Transactional Paralegal - New York (M&A and R&I)

Job Description

The M&A and R&I Paralegal will support the Firm’s Transactional Practice Group, with a primary focus on domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions and restructuring and insolvency matters.

This position will work closely with partners, associates, clients, and professional teams across the Firm’s global offices on complex, high-value, and multijurisdictional transactions. The Paralegal will coordinate key aspects of matters from initial planning and due diligence through signing, closing, and post-closing, while managing competing priorities and providing high-quality support in a fast-paced international law firm environment.

The successful candidate will have substantial experience supporting corporate transactions, strong project coordination and document-management skills, and the ability to work independently while exercising sound judgment. Experience with restructuring, insolvency, bankruptcy, distressed transactions, or liability management matters is strongly preferred.

Key Responsibilities

Mergers & Acquisitions and Corporate Transactions

- Support attorneys throughout all stages of domestic and international corporate transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, reorganizations, joint ventures, investments, and other strategic transactions.
- Coordinate corporate due diligence processes, including organizing and maintaining virtual data rooms, reviewing corporate records, tracking document requests, and preparing due diligence summaries and reports.
- Prepare and maintain transaction checklists, signing and closing agendas, responsibility matrices, timelines, status trackers, and other project-management materials.
- Draft and prepare ancillary corporate and transaction documents, including corporate approvals, board and shareholder consents, officer certificates, stock certificates, stock transfer forms, signature pages, and other closing deliverables.
- Coordinate the execution and collection of transaction documents, including preparing, circulating, and tracking signature packets and maintaining accurate execution records.
- Assist with entity formation, corporate maintenance, foreign qualifications, name changes, director and officer changes, registered-agent matters, and other corporate governance requirements.
- Organize corporate minute books and other entity records and coordinate with local counsel and the Firm’s global offices regarding corporate documentation in multiple jurisdictions.
- Assist with signing and closing processes, including finalizing closing sets, preparing closing binders, maintaining transaction records, and monitoring post-closing obligations.
- Coordinate searches, filings, certifications, legalizations, apostilles, good-standing certificates, and other regulatory or governmental documentation required for transactions.
- Assist attorneys with securities and regulatory filings, where applicable.
- Support the preparation of organizational charts, structure charts, transaction timelines, heat maps, global surveys, and client-ready reports.

Restructuring & Insolvency

- Support attorneys on restructuring, insolvency, bankruptcy, distressed M&A, liability management, creditor, and debtor-side matters.
- Organize and maintain documents relating to corporate structures, debt facilities, security arrangements, creditor claims, assets, liabilities, and restructuring alternatives.
- Assist with factual and corporate due diligence in connection with distressed transactions, restructurings, and insolvency-related matters.
- Prepare and maintain case and transaction chronologies, creditor and interested-party lists, deadline calendars, document indexes, claims trackers, and status reports.
- Assist with the preparation, organization, and filing of court, regulatory, and transactional documents, coordinating with attorneys, court personnel, filing agents, local counsel, and other service providers as required.
- Coordinate the collection and organization of documents and information from clients, lenders, creditors, financial advisers, accountants, consultants, and other stakeholders.
- Monitor key filing dates, procedural requirements, deliverables, and other critical deadlines.
- Support distressed acquisition and disposition processes, including due diligence, data-room management, transaction checklists, execution coordination, closing preparation, and post-closing follow-up.
- Assist with the preparation and maintenance of materials relating to restructuring plans, claims, creditor communications, corporate authorizations, and implementation steps.
- Conduct factual, corporate, and public-record research using online databases and other available resources.

Matter Coordination and Senior-Level Support

- Manage multiple complex matters and workstreams simultaneously, anticipate upcoming requirements, and proactively follow up on outstanding items.
- Serve as a central point of coordination among attorneys, clients, local counsel, the Firm’s global offices, and external service providers.
- Develop strong working relationships with partners, associates, paralegals, and business professional teams across offices and jurisdictions.
- Review work product for completeness, consistency, accuracy, and compliance with transaction or matter requirements.
- Provide guidance, training, and day-to-day support to junior paralegals and other team members, as appropriate.
- Assist with the development and maintenance of templates, precedents, checklists, trackers, and other knowledge-management resources.
- Identify opportunities to improve processes, standardize recurring activities, and introduce tools or methods that increase efficiency, consistency, and quality.
- Maintain accurate time entries and comply with the Firm’s billing, confidentiality, information governance, and matter-management requirements.
- Assist with other corporate, transactional, restructuring, or practice-group projects as needed.

Qualifications and Skills

- Bachelor’s Degree required.
- Paralegal Certificate from an ABA-approved program preferred.
- At least 3 years of relevant paralegal experience, preferably supporting corporate transactions within a large law firm, international law firm, or similarly complex professional-services environment.
- Substantial experience supporting M&A transactions, corporate reorganizations, entity maintenance, due diligence, and transaction closings.
- Experience with restructuring, insolvency, bankruptcy, distressed M&A, liability management, finance, or creditor-related matters strongly preferred.
- Experience supporting domestic and cross-border matters and coordinating with multiple offices, jurisdictions, or external counsel.
- Strong understanding of corporate records, transaction documentation, closing processes, and legal document-management requirements.
- Demonstrated ability to manage high-volume and complex matters with multiple stakeholders, competing priorities, and time-sensitive deadlines.
- Excellent attention to detail and a strong commitment to delivering accurate, complete, and high-quality work.
- Excellent organizational, project-coordination, written communication, and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to review, organize, and synthesize substantial volumes of corporate, transactional, financial, and matter-related information.
- Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, anticipate needs, and appropriately escalate issues.
- Ability to collaborate effectively within teams consisting of partners, associates, paralegals, clients, and business professionals across different levels of experience and multiple jurisdictions.
- Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, document-management systems, virtual data rooms, and online legal and corporate research tools.
- Experience with transaction-management, electronic filing, matter-management, or legal project-management platforms preferred.
- Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
- Ability to work additional hours when required by transaction deadlines, court filings, signings, or closings.
- Commitment to developing technical knowledge, using initiative, and contributing to the continual improvement of the team’s services and processes.

Baker McKenzie empowers clients to compete in the global economy. We provide comprehensive and practical legal advice that cuts through complexity with clear, actionable guidance. Our people represent diverse cultures and jurisdictions, combining local know-how with international expertise to ensure your business thrives across borders .

Baker McKenzie is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to promoting diversity and inclusion for all. Our unique international culture is reflected in the drawing together of a worldwide family of individuals from diverse cultures and backgrounds in all of our offices. We encourage the best people - regardless of race, religion or belief if any, gender, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation or age - to fulfill their professional aspirations with us. We are committed to ensuring an inclusive and accessible experience for all candidates. Should candidates require any reasonable adjustments and/or accommodations when applying to or interviewing with our Firm, please notify [email protected]

Pay Transparency

- Subject to eligibility requirements, the Firm offers a comprehensive benefits package, including bonus opportunities, medical, dental, and vision coverage, retirement savings plans, time off and leave programs, and wellness benefits. Benefits are subject to applicable plan terms and Firm policies.
- The US base compensation for this position is expected to be $60,000 to $85,000 (annually) if located in New York. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.