Overview

You will be responsible for assisting partners and other members of Clyde & Co with the new business inception process in line with firm conflicts and risk management policies. Those policies are based on legislation, case law and other opinions, rules of professional conduct, and other regulatory requirements from a variety of jurisdictions covering conflicts of interest, anti-money laundering, and sanctions. This duty also extends to assisting with conflicts checks of the firm's marketing/business development/article publication endeavors and growth/expansion via lateral hires of fee earners and other staff.

Clyde & Co shifted to virtual work for the majority of our lawyers and business services team with the global outbreak of Covid-19. This precaution was taken to help protect our people, clients and communities. It is likely that this role will start virtually while the firm continues to evaluate the situation.

Structure

You will be part of a dynamic and culturally diverse 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/other regional 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

Conflicts

• Reviewing Intapp Open request forms, including but not limited to new client and matter forms, initial conflicts checks only, and client/matter changes, ensuring satisfactory details are provided by the engagement teams and querying instances where information is either incomplete or unclear.
• Analyzing the new client and/or new matter to determine the risks associated with the instruction.
• 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.

Anti-Money Laundering

• Researching, identifying and verifying new clients by using online data providers and any other online resources.
• Analysing and establishing the corporate structure for clients where relevant and tracing up to the ultimate beneficial owners.
• Advising engagement teams 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 for existing clients and updating client 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.

Compliance and More

• Maintaining technical knowledge, expertise and know how on the nature of the work each department undertakes in the Firm, conflicts, AML, and sanctions.
• Screening all clients and matters for sanctions and escalating any adverse findings to the Risk Team and Sanctions Partners.
• Carrying out the conflict checking and client/matter on-boarding process for lateral hires. Working closely with HR/recruiting.
• Supporting junior members of the BAU Team on queries and training.
• Training new secretarial hires on use of the conflicts submission system.
• Answering queries from around the firm on the BAU helpline and through the BAU email inbox and escalating urgent queries to the appropriate individual(s) within and outside of the department.
• Assisting on the execution of projects as and when they arise.
• Providing coverage of queues to team-members away from the office.

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 (desirable).
• 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.

College degree required. J.D. or paralegal certificate a plus. Relevant experience may substitute.

Competencies

• Strategic thinker with commercial awareness.
• Service orientated: 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.

-Principals Only-

It is the policy of the Firm to recruit, hire, promote, reassign, compensate and train highly- qualified persons without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, national origin, age, disability or any other basisprotected by applicable law.

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