Financial Crime Lawyer - In-House

About Us

Linklaters is a leading international law firm, with 31 offices in 21 countries worldwide. Ours is an environment of outperformance. We achieve this by fostering a positive, supportive, and innovative culture with opportunities for our talent to thrive.

We respect and value difference but insist on inclusivity. We celebrate all aspects of diversity and challenge any form of bias. This is vital to our ability to work as one team, with a common goal.

Responsibilities

This is a dynamic and varied role in a small supportive and friendly global team that sits within the firm’s Business Acceptance team. It involves engaging directly with the Practice daily, as trusted advisor, on issues relating to Financial Crime (“FC”) risks. The global FC team is responsible for:

• Proactively developing and managing the systems, policies and procedures in place for Linklaters’ Financial Crime compliance.
• Managing the firm’s sanctions compliance – including where developments to sanctions regimes involve a change in approach by the firm.
• Advising on FC and other reputational risks to the Practice, Legal & Risk Team and other Business Teams.
• Supporting relationships with jurisdictions’ regulators on FC issues. Supporting Risk Partners across Linklaters’ network in their office’s compliance with local FC laws and regulations.
• Managing the firm’s reporting requirements.
• Managing the FC training program.
• Supporting and developing each other, as well as the wider Business Acceptance Team.
• Active contribution to the promotion of an effective risk management culture throughout the firm – and, working closely with partners, senior management and other members of the firm ensuring that the firm manages its FC risks appropriately.
  
  

About You

You will be a qualified practicing lawyer with experience gained at a large or leading international law firm or in an in-house legal team within global professional services firms.

You Will Have

• Minimum 2 years’ PQE
• Expertise in financial crime and general compliance issues and an understanding of how they impact the legal sector;
• Experience in managing complex compliance programmes ensuring the right balance between regulatory adherence and commercial reality.
• Have experience in team management including training and supervising junior colleagues;
• Have good communication and organisational skills, ability to work as a team and contribute to its success;
• Have the ability to assess, draft and update policies and procedures.
• Have experience in developing and delivering training on regulatory and compliance issues.
  
  

Your role

Advise the firm on FC related issues and procedures

• Provide ad hoc advice on a day-to-day basis on FC risks & requirements to Business Acceptance team members, Practice, Legal & Risk Team, other Business Teams and the firm’s MLRO.
• Support Risk Partners globally on compliance with FC laws in their jurisdictions including supporting on regular regulatory audits.
  
  

Reputational risk

• Evaluate and advise on the reputational risk issues presented by clients and matters (e.g. higher risk jurisdictions, opaque ownership, source and flow of funds, allegations of criminal conduct relating to shareholders or beneficial owners, ESG concerns etc.), including keeping informed on latest potential reputational risk areas that may affect the firm.
• Participate in the continuing development and management of the firm’s global reputational risk processes.
  
  

Manage the firm’s Sanctions compliance

• Evaluate and advise on regulatory and sanctions risks presented by the firm’s new business.
• Respond promptly to changes in sanctions regimes to ensure that the firm is properly protected.
• Provide advice to the firm on sanctions issues.
• Stay abreast of international sanctions developments affecting Linklaters’ business.
• Participate in the management and development of systems, procedures and internal knowledge resources in relation to sanctions.
  
  

Provide support and training to the Business Acceptance team on FC issues

• Support members of the Business Acceptance team in all FC aspects of new business clearance.
• Help run the FC training program for all members of the Business Acceptance team – both new joiners and ongoing training.
• Work with the Business Acceptance managers to ensure that the firm’s FC processes are as efficient and effective as possible.
• Be a key lead on FC quality control initiatives.
  
  

Development & Management of the firm’s global Anti-Money Laundering and Risk Assessment Systems

• Support the proactive development and management of the firm’s global anti-money laundering and risk assessment technical systems to ensure compliance with laws globally.
• Support in the management of relationships with external service providers, including evaluating products in the market that might be used to improve processes and compliance.
• Promote and encourage a continuous improvement, efficiency, and innovation mindset within the Business Acceptance Team in relation to all working practices.
  
  

Team Development

• Support and assist in the general development and management of junior members of the FC Team (including through supervising and monitoring work product where necessary and managing and delegating workloads appropriately) and the wider Legal & Risk team (including through training, mentoring and sponsorship programmes).
  
  

Strategy

• Support the firm in implementing its strategy as required and working with the wider Business Teams in delivering projects from time to time
  
  

What Sets Us Apart

• We offer a truly global work experience and the opportunity to be involved in strategic projects that drive innovation and shape the future of our business
• We belong to a firm that embodies its corporate social, environment, and governance responsibility commitments
• We remain focused on talent and having the best people which will result in a diverse workforce
• Having got the best people, we want them to feel included, valued and respected so they can perform at their best
• We advocate speak-up culture to empower our people in sharing their voices and an open-door policy to ensure they are listened to
• We invest in custom-fit career paths for our people in line with their talents and aspirations
• We provide agile working solutions to meet the changing needs of our people and our business
• We are committed to people first relationships based on mutual trust, respect, and appreciation
• We support the health and wellbeing of our people, providing a safe space to talk about emotions and mental health with access to expert advice as needed
• We invest in developing leaders of the future who demonstrate emotional intelligence and a passion to discover, coach and develop the talents of others.
  
  

Our commitment

We are an entrepreneurial and collaborative practice, committed to providing our colleagues with the support and training they need to maximise their potential, career profile and growth.

We are a close-knit team and place great value on working together in a positive, supportive, fair and open working environment. We respect each other and value diversity of thought and insist on inclusivity, celebrating all aspects of diversity because we want everyone to feel that they belong.

You will be challenged, motivated, mentored and supported in the development of your career and given access to professional learning and skills-based programmes aimed at providing you with the tools to meet your career ambitions.

A note to agencies: We are obliged to advise agencies that any introduction originating in a communication directed to a partner or stakeholder outside of the recruitment team and /or in breach of our regulatory requirements (including the requirement to solely introduce candidates exclusively via the portal under an appropriate agency account) is not eligible for a placement fee. Any agency communications are to be directed exclusively to the recruitment team [email protected].

Technical Skills

This list of duties and responsibilities above is not exhaustive. It is intended to describe the general content of, and requirements for, the performance of this job. As such, the role may also include the undertaking of additional tasks as required.

Application Policy

Applications and CVs (direct or via agency) are only accepted online via the portal. Queries related to our roles must be directed to the relevant recruitment team and not the partners, practices or stakeholders ([email protected] for legal roles or [email protected] for business team roles).