Job Purpose

Within the AXA IM Prime legal team and under the leadership of AXA IM Prime Head of Legal, the Senior Lawyer will deal with all legal matters linked to the business development of AXA IM Prime with a specific focus on General Partner (GP) Stake Investments, related partnership arrangements with GPs as well as customized solutions for AXA IM Prime clients in relation to GP Stakes.

The Senior lawyer will bring its experience and seniority to a team of 4 lawyers dedicated to AXA IM Prime. She/he will be the main legal point of contact for AXA IM Prime with the objective to help AXA IM Prime GP stakes business team  navigating in a safe and robust legal environment when investing in and managing GP Stake Investments.

Key Accountabilities

• Providing AXA IM Prime business teams with all necessary legal support and advice in investing in, advising on and managing minority stakes in GPs and/or third party asset managers managing private assets (including private equity, infra equity, private debt, hedge funds) in all jurisdictions
• Drafting, negotiating and advising on any type of document relating to the GP Stake Investment business of AXA IM Prime
• Conducting and/or participating to legal due diligence reviews of the GP targets, and reviewing/commenting on appropriate DD reports
• Reviewing and negotiating business partnership terms with GPs / third party asset managers
• Supporting the business development of AXA IM Prime primarily on GP Stake Investments and contributing to advising on all legal aspects of the product structuring and offering of AXA IM Prime in this respect (investment funds, mandates and customised solutions) for AXA Group and third party clients. Supporting AXA IM Prime legal team in drafting and/or reviewing product documentation in respect of the GP Stake Investment business of AXA IM Prime (prospectuses, segregated mandates, advisory agreements, distribution agreements, etc) and participating to legal negotiation of the same with all AXA IM Prime clients and GPs
• Assist AXA IM Prime Head of Legal and other AXA IM lawyers with the legal corporate activities of AXA IM Prime entities
• Selecting and managing the relationship with external legal advisors (including fee monitoring) appointed to assist AXA IM Prime legal team in its GP Stake activity as well as for structuring, documenting, ensuring regulatory compliance and negotiating AXA IM Prime managed products as well as AXA IM Prime investments
• Monitoring, advising on and implementing legislative and regulatory changes affecting AXA IM Prime activity and its clients
• Actively contribute to the setting of precedents and policies for best negotiating the terms of AXA IM Prime investments for the benefit of AXA IM Prime and its clients
• Providing the necessary support and back-up to Fund Investments Senior Lawyer of AXA IM Prime legal team

Role Requirements

Education/Qualifications

• Qualified lawyer (bar or equivalent diploma relevant for the country)

Experience/Skills

• 8 – 10  years PQE (post qualified experience)
• Successful experience acquired from either private practice or in-house working in the asset management/investment funds sector
• Strong expertise in M&A and corporate law
• Good knowledge of legal and regulatory environment applicable to asset management companies
• Experience of dealing with combined LP+GP exposures, with corresponding potential interdependencies 
• For non-English natives: fluent in English
• For English natives: French language is a plus

Competencies

• Ability to exercise good judgement and provide sound advice under tight time constraints in a complex environment
• Ability to identify and manage legal and regulatory risks
• Willingness to develop legal and business skills beyond the core of the M&A expertise to support AXA IM Prime development (ie asset management general topics, product offering, distribution)
• Good drafting and negotiating skills
• Assertive and business solution oriented
• Good interpersonal and communication skills, team player
• Ability to work autonomously and share knowledge and experience with team members
• Capacity to work closely with the business, structuring and tax team within a transaction/deal team