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Senior Conflicts Advisor (Sydney)

Employer
Ashurst
Location
London (Central), London (Greater)
Salary
Competitive
Closing date
16 Feb 2021

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Job Details

RELOCATION! RELOCATION! RELOCATION!

We are keen to speak to any candidates with Senior Adviosry Conflicts and Ethics experience within a legal setting who would be interested in reclocating form the UK to Sydney.

Risk and Compliance Department

Senior Advisor, Conflicts & Ethics

June 2020

About Ashurst:

Ashurst is a leading global law firm with a history spanning almost 200 years, and clear strategy for our future growth. Our in-depth understanding of our clients and commitment to providing exceptional standards of service have seen us become a trusted adviser to local and global corporates, financial institutions and governments in all areas of commercial law. To find out more please visit here

In order to comply with regulatory and client requirements, Ashurst will undertake appropriate vetting of staff. When applicants accept a job offer, Ashurst, alongside a specialist provider, will undertake professional verification and background checks. These checks are only undertaken with consent, and in accordance with our legal and regulatory obligations

Business Area: Risk & Compliance

Role: Senior Advisor, Conflicts, Ethics & Commercial Advisory

Location: Syndey

Reporting to: Conflicts Management team (Conflicts Managers, Head of Conflicts, Ethics & Commercial Advisory), Director of Risk Management and General Counsel

Ashurst: Partners and lawyers worldwide, Finance, IT, Marketing and Business Development departments, Secretaries.

Externally: Regulators, database providers (e.g. 3e, INTAPP), the UK SRA and the Law Society, the HM Treasury or other regulated bodies.

Hours of work:

Core Business Hours are Monday to Friday, 9.30 am to 5.30 pm, flexibility on hours can be considered. However, you will be required to work such hours as are necessary to carry out your duties including out of hours (on call work).

Department/ Role Overview:

Working as part of the Risk & Compliance Management Team to ensure the Firm performs comprehensive conflict and other assessments related to the inception of new and existing business with particular emphasis on, but not limited to, ensuring that the firm meets its obligations in relation to conflicts of interests (and other associated requirements such as contractual agreements with clients) and compliance issues worldwide.

Legal & Business Purpose:

Team based in London, Glasgow and across Australia, responsible for the assessment of compliance and risk issues for the firm and to ensure the work being taken on meets with the firm's global strategy; in particular through the acceptance of new clients and matters and well as continually monitoring compliance worldwide.

Main Responsibilities:

Business as usual:

  • Analyse information in the firm's conflict management systems and other databases / sources and liaise with lawyers to identify any potential conflicts of interests relating to new clients and matters across all practice areas of the firm worldwide.
  • Advise the partnership on whether new business can be accepted through the assessment of high level conflict and commercial conflicts, confidential information and disclosure issues, relevant legal / regulatory requirements and panel terms / other contractual agreements with clients.
  • Ensure that the assessment and clearance of new business fits within the firm's commercial strategy.
  • Advising the partnership on client term agreements and other contractual issues and whether they have an impact on the Firm.
  • Advise the partnership on any relevant risk and compliance issues associated with the taking on of new business.
  • Attend and conduct meetings with partners on conflict issues by yourself and reporting back to Conflict Management Team and / or Director of Risk.

Project work and control function:

  • Work with others on the various live projects as required (e.g. roll-out of new systems, updates on case law and regulations in all Ashurst's jurisdictions and update know-how pages when appropriate).
  • Report to the Conflicts Management team on: the work undertaken by the Team, the Firm's exposure to legal and commercial conflict issues and any other relevant issues.
  • Assist the Conflicts Management Team on reporting into Senior Management and the Board on various risk and compliance issues affecting conflicts assessment and the intake of global work.
  • Communicate and advise management on ongoing business homogenisation.
  • Review and strategise buy-in of global policies and processes.
  • Assist in continuously updating manuals and procedures to ensure compliance with the relevant legislation, regulation or best practice.
  • Maintain the integrity of the Conflict Database to ensure the information is accurate, complete and kept up to date.
  • Conduct periodic review of the Conflict Database, run reports and review data to maintain consistency.
  • Assist with development of internal compliance and security policies, such as information barriers.

