Senior Associate (Bengoshi) - Private Equity, M&A

We are one of the largest international law firms in the world. With over 30 offices across the globe, we strive to exceed the expectations of our clients, providing them with the highest-quality advice and legal insight, which combines the firm’s global standards with in-depth local expertise.

Our firm, work and people span jurisdictions, cultures, and languages. We offer our clients a truly international perspective. We believe every career should be rewarding and stimulating - full of opportunities to learn, thrive, and grow. That’s why we’re so proud of our inclusive, friendly, and team-based approach to work.

You’ll find our clients in commercial and industrial sectors, the financial investor community, governments, regulators, trade bodies, and not-for-profit organisations. But no matter who they are or why they’ve reached out to us, we provide a world-class service every step of the way. And that’s possible thanks to the entrepreneurial spirit and conscientious approach to work that you’ll find across all of our teams.

Whichever area of the business you join, you’ll become an integral part an innovative, diverse and ambitious team of people. Clifford Chance is a place where the brightest minds and the best of colleagues meet.

We are seeking a Bengoshi Senior Associate to join our leading Private Equity and M&A practice in Tokyo.

You will work on high-profile, cross-border transactions, advising global and domestic clients on complex investments into and out of Japan. This role offers significant client exposure, early responsibility, and the opportunity to work closely with our international network on market-defining deals.

Key Areas of Work

• Advising on private and public M&A transactions, with a strong emphasis on private equity
• Acting for global and domestic private equity sponsors on:
  • Growth and pre-IPO investments
  • Leveraged buyouts
  • Minority and control investments
  • Auction sale processes and exits
• Supporting strategic joint ventures and corporate investments
• Working across a broad range of sectors including energy & infrastructure (particularly renewables), technology, healthcare, real estate, industrials and funds
• Collaborating closely with colleagues across jurisdictions on multi-jurisdictional transactions involving Japan

Key Responsibilities

• Take a lead role in executing complex transactions, managing multiple workstreams with increasing autonomy (particularly at Senior Associate level)
• Provide practical, commercial and solutions-oriented advice to a sophisticated international client base
• Draft, review and negotiate transaction documents to a high standard
• Act as a key point of contact for Japan-related aspects of cross-border deals
• Build and maintain strong client relationships, contributing to business development initiatives
• Support and mentor junior lawyers where appropriate

Why Join Us

• Work on market-leading private equity and M&A transactions with global impact
• Collaborate with top-tier practitioners across our international platform
• Benefit from high-quality training, structured career progression, and early responsibility
• Be part of a dynamic, collaborative and internationally focused Tokyo team

• Qualified Bengoshi in Japan
• 4–8 years PQE 
• Strong experience in M&A and/or private equity transactions, ideally with cross-border exposure
• Excellent drafting, negotiation and analytical skills
• Strong Japanese and English communication skills 
• Experience advising private equity sponsors on inbound and outbound investments
• Exposure to auction processes and complex deal execution structures
• Preferably experience in sectors such as energy & infrastructure, technology, or healthcare
• Commercially minded, proactive and solutions-driven
• Able to operate independently while collaborating effectively across global teams
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities in fast-paced transactions
• Motivated to develop client relationships and contribute to business growth
• A team player with leadership potential

At Clifford Chance, we understand that our true asset is our people. Inclusion is good for our team and their families, our firm and society.

We are committed to treating all employees and applicants fairly and equally regardless of their gender, gender identity and expression, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour, national or ethnic origin, social or economic background, disability, religious belief, sexual orientation, or age.  This applies to recruitment and selection, terms and conditions of employment including pay, promotion, training, transfer and every other aspect of employment.

We have a variety of flourishing employee networks. These networks are a place for colleagues to share experiences and advocate for change wherever they see an opportunity for improvement.

Our goal is to deliver an equality of opportunity, an equality of aspiration and an equality of experience to everyone who works in our firm. 

Find out more about our inclusive culture here