Risk and Compliance / AML Lawyer

Risk and Compliance / AML Lawyer

The Role

Russell-Cooke is an expanding and energetic firm of solicitors with offices in Central London, Putney, and Kingston. The firm has over 260 fee earners and support staff working across a range of specialist departments. The Risk and Compliance department develops and maintains the firm’s Risk Management policies and procedures and ensures that they are implemented and adhered to across the firm. They also provide guidance, updates, general advice, and where necessary training on regulatory and compliance issues.

The Director of Risk and Compliance is seeking a full-time risk and compliance lawyer with a focus on AML and Financial Crime to assist the team. Within this role, you will assist the team to manage the firm’s legal and regulatory obligations, along with risks relating to new clients/matters. You will also contribute to firmwide adherence to the highest standards in professional conduct and quality.

The successful candidate should have good knowledge of AML legislation and sanctions regimes together with general risk and compliance ideally gained in a compliance role at a law firm.

This role is based in our Putney office.

Technical Skills and Expertise

The main duties include but are not limited to:

• Assisting the team with its work in mitigating regulatory risks and exposures.
• Assisting fee earners with achieving compliance with the firm’s ongoing AML/CDD procedures.
• Checking and verifying information provided by fee earners and providing guidance to fee earners relating to AML/CDD required in new client and matter opening process including conducting screenings of PEPs, sanctions issues and other regulatory risks.
• Reviewing risk assessments, ensuring high-risk scenarios/results are escalated.
• Fielding and where possible dealing with enquiries from fee earners and support staff and building good rapport.
• Maintaining and updating various central risk registers.
• Contributing to ongoing best practice improvements of AML related policies and procedures.
• Assisting with the preparation of the annual AML report for the Board.
• Assisting with complex conflict searches, file reviews, mySRA onboarding, various renewals including Lexcel and CQS.
• Assisting in delivering firm-wide compliance-related training.
• Conducting ad-hoc research in all areas of risk management.
• Keeping up to date with legal and regulatory information and changes.
• Liaising with other members of the Business Support Group in relation to relevant projects.

Key Attributes:

• Previous relevant AML and financial crime experience and an understanding of risk and compliance is essential.
• Knowledge of the law, regulation and professional standards applicable to a law firm, together with an understanding of compliance and risk issues.
• Proficiency in MS Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel is essential. Comfortable working within case management and database systems.
• Requires resilience and composure in dealing with all situations.
• Hands-on and confident with an energetic approach to risk management.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a client-oriented approach conducive to working with fee earners and within the Business Support Group.
• Confident in dealing with senior management and partners generally.
• Cooperative approach conducive to working within the Business Support Group.

Your Career Development

All our staff benefit from our cohort-based career development programme. We understand the importance of building an internal network and have developed this excellent cohort programme to allow our staff to work together across practice areas and share their knowledge, experiences, and networks.

Salary and Benefits

We offer competitive salaries and generous benefits.

For more information or to apply please follow the link on the portal.

We welcome direct applications. If you would like any further information about the firm please contact a member of the HR team.

We have a diverse workforce and aim to attract high calibre applicants that reflect the demography of our geographical location and client base. Individuals will be employed solely on merit and the requirement of the position. No applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of sex, race, marital status, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or religion. Reasonable adjustments will be made to eliminate or reduce disadvantage.