Mergers & Acquisitions Associate Attorney

Direct Counsel is seeking a Corporate M&A Associate to join the elite mergers & acquisitions practice of a premier global law firm.

This is an exceptional opportunity for a 2–5 year corporate associate with significant private and public company M&A experience to join a dynamic, high-growth team handling sophisticated domestic and cross-border strategic transactions.

The role offers substantial autonomy, direct deal ownership, and exposure to public and private M&A, takeover defense, and shareholder activism matters across a broad range of industries.

Locations

Boston, Massachusetts; New York, New York

Position Overview

The ideal candidate will have 2–5 years of sophisticated mergers & acquisitions experience, including meaningful responsibility running deals, managing workstreams, and handling high-level transaction execution.

This role is ideal for an associate with strong experience in:

• Public company M&A
• Private company acquisitions and sales
• Strategic transactions
• Takeover defense
• Shareholder activism response
• Board and governance matters
• Deal process management
• Market terms and negotiation strategy

The successful candidate will join a highly regarded M&A platform known for representing leading corporations, investment banks, asset managers, and financial sponsors.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage private and public company M&A transactions
• Draft and negotiate:
  • Merger agreements
  • Purchase agreements
  • Disclosure schedules
  • Ancillary transaction documents
• Run transaction processes and coordinate deal teams across practice groups
• Advise boards, executives, and deal principals on corporate governance and strategic considerations
• Support takeover defense and shareholder activism matters
• Manage diligence, signing, closing, and post-closing workstreams
• Coordinate with specialists across:
  • Tax
  • Finance
  • Employment
  • Regulatory
  • Antitrust
• Build direct client relationships and contribute to business development initiatives

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school
• 2–5 years of significant M&A experience
• Strong experience with:
  • Public company M&A
  • Private company M&A
  • Deal management
  • Negotiation of market terms
  • Corporate governance
• U.S. law firm experience required
• Outstanding academic credentials
• Strong commercial judgment and client management skills
• Business development-oriented mindset
• Admission and good standing in the applicable jurisdiction required

Compensation

Base salary range: $235,000 – $390,000

Compensation will vary based on class year, experience, office location, and overall fit.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal attorney will be:

• A strong deal quarterback
• Comfortable taking ownership of sophisticated transactions
• Commercially minded and business-oriented
• Experienced in high-responsibility client-facing roles
• Interested in public company and strategic board-side work
• Motivated by autonomy and long-term platform growth

Why This Opportunity

This is an exceptional opportunity for a rising M&A associate seeking a premier global platform with top-tier strategic deal flow, meaningful autonomy, and exposure to activism and takeover defense work. The combination of elite sponsor and public company representation makes this especially compelling for laterals looking to accelerate into senior deal leadership.