Private Equity - Senior KDL

We will offer you a place where you can be yourself and where there are no limits on what you can achieve. With us, you can take ownership of your career and have honest conversations throughout. You would join an ambitious firm with a clear strategy for profitable growth. Here you can expect a competitive and fair reward as well as recognition based on all round performance. This forms part of our internal promise to you, The Deal, between the firm and its employees.

You can expect:

• A competitive salary and a host of family friendly policies
• Life assurance, private health and dental care for you and your family
• A range of flexible benefits including gym discount and retail vouchers
• Tech, cycle and electric car schemes
• The opportunity to support the firm's charity through volunteering leave
• A wellbeing strategy that focuses on preventative measures to maintain overall health, and tools and support for when our people experience physical or mental difficulties. The strategy focuses on four pillars: physical, emotional, financial and social aspects.

Operating out of London, we act for private equity houses, management teams and investee companies and have the capability to act on all stages of the private equity life cycle from fund formation to investments, bolt-ons, divestments and secondary transactions. 

As well as the core private equity team, we can draw upon specialist lawyers to provide transactional support, covering commercial contracts, competition, IT, IP, banking, tax, employment and pensions, real estate and regulatory matters.

The corporate KDL role covers Private Equity, with a focus on the three core areas outlined below. 

(1) Legal updates and developments

• Keeps up to date with all legal and regulatory changes affecting the Private Equity team, notifying the team and reading and circulating materials from email and online subscriptions, journals and case law
• Circulates urgent and topical email updates and analyses the impact of updates on work and internal know-how resources and materials
• Responds to queries from the team, including undertaking research where appropriate, or delegating to trainees and associates via the resource allocation manager

(2) Precedents and internal know-how

• Prepares and maintains a bank of precedents with responsibility for (i) periodically reviewing precedents,(ii) where possible, automating them, (iii) and identifying when specific updates are required
• Considers impact of legislative, case law and regulatory changes, determining where updates required to relevant precedents
• Ensures post-deal debriefs take place and if appropriate attends them and co-ordinates any updates required for internal know-how and precedents
• Oversees bible and portfolio site management process (ensuring continuous process improvement.

(3) Training and new joiner support

• Co-ordinates annual training and ongoing associate corporate training roadmap
• Co-ordinates external training course provision i.e. College of Law courses for juniors (bookings/payment for which is managed by admin support)
• Liaises with training speakers to ensure materials are prepared in advance and training is carried out consistent with the corporate training roadmap
• Co-ordinates training sessions for/with clients (where requested/approved by sub-group leads), including assisting associates/partners in obtaining relevant materials
• Drafts and updates best practice and "how-to" guides for junior corporate associates
• Ensures fee-earners are made aware of and are reminded of access to relevant legal resources, such as Practical Law and FromCounsel (to be managed by admin support)
• Conducts corporate knowledge development induction training for new joiners, in conjunction with firm's Legal Information Services team

The Corporate KDL works closely with the firmwide Head of Knowledge Management responsible for overall coordination of the Knowledge Management efforts of the firm.

The KDL will from time to time contribute to/participate in certain firm-wide projects or initiatives- for example, in relation to innovation and improving legal process efficiencies such as automated document and contract review software and other AI.

The KDL will provide a monthly summary activity update (and outlook for the month ahead) to the partners.

• Demonstrates the Stephenson Harwood values of individuality, commitment, teamwork and straight talking.
• Cooperative and collaborative in approach and is able to develop excellent working relationships at all levels and roles.
• Commercial awareness and client-focused approach.
• High professional standards with commitment to quality work product.
• Excellent drafting, research and presentation skills.
• Exceptional accuracy and attention to detail.
• Understanding of different learning styles.
• Resilient with the ability to handle set-backs and pressure.
• Self-motivated, flexible and proactive.
• Ability to acquire, consolidate and apply fundamental and up-to-date knowledge of the law and market practice.
• Active participant in self-development.
• Lateral thinker with initiative to establish, implement and complete projects.
• Comfortable with IT.
• Highly organised and able to work to deadlines with the ability to manage multiple workstreams and prioritise realistically.
• Personality to make an impact in the team, excellent communicator and comfortable with interacting with and presenting to colleagues at all levels.

This job description is indicative only and does not represent an exhaustive list of responsibilities. The firm reserves the right to alter or change the responsibilities at any time, in line with the firm's strategy and business needs.

With 8 offices worldwide and with our headquarters based in London, Stephenson Harwood is a law firm where our people are committed to achieving the goals of our clients - listed and private companies, institutions and individuals across the globe. Our mix of expertise and culture results in a combination of deep local insight and the capability to provide a seamless international service.

Our experience encompasses corporate, commercial litigation and arbitration, employment, pensions and private wealth, finance, marine and international trade, and real estate and projects.

We assemble teams of bright thinkers to match our clients' needs and give the right advice from the right person at the right time. Dedicating the highest calibre of legal talent to overcome the most complex issues, we deliver pragmatic, expert advice that is set squarely in the real world.

We understand the power of diversity in delivering that high calibre advice to our clients. We want to attract diverse talent and we particularly encourage applications from underrepresented demographics.

Our values

Individuality
We encourage creativity and develop talent.

Commitment
To be the best and deliver the highest standard.

Teamwork
We work together to build close, long-term relationships.

Straight talking
We say what we mean and do what we say.

These values express the personality of the individuals within our firm. They are the behaviours we encourage in our people and the standards which inform our decisions and actions.

Our vision into 2026

To be a successful firm where talented people work together in an entrepreneurial environment, building long term client relationships.

This vision is about who we want to be, as well as who we are. It is as much about our values as about our character – the attributes we want to see from all of our people. That's how we unlock our entrepreneurial spirit, advising our clients with top performing teams.

A key part of the 2026 strategy is to focus on five core sectors: decarbonisation, life sciences, private capital & funds, technology, and transportation & trade. These have been identified as crucial in the drive for accelerated profitable growth.

We are an equal opportunity organisation, committed to having a diverse workforce. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, culture, or any other protected characteristics. We aim to create a culture where everyone can be themselves and is valued for their strengths and unique perspectives.