You will primarily be responsible for assisting Clyde & Co with
the highly confidential conflicts and compliance checks of potential
new joiners, with an emphasis on the firm's North American region.
This covers recruiting for all of the firm's position types (where fee
earning candidates are most commonly referred to as
"laterals"). This not only covers individual new hires but
also involves larger group acquisitions.
You will keep in contact with HR and other firm leaders on the
ever-evolving statuses of candidates under consideration. You will
update and maintain records for your region on a global spreadsheet
shared internally among BAU and Risk as well as within Intapp Open.
This includes but is not limited to updating records to reflect when a
candidate is no longer under consideration.
You will perform conflicts checks according to the firm's global and
regional policies on rules of professional conduct, sanctions, and
anti-money laundering. You will perform the necessary analysis,
reporting, and summarizing, with supplementation efforts varying on a
case by case basis.
Routine tasks include running preliminary checks on candidates'
client lists and performing full searching on all parties involved in
candidates' open matters as well as those closed within the last five years.
Upon the joining of new hires, you will liaise with project teams
comprised of representatives from multiple departments to successfully
on-board the laterals you searched prior to their arrival. This
includes sheparding their portable work through and serving as a
resource for their ongoing BAU training needs.
You will also be responsible for performing ethical wall/information
barrier/matter access restrictions attendant to the joining of lateral hires.
To the extent you have capacity, you will likely be asked to help
with special projects; conflicts searches needed for
marketing/business development purposes; and the conflicts and
compliance checks associated with the existing partnership's
generation of new business. You may also be asked to help process
laterals from other firm regions.
Structure
You will be part of the global Conflicts & Compliance BAU Team,
reporting regionally to the Head of BAU, North America. The BAU Team
consists of a Global Head; a North American Regional Head; Team
Leaders; Lawyers/Counsel; Senior Analysts; Analysts; and Assistants.
The BAU works very closely with the firm's Risk Department, including
its AML & Sanctions Lawyers and paralegals; General Counsel(s);
and Risk Managers.
Main Responsibilities
Specific to the processing of lateral candidates:
Reviewing relevant documentation for North American applicants
under consideration, including CVs, top clients lists; conflict of
interest forms, and matter/party spreadsheets.
Sorting, filtering, and uploading all names from the applicant's
documentation into Intapp Open for searching, applying firm policy
and procedure regarding codings of each category of information.
Specifying within Intapp Open search records identifying details
of the candidate, visible to BAU/Risk only, including warnings
regarding confidentiality.
Apprising Risk early in the process if the candidate's
documentation appears significantly lacking in sufficient
information or detail.
Immediately locating any same-case involvement between the
candidate and Clyde.
Breaking down search terms uploaded and performing corporate
family tree research where necessary; running conflicts searches
against the names uploaded; and selecting relevant results to appear
in reports according to current lateral policy then summarizing same.
Keeping interested parties apprised of status and attending
routine status meetings.
Updating firm records throughout the life of the candidacy to
reflect whether someone has ultimately joined or not.
Running as many supplemental conflicts checks as are necessary
based on the candidate's potential supplemental disclosures.
Identifying when turnaround deadlines are not practical
considering current workload and suggesting risk-based,
candidate-specific tailored approaches to particular lateral
handling if appropriate.
Helping get a candidate's portable work pre-conflicts cleared
prior to their firm arrival.
Serving as a department liaison during the on-boarding transition
phase to the candidate and other departments, helping ensure all
cleared matters are opened upon arrival.
Providing Intapp training to the new joiner once here on proper
conflicts submission for ongoing work.
Creating ethical wall/information barrier/matter access
restrictions according to Risk's clearance instructions upon the new
joiner's employee account being created in our systems.
Running conflicts for process laterals from other firm regions on
an as-needed basis.
To the extent you have capacity, you will likely be asked to help
with special projects; covering the general department inbox and
helpline; providing coverage of queues to team-members away from the
office; running conflicts searches needed for marketing/business
development purposes; and handling the conflicts and compliance checks
associated with the existing partnership's generation of new business.
