3rd - 6th year M&A Associate

About the Firm Our client is a large, national Am Law-ranked firm with a strong, collegial culture and a growing national corporate practice. The firm is actively investing in its M&A bench across multiple key markets simultaneously, reflecting continued growth in its middle-market transactional practice and its ambitions to expand its national footprint. About the Practice The firm's M&A practice handles sophisticated business and transactional work with a strong emphasis on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and complex corporate transactions, including private equity-sponsored deals - with particular strength in the middle-market. The practice advises private companies, investors, and portfolio companies across the full transaction lifecycle and a broad range of industries, offering associates variety and consistent deal flow rather than a narrow sector focus. The Role The firm is seeking a mid-level associate (3+ years) with sophisticated transactional experience to join the M&A team in any of its Chicago, Denver, or New York offices. The role carries substantial responsibility from the outset, including drafting and negotiating definitive and ancillary transaction documents, managing due diligence processes, and advising clients on M&A, financings, entity formation, governance, and commercial agreements. Associates work closely with partners and clients directly, with early and increasing client interaction as they take on more responsibility. Strong academic credentials, excellent writing and communication skills, and the ability to navigate complex subject matter efficiently are essential. The firm is especially interested in candidates who bring ambition and a team-oriented mindset to help grow its national platform. What This Means for the Right Candidate * Genuine, early substantive responsibility across the full deal lifecycle - not just document review * Broad deal exposure across industries and transaction types, avoiding narrow specialization * Direct partner and client access as part of a growing, collegial national practice * Flexibility across three major markets (Chicago, Denver, New York) * Competitive compensation ($250,000-$390,000, dependent on experience) plus discretionary bonus eligibility and a full benefits package (medical, dental, life, disability, vision, 401(k), PTO) All inquiries and conversations are strictly confidential.