Compliance Lawyer Financial Crime

Weil seeks the best and brightest talent to join our Legal and Business services teams. Our employees are the future of Weil and we invest in their training and development. Our environment embraces and encourages positive-minded professionals who seek to be challenged and acquire knowledge and skills in an atmosphere built on teamwork. Highly skilled and knowledgeable Business Services professionals assist our lawyers in successfully meeting and exceeding client needs and are vital to the overall success of the Firm.

Job Description

Position:                     Compliance Lawyer – Financial Crime

Reporting to:              Senior Compliance Counsel

Based at:                    110 Fetter Lane, London EC4A 1AY

The Department

The Compliance Lawyer will work within the London Compliance Team, focusing on financial crime in the UK and Europe. This role will be part of a busy team of lawyers and analysts responsible for providing legal, risk and regulatory advice and support to the London, Paris and Brussels offices.

The London Office Managing Partners take a keen interest in compliance issues resulting in a strong compliance culture across the office. The function is also supported by the Compliance Officer for Legal Practice, Compliance Officer for Financial Administration, the Money Laundering Reporting Officer and the firm’s General Counsel and New York Conflicts team.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Financial Crime

• Responsibility for the financial crime function within the Compliance team, supporting the Compliance Manager and analysts to provide a consistent and prompt service;

• Advise partners and employees on financial crime compliance, including money laundering, sanctions, bribery, fraud, tax evasion and market abuse;

• Support the MLRO in their duties, including submitting SARs, and completing questionnaires from clients, suppliers or the SRA;

• Horizon scan for changes to financial crime regulations, guidance and market practice in relevant jurisdictions, update firm policies and procedures, and train analysts;

• Draft, maintain and update records of the firm’s financial crime policies, procedures and risk assessments in line with regulations in the UK and Europe, and maintain the team’s bespoke AML database;

• Independent and regulator audit preparation and liaison;

• Identify reputational and financial crime issues and approve high risk clients and matter summaries before submission to the MLRO;

• Attend relevant firm committee and MLRO meetings and present key topics; attend external roundtables and conferences to stay abreast of industry developments in the UK, US and Europe, as relevant;

• Develop and deliver financial crime training to partners and employees in relevant offices;

• Proactively share knowledge in weekly team meetings and oversee training of new analysts;

• Line management of Compliance Manager, involvement in appraisals and identifying any resourcing needs; and

• Review of AML functions and automated systems in relevant offices and implementing changes as required.

General Compliance

• Advise partners and employees on a wide range of compliance and regulatory issues, including conflicts and confidentiality under SRA and US rules, negotiating terms with clients and third parties, secondments, lateral hires, practising rights, SRA Codes of Conduct, insurance renewals and other ad hoc projects; and

• Holiday cover for other members of the team.

Specific skills/experience required

• Qualified lawyer 5+ PQE;

• Experience of working at a large City / International firm either in a compliance team or as a fee earner with regulatory experience;

• Knowledge of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, UK Money Laundering Regulations and LSAG guidance, French and Belgian AML Regulations and industry guidance, UK, EU and US sanctions, Bribery Act 2010, Criminal Finances Act 2017 and ECCTA 2023;

• Experience advising on financial crime issues and liaising with relevant stakeholders, and preparing/submitting SARs;

• Experience managing projects and implementing changes to processes and procedures;

• Ability to assess, draft and update policies and precedents ensuring stakeholder consultation where appropriate;

• Client service focused and ability to take initiative, solutions-orientated with a commercial and pragmatic approach;

• Good communication and organisational skills, ability to work as a team and contribute to its success;

• Attention to detail, ability to prioritise and meet deadlines; and

• Resilience and ability to interact with people at all levels in a constructive and polite manner.

Weil offers a competitive compensation package which comprises of base salary and discretionary year-end bonus (for eligible employees).  Benefits include, but are not limited to Contributory Pension Scheme, Life Assurance (4 x annual salary), Income Protection Scheme, Private Medical Insurance, GP Service, 25 days holiday, Subsidised Staff Restaurant, Health Screening, Annual Well Being Allowance, On-site Gym, Employee Assistance Programme and Season Ticket Loan.

Weil is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to encouraging inclusion among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. It is our policy to attract, train, compensate and develop based on merit and without regard to gender, race, social or economic background, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation, marital or civil partnership status, age, or any other category protected by applicable law. You can find out more about inclusion at Weil here.

At Weil we strive to create an inclusive and accessible recruitment process for all candidates. Should you require any reasonable adjustments or additional support at any stage of the recruitment process please do not hesitate to contact a member of Weil’s recruitment team at [email protected].