About Thornhill

Thornhill is a full-service firm serving a global client base across Private Capital, Private Wealth, M&A and Disputes, with offices in London, New York and Hong Kong. Our Private Capital practice advises managers, sponsors and institutional investors across the full life cycle of a fund and its underlying investments — from formation and fundraising through to portfolio transactions and exit.

About the Role

We are looking for an Associate to join our London Private Capital team at a time of continued growth in the practice, working on a mix of fund formation and portfolio transaction matters for both established global managers and first-time sponsors. This is a genuinely broad role: you will be exposed to structuring questions, regulatory considerations and transactional execution within the same matter, rather than being confined to a single narrow workstream. You will work directly with partners on live matters from an early stage, with real client contact and responsibility for managing discrete workstreams independently.

Responsibilities

• Advise on the structuring and formation of private funds across asset classes, including closed-ended, open-ended and hybrid vehicles

• Support portfolio company acquisitions on behalf of sponsor clients, including due diligence, deal structuring and transaction documentation

• Draft and negotiate fund constitutional documents, subscription agreements and side letters under partner supervision

• Advise institutional investors on primary fund commitments, co-investments and secondaries transactions

• Coordinate with colleagues in Tax, Finance and Financial Services Regulation on cross-practice matters, ensuring advice is consistent across workstreams

• Manage day-to-day client communications on active matters, including fielding queries directly from sponsor clients

• Assist with the preparation of client-facing materials, including deal summaries and market updates

Requirements

• Qualified solicitor (England and Wales) with 2–4 years' post-qualification experience in private funds, private equity or a closely related practice

• Strong academic record and demonstrable interest in private capital markets, evidenced through prior experience or genuine personal engagement with the sector

• Excellent drafting and negotiation skills, with experience reviewing and negotiating fund or transaction documentation

• Comfortable working as part of an integrated, cross-office team, including regular collaboration with colleagues in New York and Hong Kong

• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple concurrent matters

What We Offer

A structured path toward partnership, direct mentorship from partners who will invest in your development, and genuine opportunities for international secondment across our three offices.