2026 - Trainee - M&A - Milan

Latham & Watkins is one of the world’s leading global law firms advising the businesses and institutions that drive the global economy. We are the market leaders in major financial and business centers globally and offer unmatched expertise and resources to help you grow from an intellectually curious self-starter into an exceptional lawyer. If you aspire to be the best, this is where you belong.

Latham’s M&A practice has grown into a global powerhouse, meeting the needs of our clients on everything from routine M&A engagements to the most complex and transformational transactions clients ever face.Our global reach, deep bench, and vast industry-specific expertise enable us to assemble high-quality teams that efficiently and effectively execute on the business objectives of a diversified client base.Our relentless focus on client goals, combined with broad experience doing deals globally, enables us to anticipate and work through potential challenges on any given transaction and to develop effective solutions to these challenges in an ever-changing global environment. We help clients address shareholder activism, plan for and overcome antitrust challenges, and navigate dynamic regulatory regimes to achieve their most ambitious business objectives. We provide clients with the full suite of advisory services including board counselling, capital markets, ESG, executive compensation, leveraged finance, and tax-related advice anywhere in the world.Long-standing client relationships reflect our ability to assemble a diverse team of deal makers, industry veterans, former government lawyers, and world-class litigators for any particular matter. We draw on a wealth of experience to deliver pragmatic and commercial advice to support our clients’ strategic success at every stage of their life cycle.

The Milan office of Latham & Watkins is looking for a recent law graduate with a strong interest in developing their professional career in an international legal environment, for a position as Trainee Lawyer within the Corporate M&A / Private Equity department. The Corporate department advises private equity funds, listed and non-listed companies, industrial groups, and international investors on extraordinary transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, investments, joint ventures, corporate reorganizations, and other complex corporate transactions, often characterized by a significant cross-border dimension.

Working in collaboration with a team of professionals, the trainee will be actively involved in the department's main activities, including:

- Supporting legal research activities and the preparation of memoranda and legal opinions on corporate and commercial law matters;
- Participating in due diligence activities
- Assisting in the drafting and review of corporate and contractual documentation in Italian and English, including investment agreements, shareholders' agreements, corporate minutes, and other corporate documentation;
- Supporting the team's professionals in managing the various phases of national and international extraordinary transactions;
The ideal candidate has a brilliant academic record, with a degree grade indicatively equal to or higher than 105/110, strong motivation to pursue the legal profession, and a solid foundation in civil and commercial law. Excellent knowledge of the English and Italian language, both written and spoken, is required; any study or work experience abroad will be considered a plus. The profile is completed by strong interpersonal and communication skills, intellectual curiosity, attention to detail, and an aptitude for teamwork in an international and highly qualified environment.

For any additional questions regarding our graduate opportunities, please contact us at AssociateGraduateRecruiting.MI@lw.com.

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