The Role

We are seeking an AML and Onboarding Risk Analyst to join  our General Counsel team, providing risk-based advice and analysis to support the firm in identifying, assessing and managing AML, sanctions, conflicts, regulatory and reputational risks associated with new and existing client engagements

This role offers a fantastic opportunity to be part of a team performing a critical function within an international law firm that brings together local knowledge, sector insight and an unrivalled transatlantic footprint. This role falls under our hybrid working policy, and we would ask that you are able to visit one of our offices at least two days per week as per current working practices.

Newcastle or Southampton office locations would be advantageous but not essential as we have offices around the country.

Key Responsibilities:

• Conduct CDD and EDD reviews for new and existing clients, including complex ownership and control structures.
• Review source of funds and source of wealth information and identify issues requiring further investigation.
• Research and analyse PEP, adverse media, sanctions, high risk jurisdiction and other risk indicators applicable to both clients and third parties and escalate appropriately.
• Prepare concise, well-reasoned AML, sanctions, reputational and regulatory risk assessments.
• Support Onboarding Compliance Assurance, the General Counsel team, the Conflicts team and fee earners with complex onboarding and risk queries.
• Support conflict analysis where required, including reviewing conflict search outputs, identifying potential legal, commercial, confidentiality or regulatory issues, and liaising with the Conflicts team, OCA and fee earners to support clear risk-based decisions.
• Maintain complete due diligence records and contribute to guidance, training, quality assurance, audit and continuous improvement activity.

Essential Skills & Qualifications:

You will have experience working within a regulated professional services environment, ideally a law firm, undertaking AML, KYC, CDD, conflicts, compliance, financial crime, onboarding or wider risk management activities. A strong understanding of regulatory requirements and the importance of effective risk controls is essential.

You will be able to analyse complex ownership structures, identify risk indicators and review conflict search results, exercising sound judgement when legal, commercial, confidentiality or regulatory issues require escalation. Strong analytical and investigative skills are key, alongside the ability to interpret policies, procedures and regulatory obligations.

You will be an excellent communicator, capable of explaining technical and compliance-related issues clearly to colleagues and stakeholders at all levels. In addition, you will demonstrate exceptional attention to detail, strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities while delivering a high-quality service within agreed service levels.

To be successful you will possess the following:

• AML, sanctions, financial crime, conflicts or compliance experience gained in legal services, banking, financial services, accounting, insurance, professional services, regulated fintech or another compliance-intensive sector.
• Experience of enhanced due diligence, sanctions analysis or financial crime investigations.
• Relevant AML, conflict, compliance or other financial crime qualifications.
• Experience using onboarding, compliance, screening, conflict checking or matter opening systems.

The successful candidate does not need law firm experience but must have experience working in a regulated, risk-sensitive environment and be able to exercise sound judgement on AML, CDD, sanctions and wider onboarding risk issues.

We continually work hard to create an open culture that sets us apart from other firms. Our culture gives us much more of a human feel, emphasising that we're more than just suits!

As signatories to the Mindful Business Charter, it's important to us that our people are able to maintain healthy and happy lives, both in and out of work. We have a number of resources and initiatives designed to support health and wellbeing and we're very happy to talk flexible working.

Through our DEI initiatives we create an environment in which difference is valued. We have an Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Group, led by our Board Sponsor, which works with our colleague networks (we currently have firm supported networks for race, ethnicity, and cultural heritage, LGBTQ+, disabilities, neurodiversity, families, and women's career development and we're in constant dialogue with our people about how we expand our networks to better support everybody). Find out more about DEI at WBD here. We encourage applicants from all social backgrounds, ethnicities, disabilities, gender identities and sexual orientations.

We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to all. If you have a disability or long term condition and need us to make any adjustments to give you the best possible recruitment process, please let us know by contacting the recruiter on the right hand side of this page. Please also let us know if you need this job advert or the application form in a different format.

We will offer an interview to candidates with a disability or long-term condition who meet the minimum criteria for this role. You can opt into this scheme within the application form. Your response to this question is only used for this purpose, is only visible to the recruitment team and is not used for data monitoring. 

We are an in-house recruitment team and will always aim to fill our roles directly in the first instance. If you're an agency, please click here for ways that you can work with us.