Transactional Projects Lawyer

Job Description

Transactional Projects Lawyer Senior Associate with 6-8 YRS PQE Johannesburg

Brief

We are currently looking to recruit a Senior Associate Lawyer with between 6-8 years PQE to join the Finance and Projects team of Pinsent Masons LLP in Johannesburg.

Background

The role sits within the Finance & Projects team based in the Johannesburg office. The team is predominantly active in infrastructure and energy sector projects.

Of key importance to the role is the ability to review and draft the suite of project agreements required for an infrastructure or energy project, and in particular concession agreements, PPP agreements, power purchase agreements, construction contracts and operation and maintenance contracts, equipment supply agreements and direct agreements.

The candidate should also be familiar with reviewing and drafting consortium and / or shareholder agreements, and to the extent that they have acted for public sector clients, drafting of procurement documents.

A working understanding of how the project finance aspects of a project works is also a plus.

In addition to the above, the candidate should demonstrate the ability to engage with sector legislation and advise clients how to structure their projects in the light of these regulatory frameworks. Some of the key statues where familiarity is required include the PFMA, MFMA, the PPPFA, the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act, the Promotion of Access to Information Act, the Electricity Regulation Act, Water Services Act and other sector-specific policies and statutes.

Candidates with a public law background (constitutional and administrative law) are encouraged to apply.

Pinsent Masons LLPs finance and projects team, led jointly by Claire Barclay and Apicksha Patel, guides clients through the full lifecycle of infrastructure and energy projects. Barclay has experience advising a wide range of clients throughout Africa, including governments, developers, sponsors, and development finance institutions, in relation to construction projects, concession agreements, and public-private partnerships. Patel specialises in infrastructure and energy finance, especially in the transport, renewables, healthcare, education, and accommodation sectors, while Emma Roberts advises public and private sector clients on infrastructure development projects, offtake agreements, and power procurement. Jurg Van Dyk and Rob Morson also stand out for their contributions.

The practice advises mainly private sector clients including developers, consortiums and project companies, sponsors, EPC contractors, operators and industrial suppliers. The team also acts for development financing institutions both in South Africa and in Africa generally on their infrastructure projects in Africa.

Testimonials from Legal 500

A diverse team that is both collaborative and very efficient. They are available at all hours to close out on high pressure project financing transactions.

Emma Roberts and Apicksha Patel have an unparalleled knowledge of the industry.

The Candidate Required

This is a dynamic team where every team member can make his or her own mark. We are looking for a Senior Associate to join the team's structure and to take responsibility for leading and managing projects, drafting key project documents and legal opinions, , contributing to the team's business development plans, and supporting the growth of more junior team members by training junior lawyers on how to draft agreements and opinions.

The role is wide-ranging and includes:

• having excellent technical legal skills specifically in respect of the above project agreements and in settling opinions on regulatory issues affecting infrastructure and energy projects;
• supervising associates and junior lawyers in the team;
• leading and managing transactions;
• developing on-going relationships with the existing client base as well as pitching for new opportunities;
• developing close working relationships as part of an international team;
• the opportunity to be involved in work on high profile projects and cross-border transactions on a global scale;
• contributing to our globally read Outlaw e-publication and external publications on topical issues and developments in our markets;
• taking an active role in our business development campaigns, the development of our innovative products and pitching for new work.

The successful candidates will:

• have gained experience in a firm with an established infrastructure and/or energy practice;
• have experience in drafting project agreements as part of large transactions;
• have experience in advising on the South African regulatory environment as it relates to infrastructure and energy projects
• be technically strong and exercise good commercial judgment;
• have demonstrated the ability to supervise and train junior lawyers
• demonstrate experience of acting in a leading role in key transactions,
• being a self-starter and taking responsibility for client service and of managing the transaction and the junior lawyer team;
• be a team player, able to forge strong working relationships with colleagues;
• have interpersonal skills necessary for this client-facing role;
• have experience in business development activities including presenting seminars or training sessions to external parties.

What will we offer you?

• the opportunity to join a market leading team that advises local and international clients on some of the largest most complex infrastructure and energy projects in South Africa and across Africa;
• a collaborative environment where colleagues work together across offices and countries to produce outstanding results for our clients;
• colleagues who are leading specialists in energy and infrastructure law and practice;
• a first class training and career development programme.

Awards

Pinsent Masons won the Best Talent and Inclusion award at The Lawyer Awards 2022 and is the only law firm named in the top 16 most inclusive businesses in Europe by the Financial Times Diversity Leaders Report. The firm is named amongst the top inclusive UK employers for the 16th consecutive year by LGBT+ equality charity Stonewall in its Workplace Equality Index and won the Legal Business Law Firm of the Year award in 2021. Go to www.pinsentmasons.com/accolades to view all of our global awards and nominations.

Please note we only accept applications made via our recruitment portal.

At Pinsent Masons we value diversity and inclusion. We are committed to creating a better workplace where all our talent can succeed and feel like they belong. We want to attract, retain, and develop people at all levels and encourage applications from all suitably qualified candidates whatever your ethnicity, religion, age, physical or mental disability/ long term condition, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or any other characteristics protected by local law in the jurisdictions in which we operate.

Note for agents:

• Once instructed all agency CVs should be submitted via the portal and any CVs submitted via our partners will be discounted and will not qualify as an introduction.
• Please note that NQ candidates can only be represented by one agent of their choice regardless of group/team, location.
• If a candidate submits a direct application for one role and then they are introduced by an agent for another, the candidate will have ownership of their own application for 3 months from the date of direct application made.