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Job Title
Deputy General Counsel, Europe, Middle East & Africa Region
Job Location
London
Job Category
Business Services
Practice Group
N/A
Support Department
Global
Description
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
Please note Baker McKenzie does not accept unsolicited CVs. Please clickhere
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.