Opportunities

Role purpose

Under the direction of the Firm's Global General Counsel (GC) and Director of Professional Responsibility (DPR), the Deputy General Counsel - Europe, Middle East & Africa Region (DGC--EMEA) is responsible for a wide variety of duties as part of the Office of General Counsel (OGC), including but not limited to assisting the OGC to manage risk and compliance specifically, and legal matters generally, throughout Baker McKenzie's EMEA Region, and providing legal advice and support to the EMEA Executive Committee members, regional leadership, office managing partners, and other business professionals on such issues.

Main responsibilities:

Help manage and mitigate risk and compliance and legal issues generally across Baker McKenzie's EMEA Region (Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Kazakhstan, Luxemburg, Morocco, Netherlands, Poland, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and United Kingdom).

Overall accountability for the following:

• Oversight of the risk and compliance function for the EMEA Region, on behalf of and in close coordination with the Office of General Counsel, including AML and related issues, anti-bribery issues, and regional and local regulatory issues;
• Provision of legal advice and counselling to regional, office and practice group leadership;
• Provision of legal advice in the first instance to the business in the Region;
• Delivery of global risk and compliance training in the Region, and ensuring mandatory completion of same;
• Coalescing and leading the global risk community members in the Region, as a sub-set of the broader global risk community;
• Working with partners to resolve ethical and business conflict issues, including counsel guidelines advice.
• Support and advise regional leadership on Firm and Regional governance and constitutional issues.
• Support and advise regional and office leadership in relation to Firm structure, local structure and the regulation of legal services.
• Promote and embed consistent global Firm standards of good conduct, professional responsibility and ethics as articulated in the Firm's Code of Business Conduct, Attorney Manual, and relevant workplace and other policies, including conducting or coordinating workplace investigations.
• Assist with and advise on employment, labor, and human resources issues in the region, supporting and/or counselling management and the HR function as necessary.
• Assist with claims defense management and direction, as and when needed by the OGC.
• Assist in selecting, retaining and supervising outside counsel as directed by the GC, on claims, employment or other matters. Prepare and update budgets for legal matters within the OGC's area of responsibility. Negotiate fees. Evaluate performance of outside counsel and review legal bills for accuracy and cost efficiency.
• Assist in policy drafting and implementation.

Travel requirements

The DGC-EMEA will be required to travel regularly within the EMEA Region, to deliver risk management training, assist in conducting internal investigations, and support global risk and compliance initiatives. Some travel outside of the region may be required annually.

Function

Our Operations, Risk & Administration function supports and manages the day-to-day operations of the Firm, providing expert and in-market support regarding office management, office services and facilities, real estate management, risk management, and secretarial and administrative services.

You will report to: Peter Engstrom (General Counsel) / Kerry Miller (Director of Professional Responsibility)

Your direct reports, if any: Legal / Compliance Directors across the Region

Key relationships: General Counsel, Director of Professional Responsibility, other members of the OGC, EC / Regional / Local Management

Technical skills, qualifications and experience:

• The candidate must have the ability to work effectively in a team oriented, fast paced, highly visible environment where tasks are often sensitive and confidential in nature, and must demonstrate a detail oriented personality while maintaining a good grasp of the Firm's broader values and strategy.
• The candidate must have strong cross-cultural communication and organization skills, as well as the professional seasoning, credibility and judgment necessary to gain the respect and confidence of the Firm's senior management, distributed leadership and professionals.
• The candidate must have excellent research and writing skills, as well as excellent verbal communication skills, in order to distill legal problems and their solutions effectively.
• The candidate must have exceptional ability to collect, analyze, and interpret qualitative and quantitative data and information, as well as strong analytic and problem solving skills, with a focus on process and project management.
• The candidate must be able to work with minimum supervision, delegate when appropriate, and meet deadlines while under pressure and with frequent interruptions.
• The candidate must have outstanding interpersonal skills, including the ability to work effectively in a consensus-driven organization and to create consensus-based support for processes and outcomes, as well as work effectively with a highly motivated partner group.
• The candidate must have a strong moral compass, an unwavering commitment to the Firm's stated values, and the fortitude to objectively advise strong personalities.
• An undergraduate degree and a graduate law degree with at least fifteen years of broad-based experience in the legal profession or an inhouse legal department is required.
• In-house legal department and/or dedicated risk management experience is preferred.

Personal qualities

These personal qualities represent the shared characteristics of high performers across Baker McKenzie, regardless of job level and location.

