International Firm - Associate

• M&A Transaction Execution: Draft, review, and negotiate core cross-border transaction documents, including Share Purchase Agreements (SPA), Asset Purchase Agreements (APA), Shareholders' Agreements (SHA), and energy-focused Joint Venture (JV) agreements
• Due Diligence Management: Lead and manage the legal due diligence process for complex energy assets. Coordinate with junior associates and subject-matter experts to draft comprehensive due diligence reports, specifically identifying energy regulatory risks, environmental compliance issues, and providing commercial mitigation strategies
• Deal Project Management: Act as a central point of contact for multi-jurisdictional deal coordination. Manage signing and closing mechanics, and liaise effectively with clients, opposing counsel, financial advisors, and our cross-border network of offices to ensure seamless transaction execution
• Regulatory & Compliance Advisory: Advise clients on transaction-related regulatory matters in an international context, including foreign direct investment (FDI) reviews, antitrust/merger control thresholds, and complex, sector-specific energy regulatory compliance across multiple jurisdictions
• General Corporate Support: Provide ongoing general corporate and commercial legal support to energy and infrastructure portfolio companies, advising on corporate governance, post-merger integration, and specialized commercial energy contracts

• LL.M., J.D., or LL.B. from a top-tier international law school
• A valid PRC Bar qualification is a strong plus
• Qualification in a major common law jurisdiction (e.g., US, UK, Australia, or Hong Kong) is highly preferred
• 2 to 6 years of post-qualification experience (PQE) at a leading international law firm or a top-tier Red Circle firm, focusing on cross-border Corporate/M&A
• A demonstrable, hands-on track record in the Energy & Infrastructure sector is strictly required
• Exceptional legal drafting and analytical skills
• A deep commercial understanding of energy market dynamics, energy-specific deal structures, cross-border M&A deal mechanics, and closing processes
• Proven ability to run discrete workstreams autonomously in a rigorous cross-border context, manage tight transaction deadlines across different time zones, and supervise junior associates and paralegals during intensive due diligence exercises
• Native or bilingual proficiency in both English and Mandarin is essential
• Must possess the ability to draft highly complex, sophisticated transactional documents entirely in English and negotiate commercial terms fluently in both languages

A valid PRC Bar qualification is a strong plus