Careers

Associate/Senior Associate, Project Finance

Ashurst Projects & Energy Transition, London

About Ashurst

Ashurst is a leading progressive global law firm with a rich history spanning more than 200 years. We are proud of our history and are future-focused, having expanded into new technologies through our NewLaw division, Ashurst Advance, and our consulting arm. Our in-depth understanding of our clients and commitment to providing excellent 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 www.ashurst.com.

Team overview

Ashurst has significantly grown its project finance capability in recent years and is acknowledged as having one of the world's leading energy and infrastructure practices and has a reputation for cutting edge, commercially focused advice.

Our dedicated Projects and Energy Transition team, advises global corporates, financial institutions and governments on their most important and ground-breaking transactions, across the full range of energy and infrastructure sectors. Our team is ranked Tier 1 by the most influential independent legal directories.

An opportunity exists for a suitable candidate to join our Projects and Energy Transition team advising clients predominantly on project finance matters in the UK and internationally (with a particular focus on emerging markets and the Middle East for such cross-border work). There will be a focus on (1) the full range of energy - i.e. renewables, batteries, new technologies (such as green hydrogen), transitional technologies such as gas-fired power stations and more traditional upstream, midstream and downstream oil & gas and (2) all categories of infrastructure with a primary focus on greenfield projects such as roads, rail, airports, ports and social infrastructure.

The team handle transactions with both domestic and international content including large, multi-jurisdictional deals and assist with structuring transactions to accommodate different international regulatory requirements and frequently working with teams across our network.

For more information, please visit the practice group's page on our website.

Job overview

We are looking for suitably qualified lawyers with two to eight years' experience in project finance; specifically, within the infrastructure, energy

transition and/or oil and gas sectors.

• Typical transaction responsibilities will include:
• Negotiating facility agreements, common terms agreements, intercreditor agreements, security documents and ancillary transaction documentation
• Advising on term sheets and debt structures
• Assisting and supervising due diligence exercises
• Playing a leading role in transaction management for regional and international transactions, such as managing conditions precedent and liaising with local counsel in other jurisdicitions

Essential skills and experience

• Post qualification experience in project finance with a reputable law firm in London or internationally
• Experience advising clients within the infrastructure, energy transition and oil and gas sectors on large and/or complex transactions
• Good organisational skills and experience in transaction management
• Excellent academic track record
• Enthusiasm for intellectually challenging work
• Excellent client relationship skills and interest in taking active involvement in business development activities
• An enthusiastic team-player who can work collaboratively with colleagues at all levels
• Willingness to learn new skills and expand technical knowledge beyond core transactional skills
• Excellence in attention to detail, identifying inconsistencies that indicate problems with quality of work or misunderstanding of client's needs

Recent work

• Advised Chappal Energies on the senior and junior acquisition financings for its $1.2bn purchase of Equinor's Nigerian business.
• Advised EWEC on the procurement and financing of the 1500MW Ajban solar project in Abu Dhabi.
• Advised ADNOC on the procurement and financing of the $3.7bn Project Lightning offshore HVDC transmission cable project in Abu Dhabi.
• Advising an infrastructure investor on its investment into, and multi-source project financing in connection with a green steel plant (including green hydrogen) in the Nordics.
• Advising financiers on the multi-sourced (DFI, ECA and commercial bank) financing of a greenfield combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant of aprox. 1,590MW capacity and associated infrastructure in Uzbekistan.
• Advised Encyclis on the project financing of the Walsall Energy-from-Waste ('EfW') Facility in the West Midlands, England, which has reached financial close and will commence construction early in the New Year.
• Advised the funders on the £2 billion project financing and development of the Moray West offshore wind farm in Scotland.
• Advised the lenders in relation to the inaugural debt raise for Pulse Clean Energy to convert biofuel peaker plants to BESS projects, as well as invest in its 1GWh pipeline of BESS projects.

Accessibility

We are committed to making all stages of our recruitment process accessible to candidates with disabilities or long-term health conditions. If you consider yourself to have a disability or a long-term health condition, please feel able to be open about this at any point during the recruitment process. If you are not sure what adjustments you require, we will work with you to establish the most suitable adjustments at each stage of the recruitment process. Please note that our online application form includes a section which allows you to advise us of any extenuating circumstances that are relevant for us to consider when reviewing your application form. Any information disclosed on your disability will remain strictly confidential and please contact us if you have any questions.

Background checks

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.

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