Debt Finance Attorney Associate Commercial Lending & Secured Finance

Job Description

Job Description

Direct Counsel is seeking a talented Debt Finance Associate with 2–5 years of experience to join a busy and growing national finance practice. This position may be based in Cincinnati, Columbus, Los Angeles, or New York .

This is an excellent opportunity for a finance attorney with experience representing arrangers, agents, lenders, and/or borrowers in sophisticated debt financing transactions. The associate will work on a broad range of syndicated and bilateral credit facilities, secured lending transactions, leveraged acquisitions, and other middle-market finance matters while collaborating directly with partners and attorneys across multiple offices and practice groups.

Locations

• Cincinnati, OH
• Columbus, OH
• Los Angeles, CA
• New York, NY

Hybrid position

Key Responsibilities

• Represent arrangers, agents, lenders, and borrowers in syndicated and bilateral credit facilities.
• Handle a variety of financing structures, including:
  • Secured term loans
  • Cash-flow revolving credit facilities
  • Asset-based revolving credit facilities
  • Leveraged acquisition financings
  • First-lien and second-lien facilities
  • Unsecured credit facilities
• Draft, review, and negotiate sophisticated financing documentation, including:
  • Credit and loan agreements
  • Security agreements
  • Guarantees
  • Intercreditor and subordination agreements
  • Promissory notes
  • Fee and commitment letters
  • Term sheets
  • Amendments
• Advise on secured personal property transactions involving UCC Article 9 and relevant aspects of UCC Article 8 .
• Negotiate and obtain third-party deliverables, including control agreements, bailee waivers, credit card processing agreements, and insurance endorsements .
• Conduct transactional diligence from the lender and/or borrower perspective, including review of searches, organizational documents, management agreements, and disclosure schedules.
• Organize and manage complex financing closings .
• Work with sophisticated clients including banks, debt funds, private equity sponsors, and privately held middle-market companies .
• For more senior candidates, assist with drafting and negotiating legal opinions and opinion diligence .

Qualifications

• 2–5 years of relevant debt finance experience .
• Experience with syndicated and/or bilateral credit facilities .
• Strong experience drafting and negotiating commercial loan and financing documents.
• Familiarity with secured transactions and UCC Article 9 .
• Experience conducting diligence and managing financing closings.
• Strong drafting, negotiation, analytical, and organizational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple sophisticated transactions and work effectively with clients and attorneys across practices and offices.
• Admission, or eligibility for admission through waiver, in the jurisdiction where the candidate will reside and practice.

Preferred Experience

The ideal candidate will have experience across a reasonably varied range of secured lending transactions , particularly within the middle market.

Additional exposure to the following is beneficial:

• Venture-stage debt financings
• Large investment-grade financings
• Cross-border finance
• Project finance
• Restructurings and workouts
• First-lien/second-lien structures
• Mezzanine financing
• Leveraged acquisition finance
• Transactions across a variety of industries

Compensation & Benefits

For Los Angeles and New York , the expected base salary range is:

$235,000–$315,000 annually

Actual compensation will depend on experience, qualifications, geographic location, and other relevant factors. Associates are also eligible to participate in a performance- and hours-based bonus program .

The comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental and vision insurance, 11 paid holidays, paid time off, a 401(k) plan, 10 weeks of parental leave (in addition to applicable disability leave), family care and wellness programs, life and accident insurance, and short- and long-term disability coverage .

Why This Opportunity

This role offers the opportunity to join a growing national Debt Finance practice and work on sophisticated financing transactions across multiple industries.

Associates will have the opportunity to work directly with partners, collaborate with attorneys across offices and practice areas, take meaningful responsibility for complex transactions, and develop both their technical finance capabilities and client-facing/business development skills .

Direct Counsel is committed to connecting exceptional legal talent with premier legal employers and fostering inclusive hiring practices.