When assisting with general department workload:
Reviewing Intapp Open request forms, ensuring satisfactory details
are provided by the engagement teams and querying instances where
information is either incomplete or unclear.
Handling a variety of request types, including but not limited to
initial conflicts checks only, full matter setups, matter changes,
matter reopenings, sub-file setups, and client changes.
Conducting conflicts checks using the firm's conflicts database,
paying close attention to sensitive entries in the firm's Black Book
warning file database.
Drafting broad enough search terms to catch a variety of potential matches.
Maintaining familiarity with application of a variety of
intersecting rules based on jurisdiction, practice type, etc.
Knowing when to perform corporate family tree research and
incorporate entities related to submitted parties in conflicts searches.
Analyzing conflict search results and liaising with partners and
case handlers on the matters that may present conflicts of interest.
Obtaining relevant information on the matter, if required, in order
to make a judgement call on whether a conflict or potential conflict
is present.
Escalating conflicts issues as appropriate with clear analysis of
the conflict and the conclusions reached so far.
Proactively following up when seeking information or conflict
resolution from other stakeholders around the firm.
Maintaining and updating the conflict search database as key
information becomes apparent on existing matters.
Assisting in the research and implementation of ethical
walls/information barriers. Working with the Risk Team as needed,
safeguarding confidentiality at all times for the involved teams.
Supporting the high volume business on matter inception, ensuring
that conflict checks are carried out in a timely manner for all
types, but also recognizing those which need prioritization above others.
Recording all conflict research, communication with stakeholders,
and analysis and conclusion of the conflict resolution in the firm's
client and matter inception software, for the purposes of compliance
and auditing.
Maintaining working knowledge of sanctions policies and
procedures, including escalation.
Anti-Money Laundering, for both lateral and non-lateral work:
Researching, identifying and verifying new clients to the firm by
using online data providers and any other online resources.
Analyzing and establishing the corporate structure for entity
clients, tracing up to the ultimate beneficial owner(s).
Advising the relationship partner on further details that are
required from the client in the event that information is not
available in the public domain or documentation is required on
identified individuals.
Researching and identifying politically exposed persons and high
risk clients by creating an online profile.
Attributing a risk rating to the client and escalating the client
where a decision needs to be made upon analysis of documentation and risk.
Seeking sign off from MLRO's and Risk Partners when required and
advising partners on any steps that need to be taken to mitigate the
risks associated with the client.
Assisting in the on-going monitoring and need for updated due
diligence for existing clients.
Recording all AML documentation, communication and risk rating in
the Client Risk Assessment section of the client and matter
inception software, with a clear synopsis of how the client rating
has been attributed, stating any mitigating factors and follow up
steps that need to be taken by the BAU or case handlers.
Specification
Knowledge of rules of professional conduct applicable to lawyers,
specifically those covering conflicts of interest rules, duties to
former and current clients, obligations of confdidentiality, notice
and consent requirements, and ethical screens.
Prior experience with legal case management and conflicts software
(preferably Intapp Open and Intapp Walls).
Knowledge of anti-money laundering legislation (desirable).
Strong MS Office.
Meticulous attention to detail.
Strong customer focus.
Excellent communications skills and ability to articulate issues,
rules, objective application of facts thereto, and conclusions drawn.
Diligent but efficient ability to perform various online research endeavors.
Strong spelling and grammar skills.
Respectful of cultural differences among a diverse global staff.
College degree required. J.D. or paralegal certificate a plus.
Relevant experience may substitute.
Competencies
Strategic thinker with commercial awareness.
Service oriented: Recognizing internal and external clients and
the importance of service delivery.
Ability to work as part of a team and use own initiative, manage
own workload and adapt to changing priorities.
Adaptable to new systems, procedures, and requirements of role.
Flexible approach: Willing to assist others in achieving team objectives.
Confident dealing with senior management and ensuring service
levels are adhered to. Well-disciplined and self-motivated.
Ability to work well under pressure.
Confident and proactive approach.
Enthusiastic and positive attitude.
Discretion handling highly sensitive and confidential information.
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.