Know how

• Demonstrates the ability to identify the real issue, and to anticipate requirements and potential consequences; distills a range of possibilities by thinking in a considered, prudent manner
• Has the capacity to take on new ideas and develop knowledge and think holistically about business and address media, analyst, employee, and client audiences
• Able to move through a variety of tasks requiring different approaches, knowledge, and expertise, with the agility of mind and capacity for analysis and synthesis

Dedication

• Driven by a strong personal sense of integrity and upholds exemplary quality standards
• Prepares thoroughly, takes responsibility, uses initiative and is self reliant to ensure work progresses to the fullest extent possible
• Hardworking and diligent with a keen understanding of client demands
• Demonstrates composure when dealing with difficult situations

Personal Impact

• Uses complex, coordinated influencing/negotiation strategies, adapted to people, organizations, and/or the situation, e.g. networks
• Leverages direct reports to facilitate increased collaboration across the organization
• Builds partnerships based on a common agreement that acknowledges individual differences but creates a new commonality beyond root belief large-scale
• Creates a positive impression at all times; develops relationships through collaboration and reciprocity
• Negotiates to achieve mutually satisfactory outcomes; shows good judgment on when to stand strong and when to compromise
• Invests in, nurtures, and builds a network of productive relationships

Humanity

• Respectful to others, regardless of their position, and earns the respect of others by being transparent
• Has care and concern for others and a genuine interest in others as people
• Treats delicate or confidential issues with grace and discretion.

Why Join Us?

Baker McKenzie is a truly global law firm. Founded in 1949, we advise many of the world's most dynamic and successful business organisations through our 13,200 people in 74 offices in 45 countries. Yet big does not mean impersonal. We work hard to ensure that everyone knows their role and has the support they need to perform it to the highest standard. Our culture encourages this - how we work, think and behave in a collaborative and fulfilling way.

In London you will be part of a 1,000 person office, which is also our largest office globally. Originally opened in 1961, Baker McKenzie London is well established in the UK as a leading international law firm and is regularly involved in some of the country's most high-profile legal matters. We can offer you the work, pride and experience of being part of a leading law firm but in a local office environment that is hardworking, friendly and supportive.

The strength of the firm and our culture is evidenced by a number of recent awards, including:

• Thomson Reuters (formerly Acritas' Sharplegal) Global Elite Law Firm Brand Index, 2010- 2022 - ranked 1st
• The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers 2021-2022: currently ranked 52nd
• Thomson Reuters ranked the Firm No. 1 for cross-border deals for the last 12 years. More than 70% of our deals are cross-border.
• For the 14th consecutive year, the Firm was ranked first for deals with emerging market involvement, by both number of announced and completed deals.
• Law360 ranked the Firm as one of the 400 Largest US Law Firms in in its annual survey in 2020.
• Identified as one of the Hall of Fame for best law firms for women by Working Mother magazine, 2011-2021.
• Received a a Gold Award in Stonewall's Global Workplace Equality Index of Top Global Employers for LGBTQ+ Inclusion.
• Ranked as one of the Top 20 Employers in the 2023 Social Mobility Employer Index.
• Received Double Certification for earning top marks in the 2022 Corporate Equality Index and Equidad MX of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.
• Winner of the Europe Mentorship Programme - International Firm award in the Euromoney Women in Business Law Europe Awards 2021
• Winner of the Gender Diversity International Firm, Talent Management International Firm, and Work-Life Balance International Firm awards in the Euromoney Women in Business Law Asia Awards 2021

Have a look at our YouTube channel to find out more about us!

To Apply

Please click on the Apply icon to start the online application process for this role. We will then be in touch with you once we have reviewed your application.

For more information about this position or to discuss any adjustments you may require during the process please contact in confidence, David Roberts, Recruitment Manager, on David.Roberts@bakermckenzie.com

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NO AGENCIES PLEASE

Please note Baker McKenzie does not accept unsolicited CVs. Please click here for details of our Agency Policy and commitment to sourcing directly.

Commitment to Inclusion, Diversity & Equity

As the first truly global law firm, diversity and inclusion are foundational to our culture and strategic vision. We are a Firm of individuals from across the globe with different backgrounds, ideas, and points of view who collegially work together to solve complex problems and design practical solutions for our clients. Our multiple perspectives come from many sources, including the diverse ethnicity, culture, gender, nationality, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, parental status, education, social background and life experience of our people.

Our global strategy is focused on our people, our culture, our clients and the communities where we operate. In 2019 we enacted ambitious new targets related to gender, racial and ethnic diversity at the Firm. These targets are viewed as a floor, not a ceiling, to advancing underrepresented groups, and they are backed by a variety of strategic initiatives aimed at achieving our goals. Our strategic vision is supported in London by six active employee led networks which champion diversity, lead on a number of internal campaigns and deliver a range of activity to celebrate differences in identity, inclusion, and key dates throughout the year including: LGBT+ History Month, International Women's Day, International Trans Day of Visibility, Mental Health Awareness Week, Pride, Black History Month, Social Mobility Week, International Day of Disabled Persons and many more!

Baker McKenzie London has been accredited by Disability Confident, joining over 18,000 organisations that have signed up to help change behaviours and cultures in businesses, networks and communities and reap the benefits of inclusive recruitment practices.