Job description

We are currently recruiting for someone with conflicts management experience to join our Business Acceptance Unit (BAU) as an In-House Lawyer/Senior Lawyer.  This role could be based in any office across our global network but is required to work UK hours from Sunday to Thursday.

The role of the Senior In-House Lawyer is to be a trusted adviser to the business, providing high quality, proactive business-focused support and solutions to colleagues on a variety of "business as usual" and complex regulatory, compliance and professional conduct issues. It requires an individual with the ability to develop strong working relationships in order to be a "go to" and accessible person for queries and concerns about regulation, compliance and conduct from around the world from stakeholders of all levels from business teams and fee-earning, including the Board and Board sub-committees.  In addition, the Senior In-House Lawyer will participate in strategic projects and will be part of the horizon-scanning team, inputting into the strategic direction of the firm's regulation.

Department and role purpose
Senior In-House Lawyers within our highly collaborative global BAU take a lead role in analysing and resolving the most complex issues, as well as enhancing and developing processes and procedures to ensure a first class service is provided to our partners and clients.

The BAU team process requests from partners for the firm to accept new legal matters including performing anti-money laundering, sanctions and background checks on new clients and performing conflicts checks (within internal databases) on each new matter (for both new and existing clients).  The team work closely with partners and other senior stakeholders to facilitate resolution of legal and business conflict issues and to ensure that regulatory obligations with respect to client identification and ongoing monitoring are met in each of the jurisdictions in which Allen & Overy operates

Role and responsibilities
Responsibilities

• Analysing and resolving (or, where appropriate, facilitating resolution of) professional, legal, regulatory and commercial issues relating to business acceptance which are referred by BAU analysts and by partners and all other levels of lawyer and support staff including: professional and legal conflicts issues; business conflicts and other commercial issues; anti-money laundering client ID issues; and reputational and suitability issues at the point of business acceptance.
• Exercising judgment as to when to refer issues (of the type listed above) to senior management, the Head of Business Acceptance and/or Head of Risk and Compliance and facilitating the resolution of any such issues referred.
• Responding, and managing the BAU's responses, to queries addressed to the members of the BAU relating to business acceptance including, in particular, in relation to the areas listed above.
• Monitoring changes in practice, professional rules, regulations and the law as affects business acceptance globally so that these can be reflected in the business acceptance process.
• Monitoring changes and developments in practice, professional rules, regulations and the law as relate to reporting and other obligations under anti-money laundering requirements.
• Assisting in the creation and maintenance of precedents and know how resources for use within the BAU team and the development of appropriate business acceptance know how (e.g. briefings) for use throughout the firm.
• Assisting in managing the day to day operations of the BAU team in London in relation to: team members' performance reviews; development of the analyst team’s regulatory expertise and work type experience; monitoring adequate staff cover, e.g. during periods of staff leave/sickness/national holiday; day to day performance in terms of quality of service, fulfilment of the team's role as set out above and its speed of turnaround (e.g. specific turnaround targets in relation to conflict search responses and new matter requests); and the BAU global enquiry line.
• Assisting in the creation, ongoing development and implementation of the firm's global business acceptance policies, processes and systems.  For example those relating to: matter inception; new client acceptance; conflict checking; internal matter records databases (for conflicts management purposes); other external database resources used for business acceptance purposes; use, and development, of functionality within the firm's existing systems for business acceptance purposes; the BAU watchlist (listing sensitive areas being actively monitored); and the collection and storage of engagement letters.
• Screening, and advising on, the terms of pitch documents and engagement/relationship letters and ensuring that any relevant terms are noted and taken into account in the course of the business acceptance process.
• Intervention (where required, at the point of business acceptance) to issue directions on specific formalities required for business acceptance purposes e.g. levels of virtual file security and any need for formal information barriers.
• Assistance in monitoring information barriers including: setting up information barriers; information barrier clearances on walled matters; and responding to queries on the firm's procedures.
• Assisting in the design, implementation and delivery of training presentations and other development programmes for lawyers and support departments regarding risk management and, in particular, business acceptance.
• In relation to all of the above, reporting to the Head of Business of Acceptance, Head of Risk Management and Compliance and (where appropriate) senior management.

Role requirements

• Interest in, and potential for, developing mentoring skills;
• Commercially minded and possessing a strong legal skill set;
• Ability to analyse facts and scenarios thoroughly (and yet quickly) and proactively to put forward resolutions to legal and commercial problems;
• Excellent task management skills and a proven ability to manage multiple tasks under time pressure; and
• Enthusiastic, self-motivated and pro-active.

Key requirements

• Qualified – with significant PQE.
• Experience in relation to Conflicts Management is essential.
• Must have strong academic background minimum of a 2:1.
• International experience with a leading top tier firm is highly advantageous with a strong background in multi-jurisdictional transactions or dispute resolution.

Allen & Overy LLP is committed to being an inclusive employer and we are happy to consider flexible working arrangements.

Additional information - External

Allen & Overy is a leading global law firm operating in over thirty countries. By turning our insight, technology and talent into ground-breaking solutions, we’ve earned our reputation as a firm that leads the industry and opens up new possibilities in law. Our lawyers are leaders in their field – and the same goes for our support teams. Ambitious, driven and open to fresh perspectives, we find new ways to deliver our services and maintain our reputation for excellence, in all that we do.

The nature of law is changing and with that change brings unique opportunities. We are defined by our consistent commitment to creating a collaborative and supportive working culture and investing in your progress. We’re committed to supporting a culture that drives diversity and inclusion. Every day, we’re working hard to create an environment where you feel you can bring your authentic self to work. To be comfortable and confident to be who you are in the workplace. To feel like you belong. We offer rewarding careers that are built around your strengths and designed to ensure you can achieve your personal and professional ambitions. Joining our global team, you’ll discover what collaborating on a global scale really looks like; you’ll learn how to help drive change; and you’ll be at the heart of an organisation that’s defining the future of law. If you’re ready to find a place to thrive: It’s Time.