Paralegal - Risk and Compliance

We are looking for a Risk and Compliance Analyst to help it meet its regulatory and professional obligations.

You will work closely with fee earners (particularly in the Corporate Governance team), business services teams and senior management.

You will make sure we meet the requirements of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), anti-money laundering legislation, data protection law and our own internal policies.

The role covers a wide range of work, from day-to-day client onboarding checks to wider risk management projects. It would suit someone who is detail-focused, works well with others, and wants to build a career in legal sector risk and compliance.

What you will be doing:

Client and Matter Inception

• Carry out client due diligence (CDD) and enhanced due diligence (EDD) checks, including identity verification, beneficial ownership analysis, source of funds and source of wealth reviews.
• Screen clients and related parties against sanctions lists, politically exposed persons (PEP) lists and adverse media.
• Run conflict of interest searches, assess the results, and escalate potential conflicts to the right decision-makers.
• Review new client and matter inception requests to check they comply with the firm's risk appetite and policies.

Anti-Money Laundering and Sanctions

• Help team leaders to ensure MLS is compliant with the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017, the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and the UK financial sanctions regime.
• Help maintain and update any AML risk assessment, matter risk assessments and related policies, controls and procedures.
• Carry out ongoing monitoring and periodic reviews of existing clients.

Regulatory Compliance

• Help prepare responses to regulator queries, the SRA's AML questionnaires and other regulatory returns.
• Track regulatory developments that affect the legal sector and summarise them for stakeholders.

Risk Management

• Maintain Coadax Legal’s risk register, complaints and claims logs, and breach registers.
• Help with file reviews, compliance audits and thematic reviews, and report findings and recommendations.
• Support the professional indemnity insurance renewal by gathering information and data.

Training and Policy

• Draft and update compliance policies, procedures and guidance notes for Coadax Legal.
• Help design and deliver training on AML, conflicts, confidentiality, data protection and other compliance topics.
• Act as a first point of contact for compliance queries from colleagues across the firm.

What you will need:

• Experience in a risk, compliance or regulatory role, ideally in a law firm or another regulated professional services business.
• Working knowledge of UK AML legislation and sanctions requirements.
• Excellent attention to detail and strong analytical skills.
• Clear written and spoken communication, with the confidence to challenge and advise fee earners at every level.
• Good organisational skills and the ability to manage competing deadlines.
• Strong judgement, discretion and integrity when handling confidential and sensitive information.
• Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office.

Benefits, Agile Working and Additional information

We embrace agile working and offer a blended approach to where and how we work.

We appreciate that people have different needs and preferences and we’re keen to be flexible, after all, we value what you do, not where you do it.

We have the following hubs across the UK: Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Leeds, Leicester, Lincoln, London, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Nottingham, Sheffield, Stratford upon Avon & Tunbridge Wells.

Want to find out more about our amazing benefits?

Additional information:

Please be aware, for some vacancies, where we receive high numbers of applications we may need to bring the close date forward.

Due to the nature of the work undertaken, confirmation of employment will be subject to a variety of checks which will be carried out once an offer of employment is accepted. Details of the checks can be found here.

Equal opportunities

Shakespeare Martineau is a committed equal opportunities employer. We seek to attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures. We value and respect individuality and encourage a culture within our business where people can be themselves and be valued for their strengths and experiences. Everyone who either applies to or works for the firm is treated equally, regardless of their gender, age, ethnic origin, nationality, marital status, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.