Risk and Control: Ensure that all activities and duties are carried out in full compliance with our regulatory requirements and internal policies.

Training and raising awareness:

  • Deal with Conflicts and Compliance queries from the Business effectively and educate on Compliance legislation, policy and procedure worldwide.
  • Seek opportunities for engagement both within function and wider business
  • Deliver new joiners training sessions, face to face and by video conference for our overseas offices.
  • Deliver specific training on conflicts, commercial and other risk issues/trends per practice area/sectors.
  • Develop and continually enhance a commercial understanding of the practice areas of the firm and relevant commercial strategy.
  • Liaise with partners and lawyers to assist with the development of internal processes to enable compliance with regulations and develop commercial policy.
  • Travel required to other offices in the Firm to educate and advise on relevant issues above.

Supervision:

  • Support team development, reviewing and monitoring team work to identify development needs.
  • Leading the team and organising team resources when appropriate
  • Approachable both as a support for general questions and as a first point of escalation for work and feedback
  • Available outside of business hours to provide support to team when required
  • Assist other Conflicts team members with queries, provide guidance on the resolution of difficult queries, spot-check analysis and debrief.
  • Deliver targeted training to Conflicts advisors and analysts as directed by Line Manager

Measurement and Review:

  • Observing Ashurst values
  • Working in accordance to expectation framework relevant to role
  • Agreed deliverables for projects
  • Feedback from colleagues and peers
  • Goal setting to track milestones
  • Annual development review/appraisal.

Essential Skills: (Essential)

  • Ability to demonstrate good judgment and business awareness; ability to put an argument across in a clear, articulate way to the partnership and to senior management; requires excellent negotiation skills.
  • Keen interest in knowing the business and lateral/analytical thinking: exposure to firm-wide legal practices will involve exposure to various types of high profile commercial deals.
  • Discrete and professional as the information will be confidential and sensitive.?
  • Strong interpersonal skills, able to liaise effectively at all levels across the firm and offices.
  • Good team spirit: assist others when necessary with the resolution of issues in a diplomatic manner. Able to lead by example.?
  • Commitment to supporting the team as a global function and ability to strengthen those connections globally.
  • Strong organisational and research skills, attention to detail and able to work well under pressure.
  • Ability to use own judgment to come to decisions but also aware of when issues need to be escalated.
  • Ability to work efficiently, prioritise and meet deadlines.
  • Flexible and able to adapt to new situations, processes and technology.

Languages (Desirable):

As relevant to the Ashurst network offices and their targeted areas of business

Education and requirements:

  • Preferable, but not essential: UK/Overseas legal qualification (or minimum of LPC)
  • Essential strong relevant experience in Conflicts, Compliance and Risk Management at like-minded firms.
  • In depth knowledge of the OFR, in particular the chapters within the SRA Code of Conduct and the SRA Authorisation rules (as well as other jurisdictions professional Codes of Conduct).
  • Expertise of Conflict obligations in the EMEA and APAC region and other associated risk and compliance issues.
  • Experience in assessing and dealing with commercial conflicts with reference to the commercial strategy of a like-minded Firm.
  • Experience in advising on panel terms and other contractual arrangements with clients.
  • Working knowledge and ability to use Compliance Databases.
  • Experience in educating members of a law firm in Compliance procedures
  • Supervisory, team leading experience.

Company

Ashurst is a leading progressive global law firm with a rich history spanning more than 200 years. We are proud of our history and are future-focused, having expanded into new technologies through our NewLaw division, Ashurst Advance, and our consulting arm. Our in-depth understanding of our clients and commitment to providing excellent standards of service have seen us become a trusted adviser to local and global corporates, financial institutions and governments in all areas of commercial law. To find out more please visit  www.ashurst.com

Company info
Telephone
+44 20 7638 1111
Location
London Fruit & Wool Exchange
1 Duval Square
London
E1 6PW
United Kingdom

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