JOB ADVERT: Associate positions

An innovative start-up boutique law firm based in Lagos and London is looking to recruit 2 very motivated associates for its new Douala office. Currently led by two partners, the law firm has a very lean and flexible structure whereby it encourages influencing initiatives and collaborative teamwork. How we help our clients is as important as what we do for them; therefore we provide quality service that is agile, responsive, commercial and pragmatic.

The law firm covers a broad spectrum of industry clients in business law, with a particular emphasis on private equity, venture capital and trade finance. The geographical coverage of the law firm is pan African. It is expected that 80% of the work will be in English.

Responsibilities

• Drafting and reviewing transactional legal documentation
• Advise clients on related issues
• Provide thought leadership through extensive research
• Build and maintain relationships by attending client meetings
• Make significant contributions to business development / client pitches
• Work closely with the team of local counsels in other offices where appropriate
• Raise firm’s profile externally through conferences and networking opportunities
• Support on a range of administrative activities 

Required qualifications

• Law degree (master is a plus)
• Minimum 1 year of experience, ideally in a law firm or other reputable institutions 

The ideal candidate should imperatively:

• Be fluent in English and French (both written and spoken)
• Have exceptional interpersonal and communication skills
• Be a quick learner and self-starter
• Have an excellent attention to detail
• Be well organised, reliable and take responsibility of own work
• Be curious and willing to learn about various legal and financial systems
• Have a strong sense of autonomy in combination with team working skills
• Be technology proficient, including MS Windows Suite (Word / Excel / PowerPoint)
• Demonstrate good judgment and resilience skills 

Important: Recognising that there may be some hidden gems outside of the beaten tracks, the law firm is taking an innovative approach to recruiting and wants to give all the candidates an equal opportunity to shine. For this reason, the above recruitment criteria have been established as to encourage outstanding candidates who may not tick all the conventional boxes, however please note that the recruitment process will be thorough and carried out to single out the most motivated, dynamic and humble candidates. The law firm is committed to providing equal opportunities for all and encourages diversity and inclusion. Please only reply if you are genuinely convinced that you have the drive and could be a fit based on the above information.

Please send your CV and motivation letter (in English) to contact@lexpanafrica.com no later than 15 August 2019. The motivation letter must be written by you, reflecting your personal drive and a reasonable topic of choice you feel passionate about (it does not need to be a legal topic). For equitability, the motivation letter should be between 500 – 750 words. 

We will revert to the shortlisted candidates by the end of August to organise next steps. The position will officially commence on 15 September 2019.