corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and transaction risk management. 
• The Senior Associate will play a key role within the Corporate Practice Group, supporting and leading high-level corporate and commercial transactions, advising local and international clients on complex matters. You will be expected to manage transactions end-to-end, supervise junior lawyers, and work closely with Partners to deliver timely and commercially sound legal advice.

JOB RESPONSIBILITY:

Transaction Leadership & Execution:

• Lead and manage complex corporate and commercial transactions from structuring through execution and completion, including mergers and acquisitions, private equity, joint ventures, corporate restructuring, and business and asset sales.
• Take primary responsibility for drafting, reviewing, and negotiating high-value transaction documents, including share purchase agreements, subscription agreements, shareholders’ agreements, joint venture agreements, underwriting
• agreements, and related ancillary documents.
• Oversee transaction mechanics such as completion processes, escrow arrangements, warranties, indemnities, conditions precedent, and post-completion obligations.

Legal Advisory:

• Provide clear, commercially focused legal advice to clients on corporate law, regulatory compliance, corporate governance, and transactional risk.
• Advise on complex company law issues including capital restructuring, share buybacks, financial assistance, related party transactions, securities offerings, and corporate approvals.
• Deliver risk-based analysis that clearly explains legal exposure, commercial implications, and mitigation strategies.

Due Diligence & Risk Management:

• Lead and supervise legal due diligence exercises for domestic and cross-border transactions, including structuring the scope of reviews and supervising junior lawyers on execution.
• Review due diligence reports, including full and exception-only reports, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and commercial relevance.
• Identify legal, regulatory, and commercial risks early in transactions and proactively manage resolution strategies.

Corporate Governance and Company Secretarial Oversight:

• Provide senior-level support on corporate governance reviews, board evaluations, and regulatory compliance audits.
• Advise boards and senior management on governance frameworks, board charters, committee terms of reference, and regulatory obligations.
• Supervise the delivery of company secretarial services, including board and general meetings, statutory filings, and regulatory returns.

Client Relationship Management and Business Development:

• Act as a key point of contact for clients on ongoing matters, maintaining strong working relationships and a high standard of client service.
• Participate in client negotiations, strategy sessions, and high-level meetings, representing the firm with confidence and professionalism.
• Support Partners in business development initiatives, including pitching, proposal preparation, client presentations, and relationship expansion.

Supervision, Mentoring, and Team Development:

• Supervise, mentor, and review the work of Associates and Trainees, providing clear guidance, constructive feedback, and technical support.
• Allocate work appropriately within transaction teams to ensure efficiency, quality, and development of junior lawyers. • Contribute to knowledge sharing, training sessions, and the continuous improvement of team processes and standards.

PERSON SPECIFICATION/JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and Call to the Nigerian Bar (BL) minimum
• Master of Laws (LLM) optional.
• Minimum of six (6) years’ post-call experience with at least 1 of those years as a Senior Associate providing legal advisory on matters within a commercial law firm.
• Candidate must possess a demonstrable and applicable knowledge of legal issues pertinent to the corporate commercial/transactional practice.
• Listens actively and delivers written work which is concise, accurate, with no typos and a high level of attention to detail.
• Demonstrates highly effective oral and written communication skills. Can succinctly explain core legal issues to colleagues and clients effectively.
• Ability to recognise, understand, analyse and classify commercial as well as legal issues and the context in which legal issues arise. Use the analysis to identify relevant and applicable concepts and facts as well as identify alternative legal and commercial solutions to issues that arise on transactions.
• Displays the requisite flexibility in meeting with client demands and is relentlessly focuses on outcomes. Manages time effectively and delivers on the expectations of the corporate services group’s objectives and clients.
• Ability to note gaps and ambiguities in the information provided and to follow through in resolving them, as well as the ability to conduct proper and extensive research on all matters using relevant and up to date sources
• Ability to give a risk-based analysis - explaining possible consequences, the likelihood of those consequences, and ways to mitigate or eliminate risk.
• Brings a sense of tact, discipline and urgency in the delivery of legal services in the Corporate commercial practice.
• Demonstrates the ability to supervise, mentor, and review the work of junior lawyers, providing guidance, feedback, and support to ensure quality output and professional development.

KNOWLEDGE NEEDS:

Candidate must have a passable knowledge of commercial law, including, but not limited to:

• Company Law and corporate advisory.
• Corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and company secretarial practice.
• Advanced legal drafting, review, and negotiation of complex transaction documents.
• Commercial and general contract law.
• Mergers and acquisitions, including domestic and cross-border transactions.
• Corporate restructuring, recapitalisation, and post-transaction integration.
• Capital markets transactions and securities regulation.
• Private equity and venture capital transactions.
• Business and asset sales, arrangements, and reorganisations.
• Strategic alliances, joint ventures, and shareholder arrangements.
• Legal and regulatory due diligence for corporate and commercial transactions

SKILLS:

• Excellent communication and strong presentation skills.
• Strong problem solving, listening and learning skills and analytical thinking.
• Requires the ability to understand technical issues.
• Absolute command of Microsoft office applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access).
• Familiarity with Internet explorer and search engines on the World Wide Web.
• Administrative ability.
• Organisational skills with an attention to detail.
• Interpersonal skills
• A demonstrated ability to multi-task, prioritise and meet concurrent deadlines