Financial Crime Lawyer

Job Description | Financial Crime Lawyer

Department: Legal & Risk Department

Location: London (hybrid role - minimum two days a week in the office)

The Role

The Legal & Risk Department provides support to the firm's Senior Management and to the wider business, to ensure that the firm develops and maintains the very highest standards of professional conduct, sets a healthy risk culture and complies with its legal and regulatory requirements. The Financial Crime team sits within the department as a sub-set, working closely with the Business Acceptance Unit (BAU) and with regional in-house lawyers spread throughout the network, as well as with the central Risk team in the UK.

Key Responsibilities

• Supporting the Head of Financial Crime in ensuring compliance relating to anti-money laundering (AML), anti-bribery and corruption (ABC), illegal tax benefits, financial sanctions, fraud prevention and other relevant requirements.
• Conducting audits as part of the Firm's financial crime audit programme.
• Acting as a point of escalation for the BAU Team and others in the firm requiring advice on high-risk clients and matters.
• Analysing suspicious activity reports and supporting the MLROs with the discharge of their duties by drafting and submitting reports under their direction.
• Mentoring the financial crime lawyers and other financial crime team members.
• Assisting with the preparation of the Firm-Wide Risk Assessment and other financial crime-related risk assessment reports.
• Contributing to high standards in financial crime compliance in the BAU Team and in other high risk business services teams and practice groups by developing and providing regular financial crime training and developing e-learning.
• Attending when required, the Financial Crime and Sanctions Committees of the firm which meet regularly or as required to discuss key topics and ensure the firm manages risks arising appropriately.
• Drafting, developing, maintaining, and communicating policies and templates that set firm standards for complying with AML, ABC, and other financial crime related regulatory requirements imposed by the United Kingdom, European Union, Hong Kong, China Singapore, the UAE and all other jurisdictions as required for the firm.
• Responding to financial crime related client and third-party questionnaires including from our regulators globally.
• Conducting regular financial crime related audits (AML, Sanctions and other audits as required).
• Assisting in developing processes designed to comply with regulatory requirements and responding to business need.
• Monitoring regulatory updates and guidance and receiving feedback on compliance operations from lawyers and staff and implementing processes required to meet regulatory changes.
• Other risk and compliance related projects as required.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Qualified lawyer (or equivalent) with experience of advising on anti-money laundering and other financial crime risks, gained in an international law firm.
• A high level of knowledge of the U.K. Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds Regulations 2017 (as mended) the Legal Sector Affinity Group's Anti-Money Laundering Guidance for the Legal Sector, and other regulatory materials relevant to the firm's compliance obligations.
• A high level of knowledge of the UK sanctions regime required and a working knowledge of other international sanctions regime such as the EU, US, UAE, would be desirable but is not essential.
• Experience in managing AML and other financial crime risks within a professional services firm and advising on AML/financial crime queries.
• Experience of delivering AML and/or other financial crime training.
• Excellent ability to manage and influence senior stakeholders, driving action and challenging inaction.
• Strong partnership abilities; skilled in influencing and motivating others especially senior leaders.
• Strong project management, problem-solving and decision-making skills;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills including presentation development and delivery
• Ability to work independently and think critically.
• A strong service focus with the need to listen and understand the essential requirements of different areas of the firm.
• Ability to build connections and work collaboratively across boundaries at all levels.
• Availability to travel.
• Unequivocal commitment to maintaining high ethical standards and strict confidentiality of firm and client information.

The Firm

Clyde & Co is a leading global law firm, helping organisations successfully navigate risk and maximise opportunity in the sectors that underpin global trade and commercial activity and enable global prosperity, namely: insurance, aviation, marine, construction, energy, trade and natural resources. Globally integrated, we offer a comprehensive range of contentious and non-contentious legal services and commercially-minded legal advice to businesses operating across the world. We are committed to operating in a responsible way by progressing towards a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the communities and clients it serves and provides an environment in which everyone can realise their potential, using its legal and professional skills to support its communities through pro bono work, volunteering and charitable partnerships, and minimising the impact it has on the environment including through a commitment to the SBTi Net-Zero standard and the setting of ambitious emissions reduction targets. The firm has 490 partners, 2400 lawyers, 3200 legal professionals and 5500 people overall in nearly 70 offices and associated offices worldwide.

Our Values

Our values are the principles that guide the decisions we make, unite us in our endeavours and strengthen our delivery, for our clients and our firm. We:

• Work as one We are a globally connected team of talented people who act with a firm-first mentality to achieve success
• Excel with clients We aim high and challenge ourselves to deliver unique excellence for our clients, keeping them at the centre of everything we do
• Celebrate difference We help each other to be at our best and believe our differences result in greater achievement
• Act boldly We seek new opportunities, take action and learn as we go, recognising that curiosity drives our development and contributes to growth

Business Services Competencies

Clyde & Co is committed to providing extensive, personal and professional development opportunities for our people enabling them to be highly effective in their current role as well as assisting them to fulfil their career aspirations.

The competencies are used to inform all aspects of Business Services career development. They vary across levels and different business areas and fall under the following areas:

• Technical Excellence
• People and Team
• Client/Stakeholder Relationships
• Service Delivery and Commercial Awareness
• Personal Effectiveness

This is the job description as constituted at present; however the Firm reserves the right to reasonably amend it in accordance with the changing needs of the business.

When you work at Clyde & Co, you join a team of 490 partners, 2,400 lawyers, 3,200 legal professionals and 5,500 people in nearly 70 offices and associated offices worldwide. Our values are the principles that guide the decisions we make, unite us in our endeavours and strengthen our delivery, for both our clients and our firm. We work as one, excel with clients, celebrate difference and act boldly. We are committed to operating in a responsible way by progressing towards a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the communities and clients it serves. We are devoted to providing an environment in which everyone can realise their potential, using its legal and professional skills to support its communities. We do this through pro bono work, volunteering and charitable partnerships, and minimising the impact it has on the environment, including through our commitment to the SBTi Net-Zero standard and the setting of ambitious emissions reduction targets.    

We offer a range of tailored benefits and support, including healthcare, retirement planning and wellbeing initiatives.

Clyde & Co is proud to be an equal opportunities employer. Our core values encourage us to support fairness, celebrate diversity and prohibit all forms of discrimination in the workplace to allow everyone to excel at work. Therefore, we welcome and encourage all applications from suitably qualified individuals, regardless of background or identity.
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