Senior Associate – Leveraged Finance / Private Credit

Our client, a national law firm, seeks a senior associate (5–7 years’ experience) to join its Finance & Financial Services practice. The ideal candidate has significant leveraged finance experience acting for financial institutions, private credit funds, BDCs, and non-bank lenders in complex, sponsor-backed transactions. You will interface directly with clients and opposing counsel, and take ownership to drive transactions to closing in a fast-paced, high-performance environment.

Core responsibilities include:

• Sponsor-backed acquisition financings across sectors, including cross-border and multi-currency deals.
• Cash-flow and asset-based lending (senior, senior-stretch, superpriority revolvers).
• Multi-lender/syndicated facilities and intercreditor/subordination arrangements.
• Mezzanine and subordinated debt, preferred equity co-investments, and structured solutions.
• Liability management transactions (LMEs)—uptiers, exchange offers, drop-downs, covenant resets, amendments and waivers—including negotiation of related intercreditor mechanics.
• Amend-and-extend transactions, refinancings, and recapitalizations for sponsor portfolio companies.

• 5–7 years’ experience in leveraged finance/private credit and complex debt transactions at a national NY-style firm.
• JD from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Admission to the bar in one or more of the listed jurisdictions preferred (FL, NY, MA, IL, GA, NC, TX) or eligibility to become licensed/transfer.
• Must reside in the Chicago area at or prior to the time of hire; hybrid work expected (at least three business days per week in office).
• Strong familiarity with LMEs, unitranche (first-out/last-out) structures, multi-lender syndications, and sponsor finance market terms.
• Strong drafting skills (credit agreements, security documents, intercreditors, commitment papers), excellent judgment, and commercial awareness.
• Big-law training and a record of handling sophisticated deals.
• Self-starter with excellent communication skills and the confidence to manage workstreams and client relationships.