Overview
Corporate Sponsor Finance Associate | Am Law Top 50 | Chicago, Illinois | Hybrid | 3rd–5th Year | $235,000–$365,000 Base Salary + Bonus Jobs in Chicago, IL at Watts & Associates Recruitment
Title: Corporate Sponsor Finance Associate | Am Law Top 50 | Chicago, Illinois | Hybrid | 3rd–5th Year | $235,000–$365,000 Base Salary + Bonus
Company: Watts & Associates Recruitment
Location: Chicago, IL
Corporate Sponsor Finance Associate | Am Law Top 50 | Chicago, Illinois | Hybrid | 3rd–5th Year | $235,000–$365,000 Base Salary + Bonus
Watts & Associates is working discreetly with a highly regarded Am Law Top 50 international full-service law firm seeking a mid-level Corporate Sponsor Finance Associate to join its Chicago office.
This opportunity offers meaningful responsibility from day one within a collaborative, partner-led corporate finance team. The successful associate will advise private equity sponsors, borrowers, private credit funds, alternative lenders and major financial institutions on complex domestic and cross-border financing transactions.
Why Consider This Opportunity?
• Am Law Top 50 international platform with more than 30 offices across the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia
• Opportunities to work on cross-border transactions and gain exposure to international clients
• Chambers and Legal 500 recognition across corporate, finance, litigation and sector-focused practices
• Strong reputation for handling high-value and sophisticated matters for multinational corporations and major financial institutions
• Broad client exposure across private capital, life sciences, energy, technology, transportation and other significant industries
• Sophisticated sponsor finance, acquisition finance, leveraged finance and private credit work
• Exposure to both sponsor-side and lender-side financing transactions
• Direct access to experienced partners and sophisticated institutional clients
• Meaningful responsibility for drafting, negotiation and transaction management
• Collaborative and inclusive culture emphasizing accessibility, teamwork and mentorship
• Integrated teams operating across offices, practice groups and jurisdictions
• Strong visibility and long-term progression opportunities within a growing Chicago platform
• Recognized commitment to innovation, including investment in legal technology, AI-enabled processes and client-focused service delivery
• Ranked among the Top 10 in Law.com International’s UK A-List for three consecutive years, recognizing performance across financial results, diversity and social impact
• Finalist across five Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Award categories, reflecting the firm’s commitment to innovation and progressive legal-service delivery
• Structured training, mentoring and global secondment opportunities
• Strong pro bono culture supporting community initiatives and access-to-justice projects
• Market-leading compensation, comprehensive benefits and professional-development support
The Role
The successful attorney will:
• Advise on acquisition financings, leveraged buyouts and refinancings
• Handle incremental facilities and bespoke credit structures
• Represent private equity sponsors, borrowers and portfolio companies
• Advise private credit funds, alternative lenders and major banks
• Draft and negotiate credit agreements, commitment papers and related financing documents
• Prepare and negotiate security documents, intercreditor arrangements and ancillary documentation
• Lead the day-to-day management of complex financing transactions
• Coordinate signing, closing and post-closing workstreams
• Work directly with clients, opposing counsel and specialist teams across multiple offices
• Coordinate domestic, cross-border and multidisciplinary transaction workstreams
• Identify and communicate material legal, commercial and transaction-execution risks
• Support and supervise junior lawyers where appropriate
This is an excellent opportunity for an associate who wants to progress from completing individual financing assignments to taking substantive ownership of transactions and becoming a genuinely relied-upon member of the deal team.
Ideal Candidate
The firm is seeking an attorney with:
• Three to five years of relevant transactional experience
• Meaningful sponsor finance or complex financing experience
• A strong background in corporate lending, acquisition finance or leveraged finance
• Experience representing private equity sponsors, borrowers, lenders or private credit providers
• Strong drafting, negotiation and transaction-management skills
• Experience coordinating multiple financing workstreams and closing processes
• The ability to manage competing deadlines across complex transactions
• Strong commercial judgment and attention to detail
• Confidence interacting with clients, opposing counsel and internal stakeholders
• A JD from an accredited law school, preferably a Top 25 law school
• Strong academic credentials, with particular emphasis placed on the quality of the candidate’s professional experience
• Active membership in the Illinois Bar, or clear eligibility to become admitted
• The ability to work from the Chicago office four days per week
Compensation and Benefits
The anticipated base salary range is $235,000–$365,000, depending on class year, experience and qualifications.
The broader package includes a performance-based bonus structure, comprehensive medical, dental and vision coverage, retirement benefits, generous paid leave, firm holidays, professional-development support, mentoring, wellbeing resources, pro bono opportunities and access to global secondment programs.
The position carries an anticipated annual billable-hours target of approximately 2,000 hours.
Confidentiality
The firm’s identity will be disclosed during a confidential conversation with Watts & Associates.
Kindly apply with your most recent CV. Should your experience meet the criteria required by our client, we will reach out directly to arrange a discreet conversation.
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