Principal Counsel, Corporate

Over the last 20 years, Ares’ success has been driven by our people and our culture. Today, our team is guided by our core values – Collaborative, Responsible, Entrepreneurial, Self-Aware, Trustworthy – and our purpose to be a catalyst for shared prosperity and a better future. Through our recruitment, career development and employee-focused programming, we are committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive work environment where high-performance talent of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can build careers within this exciting and growing industry.

Job Description

The Principal, Counsel will serve as a senior member of the Legal team, providing strategic legal advice in connection with Ares’ firmwide initiatives, with a primary focus on global mergers and acquisitions and other corporate strategy activities. The role will also support new business initiatives, corporate finance transactions and post-acquisition integration efforts, with an emphasis on matters relevant to the asset management and alternative investment industry.

This is a highly visible, “front-line” role working closely with senior leadership, investment professionals and cross-functional teams globally, including Corporate Strategy, Tax, Compliance, Finance, Investor Relations and Human Resources.

Reporting relationships

Reports to: General Counsel, Regulated Funds & Ares Commercial Real Estate Corp

Supervises: N/A

Primary functions & responsibilities

This is a highly visible, “front-line” role working closely with senior leadership, investment professionals and cross-functional teams globally, including Corporate Strategy, Tax, Compliance, Finance, Investor Relations and Human Resources.

Broadly speaking, the Principal, Counsel will be responsible for:

• Legal execution of strategic transactions, including global mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, minority investments, minority stakes and other complex corporate development initiatives, from initial structuring and diligence through negotiation, signing and closing;

• Advising on legal and structural considerations specific to asset managers and alternative investment platforms, including issues relating to fund structures, management companies, carried interest arrangements, co-investments and strategic partnerships;

• Overseeing and coordinating external counsel across multiple jurisdictions, ensuring efficient execution, cost management and consistency of legal approach across transactions;

• Advising on post-transaction integration, including governance, organizational design, legal group process, contractual harmonization and ongoing risk management;

• Identifying and proactively managing legal, regulatory and reputational risks in connection with strategic initiatives, including cross-border considerations and regulatory approvals;

• Partnering with senior stakeholders on new firm initiatives, including the launch and expansion of investment platforms, entry into new markets and jurisdictions and other strategic growth initiatives;

• Providing legal support on corporate finance matters, including firm-level debt and equity financings, subscription facilities and other strategic financing arrangements, in coordination with internal Finance, Accounting and Capital Solutions teams;

• Driving best practices across the Legal function, including developing scalable processes, playbooks and precedent documentation to support an active M&A and corporate strategy pipeline.

• The team operates with a collaborative, solutions-oriented mindset, partnering closely with business teams to advance strategic objectives while maintaining strong legal and risk discipline.

Qualifications

Education: JD required with a strong academic background

Experience Required:

• The ideal candidate will possess 10+ years of strong technical and analytical capabilities, a sharp intellect and sound judgment, with demonstrated experience navigating complex legal and business issues in a fast-paced environment. They will bring a high degree of personal integrity, accountability and professionalism, and a client-focused mindset with a commitment to developing practical, creative solutions.

• Candidates should have a strong foundation in mergers and acquisitions and corporate strategy transactions, ideally with experience advising on transactions involving investment managers, GP stakes or alternative asset platforms.

• Significant experience advising asset managers, investment funds and alternative investment platforms is preferable, including familiarity with fund structures, management entities, carried interest economics, co-investments and related regulatory considerations.

• Successful candidates are highly organized and detail-oriented, with superior project management skills, the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously and a strong track record of execution and follow-through. They are self-motivated and resourceful, capable of operating independently while also thriving in a collaborative team environment and building strong working relationships across functions and geographies.

• The role requires an enthusiastic and engaged team player who communicates effectively, adapts well to changing circumstances and is resilient, flexible and open to feedback. A strong sense of ownership, a results-driven approach and a commitment to achieving excellence are essential.

General Requirements:

• Executive presence with the ability to engage, challenge, and influence senior leaders

• Strong commercial mindset paired with operational discipline

• Exceptional written, verbal, and facilitation skills

• Highly analytical and data-informed, with the ability to translate insights into action

• Entrepreneurial and comfortable building from the ground up

• High standards for quality, rigor, and impact

• Comfortable working across time zones and cultures

Reporting Relationships

Compensation

$300,000-$360,000

There is no set deadline to apply for this job opportunity. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the search is no longer active.