Associate (Maritime Finance)

Overview:

Allen & Gledhill is one of Singapore's largest and leading law firms, with a strong presence in Southeast Asia. The Maritime Finance team has consistently been ranked Band 1 by Chambers Asia-Pacific and Tier 1 by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific. We are looking for a practising lawyer who has an interest or background in banking and asset finance to join our multidisciplinary team.

About the Role:

You will work alongside experienced lawyers advising leading local and international banks, shipowners, operators, and offshore service providers on a wide range of financing transactions. These include bilateral and syndicated loan facilities, sale and leaseback structures, and restructuring work.

A significant portion of the practice involves direct dealings with Mandarin-speaking clients, counterparties and counsel. The work regularly involves Mandarin-language client meetings, calls and negotiations, and review of Chinese-language transaction documents, corporate authorisations and correspondence. Working professional proficiency in Mandarin (written and spoken) is therefore a genuine requirement of this role.

You will be exposed to both domestic and international transactions and will be expected to support clients through all stages of the deal lifecycle — from structuring and documentation to execution and closing.

This is an opportunity to build a strong foundation in banking / maritime finance while also developing as a well-rounded finance lawyer.

Key Responsibilities:

• Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating finance and security documents for ship and offshore asset financing transactions
• Advising on the structuring and execution of domestic and cross-border financing deals
• Coordinating with clients, banks, ship registries, and international counsel on multi-jurisdictional matters
• Assisting with general banking and finance transactions beyond the maritime sector when required

Requirements:

• Practising and qualified lawyer (2–4 PQE preferred)
• Prior experience in banking or other transactional practice is an advantage
• Strong drafting, analytical, and communication skills
• Detail-oriented with a proactive approach to learning and teamwork
• Comfortable managing multiple matters and working under timelines
• Fluency in English (written and spoken)
• Working professional proficiency in Mandarin (written and spoken) is a genuine requirement of this role given the volume of direct Mandarin-language client engagement and the need to review and work with Chinese-language transaction materials

Why Join Us

• Work with a market-leading team known for its depth and expertise in maritime finance / banking
• Gain exposure to complex, high-value transactions with international dimensions
• Grow as a transactional lawyer in a collaborative and supportive environment
• Be part of a firm that values mentorship, learning, and long-term development

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.