Senior Compliance and Risk Counsel

Charles Russell Speechlys LLP; London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading law firm in London seeks a Corporate Risk & Governance lawyer with at least five years’ experience. The role involves drafting client engagement letters, advising on compliance issues, and supporting strategic risk management initiatives. Ideal candidates will possess strong communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively across teams.

Qualifications

• Qualified lawyer with around 5 years’ experience, ideally in commercial or corporate law.
• Strong drafting skills, especially in contract drafting.
• Ability to work autonomously and develop expertise in regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities

• Draft and update client engagement letters and business terms.
• Provide legal risk input on client pitches and RfPs.
• Assist with regulatory engagement and compliance audits.

Skills

Contract drafting

Negotiating commercial contracts

Understanding of SRA Code of Conduct

Resilience

Effective communication

Education

Qualified lawyer

Job description

The firm’s Compliance & Risk team, led by the firm’s General Counsel Susan Rosser, includes 9 lawyers and 3 paralegals advising on all aspects of legal risk, including financial crime compliance, claims, complaints, insurance, engagement terms, contracts, conflicts, data privacy, SRA STaRS compliance and conduct issues and regulatory engagement. In addition, the New Business Intake team (approximately 30 managers and analysts) sits within the Compliance & Risk function, reporting up to the Director of Compliance. At present, the firm’s London head office handles all compliance and risk matters across the firm’s global footprint.

This role reports to the Head of Corporate Risk & Governance, Lucy Banham, who is responsible for firm governance (including the LLP Members Agreement, intra-group agreements and related documents), ensuring compliance with professional standards (including through policy work, file auditing and training), and contractual work relating to both client engagements and the firm’s suppliers. Within Lucy’s team there is also a Compliance and Risk Counsel and a paralegal. The Conflicts Team also currently reports to Lucy.

Role and Responsibilities

• Drafting and updating client engagement letters and standard terms of business
• Advising on outside counsel guidelines and client bespoke terms
• Providing legal risk input on client pitches, RfPs and Panel applications
• Advising on barrister, expert witness and local counsel engagement terms
• Working with the Head of Procurement to review and negotiate supplier contracts
• Drafting corporate documents, member resolutions and intra-group agreements
• Drafting consultancy agreements
• Drafting and updating firm policies on, for example, anti-bribery, hospitality and gifts, and insider dealing
• Advising on SRA regulatory requirements
• Assisting with regulatory engagement
• Advising on complex conflict issues
• Auditing files for compliance with regulatory requirements
• Supporting the Head of Corporate Risk and General Counsel with strategic risk management initiatives
• Supporting the opening of any new offices
• Complying with all relevant legal and regulatory obligations including the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Standards and Regulations, and Principles.

Skills and Experience

• Qualified lawyer with around at least five years’ experience, ideally with a commercial or corporate law background
• Relevant experience may have been gained either in a fee-earning or in-house role
• Strong drafting skills, especially contract drafting
• Experience of negotiating commercial contract terms (including data protection terms)
• Understanding of SRA Code of Conduct
• Motivated to develop expertise in regulatory requirements in the UK and internationally
• Understanding of conflicts of interest and conflicts resolution would be advantageous but not essential

Person Specification

• Be able to work with minimal supervision and using own initiative
• Able to work effectively with and build strong relationships with colleagues at all levels across the firm
• Able to articulate difficult messages and decisions to the business through effective communication
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Resilient, flexible in approach and responsive
• Able to balance competing priorities effectively
• Self-motivated and able to take responsibility for taking matters through to completion or resolution
• Experience of working in a large City or international law firm