Paralegal, M&A

A&O Shearman is a new global industry-leading law firm, with nearly 50 offices in 29 countries worldwide.

Our fluency in English law, US law, and the laws of the world’s most dynamic markets, enables us to provide unmatched insight and seamless delivery to clients. We work on challenging and important deals and disputes that have the potential to shape the future.

We offer exceptional opportunities for our people; opportunities to work for the world’s leading businesses; to transform the status quo, and to deliver your best work, helping you and your career to thrive, while delivering unparalleled outcomes for our clients.

Whether you're helping clients solve complex challenges, transforming the ways we manage our business, or ensuring the smooth-running of our operations, this is an environment where you can belong and excel. We provide first-rate training and development, we are committed to an inclusive environment, and we provide support and ways of working that help you optimize your wellbeing.

What truly defines a career with us? We recruit the best and ask for the best of you. And together, we will redefine success.

Department purpose

A&O Shearman has one of the world’s leading M&A practices, with a top-tier reputation and a team spanning more than 40 countries. We stand alone for the strength and scale of our M&A group, with leading practitioners in the United States, the U.K., Continental Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. We have more than 1,200 corporate and M&A lawyers globally who together have led on deals worth more than USD2.03tn over the past five years. We act on buyouts, mergers, divestitures, joint ventures, reorganizations, spin-offs and complex carve-outs. Our team is particularly renowned for its deep expertise in public M&A, including takeover defense situations.

Key relationships

• US Co-Managing Partner and Americas M&A Co-Head
• M&A Practice Group Leaders (Regional and Global)
• M&A NY Partners and Associates
• Senior Practice Manager, M&A
• Senior Manager, Paralegal & Legal Support Administration

Job description

Role Purpose

The Paralegal supports the practice group by managing key knowledge management systems, overseeing league table submissions and deal tracking processes, and providing research, training, and infrastructure support across the practice. In addition to coordinating knowledge resources and responding to precedent and document requests, the role also performs traditional paralegal functions, including performing legal research, preparing, and organizing closing documentation, coordinating with service providers, ensuring proper execution, and completing all post-closing indexing and distribution. The role also prepares U.S.-based audit letters, ensuring timely coordination and appropriate documentation. This hybrid position ensures seamless operational, research, and transactional support for attorneys and practice leadership.

The role involves acting as a reliable point of contact as it relates to the M&A partners and associates. The paralegal support function is crucial to the day-to-day success of the business, and this individual will play an essential part in this model.

Role and responsibilities

• Provides Deal/Matter support.
• Works with partners to structure M&A team meetings, including outreach and follow-up for attorney presentations and coordinating practice-specific topics (such as securities regulation, diligence, backup, comfort, and work skills).
• Coordinates Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programming to support compliance and professional development, including scheduling, logistics, and collaborating with the Professional Development team on related submissions.
• Works closely with Global Knowledge Management (“KM”) on updates to infrastructure, from iManage enhancements to M&A specific updates. Serves as a liaison between KM and the M&A teams on all such matters.
• Manages global deal information collection procedures and ensures that precedent transactions are tracked in the master deal tracking database and iManage (precedent database). Communicates directly with attorneys regarding all global M&A transactions and their related closing set documents. This includes following up with associates regarding outstanding transaction information and confirming closed deals, as well as circulating closed deal lists to the team.
• Responsible for supporting attorneys through the lifecycle of transactional deals including:
  • Liaises with clients, other parties, and internal departments to ensure smooth and efficient workflow.
  • Assists in planning and executing internal meetings and client-focused business development, marketing, and social events. Coordinate logistics and handle any follow-up tasks. Assists with preparing and distributing marketing materials, invitations, and follow-up communications.
  • Files certificates which may include locating forms or precedents for certificates and sending certificates for signature via Docusign.
  • Orders copies of documents (e.g. Certificate of Good Standing, Charter) as requested.
  • Orders lien and litigation searches as part of the due diligence process.
  • Coordinates notarizations and ordering apostille as requested.
  • Conducts corporate research, including precedent searches. Uses available tools to pull relevant filings and research market practices.
• Organizes and attends in-person due diligence sessions for confidential documents. This involves coordinating with participating parties, working with Reproduction and Document Services departments to coordinate copies of necessary documents, and attending diligence sessions during opposing counsel’s document reviews.
• Collaborates with partners and the group’s Senior Practice Manager to coordinate M&A partner meetings and team events.
• Works closely with the group’s Senior Practice Manager to support additional administrative tasks, escalating concerns and questions, as needed.
• Prepares U.S.-based audit response letters, ensuring timely communication with attorneys, clients and auditors and proper documentation for annual audit processes.
• Other duties and responsibilities, as assigned.

Key requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• A minimum of 3 years of experience in paralegal work or in an administrative role within a legal environment.
• Excellent client service and verbal and written communication skills.
• A self-starter with the ability to prioritize and drive forward multiple projects.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Ability to analyze information and solve problems.
• Ability to produce high-quality work under pressure and tight deadlines.
• Ability to accurately follow instructions and prioritize work appropriately.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively and flexibly with colleagues at all levels.
• Enthusiasm and interest in learning about the M&A practice group.
• A “roll up your sleeves” attitude and willingness to help.
• Ability to take ownership of tasks and think creatively.
• High degree of professionalism and ability to maintain discretion and confidentiality.
• Ability to work and communicate with appropriate state and federal entities or filings and inquiries.

Other miscellaneous

• Flexibility to work outside standard business hours as needed.
• Flexibility to travel as needed.
• Ability to work in the New York office consistent with the firm’s hybrid working schedule (currently a minimum 80% in-office requirement).

Equal Employment Opportunity, including Veterans and Disability

A&O Shearman is an equal opportunity employer, including Veterans and Disability. Every individual has the right to work in a professional environment that promotes equal opportunity and prohibits discrimination and harassment. This policy applies to all aspects of an individual’s relationship with A&O Shearman, including, without limitation, recruitment, hiring, training and development, promotion, compensation, discipline, termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment.

If you are vision-impaired or have another disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act or similar law and wish to discuss accommodations related to applying for employment at A&O Shearman, please contact US HR Transactions at [email protected] or call +1 212 610 6300 and ask for HR Transactions.