Associate, Corporate Trust and Agency

Associate, Corporate Trust and Agency
Ashurst's Corporate Trust and Agency team
November 2020

About Ashurst

Ashurst is a leading global law firm with a history spanning almost 200 years, and clear strategy for our future growth. Our in-depth understanding of our clients and commitment to providing exceptional standards of service have seen us become a trusted adviser to local and global corporates, financial institutions and governments in all areas of commercial law. To find out more please visit here .

In order to comply with regulatory and client requirements, Ashurst will undertake appropriate vetting of staff. When applicants accept a job offer, Ashurst, alongside a specialist provider, will undertake professional verification and background checks. These checks are only undertaken with consent, and in accordance with our legal and regulatory obligations.

Team overview:

Ashurst's corporate trust and agency team is an integral part of the debt capital markets team within our global markets practice, and is one of the few dedicated corporate trust and agency teams operating in a City law firm. It is based in London but carries out trustee and agent advisory work on finance transactions across Europe, North America, the Middle East, the Far East and Australia, working, where applicable, with our local global market or global loan practices. .

The London team acts for all of the leading corporate trustees and agents operating internationally.It advises corporate trustees and agents on a broad spectrum of capital markets transactions including corporate debt, note programmes, subordinated debt, repackagings, CLOs and securitisations, covering both new issues and post-closing matters. The team also has substantial expertise in advising corporate trustees and agents in relation to default situations and the restructuring of structured and other finance products, working in close conjunction with our restructuring, insolvency and special situations group and the dispute resolution team. We also advise facility agents, security agents and escrow agents on syndicated loans, project finance transactions and other loan financings.

The team has had great success in establishing itself as a market leader in a relatively short period of time and this is an excellent opportunity for a motivated person to contribute to the further growth and development of the practice.

Job overview:

You would be expected to manage transactions that have been assigned to you and liaise closely with colleagues, clients, counterparties and other advisers. You would be working as part of a committed and inspired friendly team that enjoys its work and considers itself a leader in its field of practice. All members of the team have frequent client contact.

Main Responsibilities

• Review of transaction documents and negotiation with opposing counsel;
• If required by the client, completing document checklists and ensuring transaction documents comply with or reflect benchmark terms or templates;
• Advising clients both on new issues and post-closing matters such as modifications, substitutions, defaults, restructurings and enforcement action;
• Contributing to department know-how;
• Depending on level, provide structured supervision and on-the-job training to more junior lawyers and trainees; and
• Developing relationships with our clients is important at every level, and you would be encouraged to engage in business development.

Essential skills and experience:

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate;

• Post qualification experience in corporate trust and agency work OR post qualification experience in related areas such as debt capital markets, structured finance or the loan markets, together with a desire to practice in the corporate trust and agency sector;
• Strong analytical skills;
• Good organisational skills and experience in transaction management;
• Excellent academic track record;
• Enthusiasm for intellectually stimulating cross-border work;
• A desire to work not just as an individual but to cooperate and share knowledge with others in the team to help build a longstanding successful practice; and
• Excellent client relationship skills and experience of business development.

Career advancement:

An established Associate Career Path Framework is in place clearly defining expectations and outlining opportunities for promotion.

Secondment opportunities:

Opportunities often arise for associates to spend time on secondment in house with a key client of the firm. From time to time, secondment opportunities also come up within other Ashurst offices in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia.

Partner Profile:

Malcolm Charles

Malcolm is head of the Corporate Trust and Agency practice which is part of the Global Markets Group. He has over 20 years' experience in corporate trust and agency work.

Malcolm has advised corporate trustees and agents across the full range of international and domestic bond issues, including corporate debt, convertibles, subordinated debt, debt programmes, repackagings, securitisations (including CMBS, RMBS and master trust structures), project bonds and CDOs. He also has extensive experience advising loan agents on syndicated loan facilities. This advice has covered initial issuance as well as post-closing matters such as defaults, bondholder meetings, consent/exchange offers, restructurings and exercises of discretion.

Malcolm prides himself on ensuring that his team help each other and work together in an open and inclusive way to deliver the best possible product for the client.

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