Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) Associate

Job Description

Job Description

Ana Bird Legal Search is partnering with a growing, fully remote M&A boutique seeking two additional M&A attorneys to join its transactional practice.

The firm has significant existing deal flow and is looking for attorneys who can take meaningful ownership of transactions and continue developing into strong independent deal runners.

The practice focuses primarily on lower middle market mergers and acquisitions , including transactions involving private equity sponsors, search funds, independent sponsors, founder owned businesses, family offices, buyers, sellers, investors, and management teams.

Typical transactions involve privately held businesses and frequently fall within the lower middle market, generally up to approximately $50 million in enterprise value.

The attorneys joining this team will have the opportunity to work directly with clients, manage meaningful portions of transactions, draft and negotiate principal deal documents, coordinate diligence and specialists, and develop the judgment necessary to run transactions independently.

This is not a traditional large law firm structure where associates remain several layers removed from clients or spend years waiting for meaningful responsibility.

The firm is intentionally built around training, autonomy, direct client interaction, efficient systems, strong communication, and accelerated professional development.

Responsibilities

Represent buyers, sellers, private equity sponsors, search funds, independent sponsors, founders, investors, and other clients in M&A transactions.

Draft, review, and negotiate transaction documents, including asset purchase agreements, stock purchase agreements, membership interest purchase agreements, letters of intent, disclosure schedules, ancillary agreements, and closing documents.

Manage legal due diligence and coordinate transaction workstreams.

Assist with or manage transactions from letter of intent through signing, closing, and post closing matters.

Communicate directly with clients, opposing counsel, specialists, lenders, investors, and other transaction participants.

Coordinate transaction checklists, timelines, closing processes, and documentation.

Take increasing ownership of transactions and client relationships.

Develop the judgment and practical skills necessary to become a strong independent M&A deal runner.

What Makes This Opportunity Different

Fully remote.

Attorneys may work from anywhere in the United States where licensing requirements can appropriately be satisfied.

1,600 billable hour minimum.

The firm is not built around a hidden 2,300 or 2,400 hour expectation. A healthy production range is generally around 1,800 to 2,000 hours.

Strong base compensation.

Base salary is approximately $175,000 to $230,000 , depending on experience, substantive ability, and deal running capability.

Meaningful bonus upside.

The compensation structure rewards attorneys who choose to produce above the minimum. As one concrete example provided by the firm, an attorney billing approximately 2,100 hours may have bonus potential around $90,000.

Origination economics.

W2 attorneys may receive approximately 10% of billable revenue associated with clients they originate.

Real transaction ownership.

The firm wants attorneys communicating with clients, exercising judgment, managing workstreams, and developing into independent deal runners.

Existing work is already there.

The incoming attorneys are not being hired to create their own workload. The firm already has substantial transaction volume.

Hands on development.

The founders believe that the right attorney can develop substantially faster in this environment because of the combination of transaction volume, direct client exposure, repetition, feedback, practical systems, and responsibility.

Long term growth opportunity.

For attorneys who demonstrate strong deal running ability, leadership, client development, commercial judgment, and business generation, there is a legitimate opportunity to take on increasing responsibility within the business over time, including potentially leading teams, practices, or business units.

This is not a promise of partnership or equity. It is a genuine opportunity to build something within a growing entrepreneurial law firm.

Modern and technology forward.

The firm actively incorporates modern technology and AI tools into its practice and operations and is intentionally building a different kind of law firm.

Ideal Candidate

Approximately 4 to 6 years of meaningful transactional law firm experience , although exceptional candidates outside that range may be considered.

Substantive M&A experience representing buyers, sellers, private equity sponsors, portfolio companies, search funds, founders, or other transactional clients.

Experience drafting and negotiating principal acquisition documents.

Experience managing due diligence, transaction checklists, closing processes, ancillary documents, and multiple transaction workstreams.

Ability to communicate directly and effectively with clients.

Strong drafting, negotiation, organizational, and project management skills.

Commercial judgment and the ability to understand the business considerations underlying a transaction.

Comfort operating with autonomy while also asking questions and collaborating when appropriate.

Low ego, practical, responsive, entrepreneurial, and client friendly.

Interest in developing into a strong independent deal runner.

Licensed and in good standing in the jurisdiction where the attorney resides and practices, or able to satisfy applicable licensing requirements.

Why Consider It?

This opportunity is particularly compelling for an M&A attorney who enjoys sophisticated transactional work but wants more ownership, more flexibility, stronger direct client exposure, meaningful economic upside, and a more entrepreneurial long term path than a traditional associate model typically provides.