Practice Manager – Private Equity M&A (PEMA)

Location: London (Hybrid)

Type: Full-time, Permanent

Are you a corporate lawyer with Private Equity or M&A experience looking to evolve within a strategic, people-focused leadership role?

We’re hiring on behalf of a prestigious global firm for a Practice Manager to support its high-performing Private Equity M&A (PEMA) team across London and European offices. This is a rare opportunity to step away from fee-earning and into a role that shapes the culture, development, and operational excellence of a top-tier transactional practice.

Role specifics

As the PEMA Practice Manager, you’ll work closely with partners, associates, and business teams to:

• Optimise staffing and resource allocation across London and Paris, ensuring balanced workloads and equitable development opportunities.
• Drive training and development, from designing skills frameworks to coordinating internal and client-facing learning sessions.
• Lead performance management, including evaluations, feedback processes, and career progression planning.
• Foster a positive team culture, supporting mentoring, morale, and wellbeing initiatives.
• Support business development, helping prepare for pitches and client meetings.
• Manage onboarding and offboarding, ensuring seamless integration and transitions for attorneys and paralegals.
• Contribute to strategic planning, budgeting, and innovation projects within the practice.

Role requirements

• Ideally some experience as a corporate lawyer (particularly with PE/M&A exposure)
• Strong understanding of transactional legal practice and team dynamics.
• Excellent interpersonal, organisational, and communication skills.
• Experience or interest in practice management, talent development, or legal operations.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• French language skills are a plus but not essential.

Reward

Competitive salary plus full benefits on offer. This is a rare opportunity to grow within a strategic leadership role with real impact on people, performance, and culture – while working in a collaborative, international environment with exposure to senior leadership.

Application Process:

To apply for this role, please submit your CV. Due to the high volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. If you do not receive a response within 72 hours, please assume your application has not been successful.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Ryder Reid Legal is a recruitment specialist, connecting legal talent with leading law firms in London and globally for nearly 30 years.