This is a role in the Firm’s Can I Act (CIA) Team. The team deals with business acceptance (both compliance and conflicts clearance) and ongoing monitoring of the Firm’s business relationships.
The CIA team supports the Firm on all conflicts requests, new client inception, source of funds and third party payments queries, ad hoc requests for support and guidance from the business, together with wider strategic projects and initiatives in connection with the Firm’s risk and compliance management.

Reporting into one of the team leaders in the CIA team, the role holder will work with the wider CIA team to assist the Firm on:

• Onboarding new clients, supporting with gathering due diligence and risk assessments;
• Undertaking periodic and trigger based reviews of the Firm’s clients (including any enhanced due diligence measures and monitoring required);
• Undertaking reviews and investigations of any screening alerts (covering sanctions, politically exposed persons, adverse media or ESG/ reputational concerns);
• Source of funds and financial compliance queries and checks, including third party payments queries; and
• Ensuring compliance with internal policies and procedures relating to business acceptance, client and matter inception and ongoing monitoring.
• Provision of advice and support on a varied and challenging workload of enquiries relating to business acceptance across all work types and areas of the firm, including source of funds/wealth, client due diligence (CDD), other financial crime and sanctions matters.

In addition, the role holder will, as a senior analyst within the team, act as a buddy and mentor for junior analysts within the team, acting as a go to for queries they might have. The senior analyst position does not involve line management, but does involve acting as a first line of supervision and support for the more junior members of the team, supporting the Team Leaders with training of new joiners and shadowing of more junior team members as needed.
Senior analysts in the team are likewise expected to be involved in wider compliance projects and initiatives, attending and delivering training sessions and supporting management in the team with ad hoc projects and tasks.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• A minimum of 3 years’ technical and practical experience of CDD within a law firm is preferred. This role would suit someone with experience of dealing with AML regulatory issues, client onboarding and/ or ongoing monitoring in a compliance function at another law firm.
• Demonstrate good technical knowledge of the Money Laundering Regulations 2017.
• Strong reasoning skills and the ability to think laterally.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate and communicate with stakeholders at all levels, including the ability to effectively communicate and justify business acceptance decisions to partners, and handle challenging conversations.
• Demonstrate credibility to gain respect internally and, to the extent appropriate to the role, externally with people at all levels.
• Have an awareness of commercial issues and the commercial concerns of partners within the firm.
• A self starter, proactive and demonstrates ability to prioritise work and multitask effectively to meet deadlines and work to service level agreements.
• Methodical approach to work and superb attention to detail.
• Excellent team player.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Undertaking client due diligence, and provision of support to fee earners in completing client and matter risk assessments and other legal compliance functions all whilst ensuring adherence to AML regulations and internal processes.
• Provide clear, accurate advice regarding CDD/KYC requirements, client and matter inception, source of funds/TPPs, and general AML queries.
• Provision of ad hoc support and acting as a point of contact for answering queries from the wider business on compliance matters relating to the above.
• Be able to interpret AML regulations and internal policies to make risk based decisions when providing client and matter risk advice to colleagues in the firm.
• To escalate complex issues to the team leaders, team manager or Head of AML and FC, including reputational matters where appropriate, with suggested proposals on the course of action.
• To provide support on wider risk and compliance projects as need be, which might include creation and delivery of training, updating guidance and forms for the team and the firm, including presenting to the firm as need be on any related topic.
• To build and maintain strong relationships across the firm, acting as a point of contact in relation to business acceptance and ongoing monitoring queries.
• To participate and support as necessary on any relevant risk and compliance projects or workstreams.
• To act as a go to within the team, supporting and mentoring more junior team members.
• Supporting Team Leaders with allocations as need be.
• Promote a positive compliance and risk culture across all offices and functions.

Reporting into one of the team leaders in the CIA team, the role holder will work with the wider CIA team to assist the Firm on:

• Onboarding new clients, supporting with gathering due diligence and risk assessments;
• Undertaking periodic and trigger based reviews of the Firm’s clients (including any enhanced due diligence measures and monitoring required);
• Undertaking reviews and investigations of any screening alerts (covering sanctions, politically exposed persons, adverse media or ESG/ reputational concerns);
• Source of funds and financial compliance queries and checks, including third party payments queries; and
• Ensuring compliance with internal policies and procedures relating to business acceptance, client and matter inception and ongoing monitoring.
• Provision of advice and support on a varied and challenging workload of enquiries relating to business acceptance across all work types and areas of the firm, including source of funds/wealth, client due diligence (CDD), other financial crime and sanctions matters