Risk & Compliance Lawyer

Stevens & Bolton LLP; Guildford; On-site; GBP 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme (5% employer)

Private medical insurance

Permanent health insurance

Life assurance

Travel allowance or parking reimburse

Cycle to work

Discretionary bonus schemes

Job summary

Stevens & Bolton LLP is seeking a senior risk and compliance professional to lead day-to-day data protection matters and act as a senior adviser on a broad range of risk and compliance issues. The role involves advising lawyers and stakeholders, supervising juniors, and delivering firmwide risk initiatives.

The successful candidate will shape and drive data protection policies, manage breaches, conduct DPIAs/LIAs, and contribute to AI-related compliance in a leading UK law firm.

Qualifications

• Qualified lawyer with at least 3 years’ PQE in risk & compliance or private practice.
• Strong knowledge of data protection law and practice and contract law.
• Experience in AML, conflicts of interest, compliance standards, and advising senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day data protection matters within Risk & Compliance, advising on data protection laws and breach responses.
• Perform risk and compliance assessments of prospective suppliers, including due diligence.
• Advise on emerging regulatory issues, including AI, and respond to queries across data protection, supplier risk and professional conduct.
• Draft and update policies and procedures; develop training programs and communicate updates to the firm.
• Prepare reports to senior management on risk and compliance issues.
• Mentor junior colleagues and contribute to team development and knowledge sharing.

Skills

Data protection expertise

Regulatory knowledge

Advisory skills

Stakeholder management

Mentoring

Training design

Policy development

AI in legal practice

Project management

Education

Qualified lawyer

Tools

Due diligence platforms

Contract review software

Data protection tooling

Job description

To support the Head of Risk and Compliance in promoting and maintaining the highest standards of legal, regulatory, and ethical compliance across the firm. The successful candidate will have particular responsibility for leading on day-to-day data protection matters. They will also act as a senior adviser on a broad range of risk and compliance matters, delivering prompt and pragmatic advice to lawyers and senior stakeholders, supervising and developing junior team members and playing a key role in shaping and driving risk and compliance projects across the firm.

Key Responsibilities

• Leading on day-to-day data protection matters within the Risk & Compliance function, working closely with the firm’s DPO and other stakeholders to identify, assess, and manage data protection risks and regulatory requirements across the firm. This will include providing advice on data protection and privacy laws, managing complex data protection breaches and responses, advising on data protection impact assessments and legitimate interests assessments and other accountability requirements, designing and delivering firmwide training, and developing and maintaining data protection policies, procedures, and guidance.
• Undertaking risk and compliance assessments of prospective suppliers, including due diligence reviews and contract reviews.
• Advising on emerging regulatory and risk issues, including AI.
• Providing advice to the firm on a range of legal, regulatory, risk and compliance queries including anti-money laundering, conflicts of interest, data protection, supplier risk, and professional conduct.
• Advising on client engagement letters and terms of business, client policies and questionnaires.
• Building strong working relationships with partners and other lawyers, identifying and advising on risk and compliance issues relating to their clients and practice areas.
• Contributing to the firm’s file audit programme, evaluating audit outcomes and working with lawyers / teams on corrective actions.
• Drafting and implementing new policies and procedures and updating existing policies.
• Designing and delivering risk and compliance training and contributing to the ongoing development of the firm’s internal training programme.
• Identifying and prioritising internal risk and compliance issues, leading and delivering risk and compliance projects as well as projects across the firm that require strategic risk and compliance input.
• Preparing reports to senior management on risk and compliance issues.
• Keeping up to date with legal and regulatory compliance and communicating updates to the team, senior management and the firm.
• Contributing to the development of the Risk & Compliance team, including sharing knowledge at team meetings and developing the team’s processes and ways of working, including the use of AI tools.

Qualifications & Experience

• Qualified lawyer, typically with at least 3 years’ PQE, gained either within a risk and compliance environment or in private practice. Applications from candidates with a different level of PQE but relevant experience will also be considered.
• Strong knowledge of data protection law and practice and contract law.
• Knowledge of law, regulation and professional standards applicable to a law firm, together with an understanding of compliance and risk issues.
• Exposure to AML and conflicts of interest issues and knowledge of regulatory requirements in these areas.
• Experience of developing and implementing best practice standards and procedures.
• Experience of managing complex issues and advising senior stakeholders.
• Experience of supervising and mentoring junior colleagues is desirable.
• Interest in the use of technology and AI in legal practice

Personal attributes

• Excellent legal analysis and drafting skills.
• High professional standards and attention to detail.
• Pragmatic and collaborative approach to problem solving.
• Confidence to engage with senior stakeholders.
• Clear and friendly communication style.
• Responsive and able to meet deadlines.
• Effective time management, flexible and adaptable to changing priorities.
• Strong team working skills with desire to support and develop other team members.

The Opportunity

• Pensions Scheme (5% employer contribution)
• Private medical insurance
• Permanent health insurance
• Life assurance
• Receive either the sum of £750 per annum as a travel allowance or reimbursement of carparking expenses via a pay as you go card at a local carpark (likely to be Farnham Road carpark)
• Travel – option to apply for an interest free loan for a season ticket or parking permit
• Enhanced maternity/paternity pay (after sufficient service)
• Critical illness insurance
• Cycle to work schemes
• Give as you earn
• Discounted gym memberships and shopping
• Profit share and discretionary bonus schemes

The Firm

Stevens & Bolton – making a positive difference to your career

You’ll work with people who listen, and who actively and willingly support one another within a collaborative and engaging environment. We genuinely care about our people and strive to build and maintain a diverse, inclusive and happy workforce.

We are recognised as a top firm in The Times Best Law Firms 2025, shortlisted for “Law Firm of the Year: The Independents” at The Lawyer Awards 2025 and shortlisted for “Regional/Offshore Team of the Year” at the Legal Business Awards 2025. The Firm was recently named “Law firm of the year” at the 2025 Legal Cheek Awards, was shortlisted for “ESG Initiative of the Year” at the Women, Influence & Power in Law UK 2024 Awards and shortlisted for “UK Law Firm of the Year - Small/Mid-Sized Firm” at the British Legal Awards 2023. Our refurbished office has been awarded a RICS SKA silver certificate and a 2-star Fitwel accreditation.

We’ve made excellence the hallmark of our firm: in the clear advice we give, in the enduring client relationships we build and in our proactive and highly responsive service. We seek to recruit people who will help us maintain and build on this, and in return we offer excellent long-term career and development opportunities.

Diversity & Inclusion

We have a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion (D&I). This drives a strategy which focuses on constant promotion of an inclusive culture that encourages everyone to realise their full potential and be themselves at work. In 2020 we were shortlisted for “Best D&I Initiative” at The HR Awards and for “Best Talent and Inclusion Initiative” at The Lawyer Awards.