Primary Transactions Counsel

Job Description Summary

For over forty years, HarbourVest has been home to a committed team of professionals with an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to deliver impactful solutions to our clients and investing partners. As our global firm grows, we continue to add individuals who seek a collaborative, open-door culture that values diversity and innovative thinking.

In our collegial environment that’s marked by low turnover and high energy, you’ll be inspired to grow and thrive. Here, you will be encouraged to build on your strengths and acquire new skills and experiences.

We are committed to fostering an environment of inclusion that promotes mutual respect among all employees. Understanding and valuing these differences optimizes the potential of both the individual and the firm.

HarbourVest is an equal opportunity employer.

This position will be a hybrid work arrangement, which translates to 2-3 days minimum per week in the office.

The Transaction Counsel will serve as a strategic advisor and partner to the primary investment team focused on helping the team to efficiently deploy capital in the best interests of the firm’s investors and in a manner that mitigates applicable commercial, legal and operational risks. The Transaction Counsel will have primary responsibility for ensuring that a sound framework for legal negotiations is in place and being adhered to across the global primary investment platform. The Transaction Counsel will work with senior leaders across the firm in the legal and compliance team, tax team, accounting team, reporting team and the primary investment team to develop a “house view” on key transaction terms. The Transaction Counsel will also be closely involved in the management of external counsel. On a day-to-day basis, the transaction counsel will work with deal teams, in particular on complex transactions, in furtherance of the counsel’s broader goals of ensuring primary investment transactions are completed in a manner that is in the best interests of the firm’s investors, and which mitigates applicable risks, reflects our “house views,” as appropriate, and is in compliance with obligations owed to our investors.

What you will do:

• Negotiations: Assist the investment team in developing a framework for the negotiation of legal terms for primary investment opportunities.
• Assistance with Specific Client Requirements: Take a lead role in developing process for and coordinating negotiation of specific legal needs of certain funds and separate accounts.
• Closing Support: Work closely with the deal team, primary operations team, and external counsel to support deal closing processes.
• Ongoing Advice: Advise deals teams on material events and other matters that may arise after a commitment is made, including amendments, investor consents, and more complex issues, including fund restructurings.
• Policies and procedures: Develop and implement policies and procedures crafted to strengthen the primary investment team’s approach to the legal negotiations and to ensure that the “house view” on terms is adopted
• Training: Facilitate periodic trainings for the primary investment team on relevant legal issues
• Management of External Counsel: Work with members of the deal teams, primary operations team, and broader legal and compliance team to ensure external counsel is delivering sound advice and that legal fees charged are reasonable

Education

• Juris Doctor (JD)

Experience

• 3-5 Years at a law firm focusing on private equity fund formation and investments

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