THE FIRM

We now operate through 15 offices located in the UK, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. With over 300 Partners and nearly 1,000 other lawyers, the Firm combines legal expertise, technology, resourcing solutions and strategy consultancy to deliver material improvements to client businesses.

We stand out for our consistently excellent advice: we provide technical excellence, experience and crucially, we demonstrate real insight to our clients, into their businesses and to issues that matter to them. Our knowledge of our chosen sectors and markets, and our investment in our client relationships, set us apart. We are a natural choice for FTSE100 and other high profile clients, both within and outside the UK.

We want to be known for the  quality  of our work, our  imaginative  approach, and the  impact  we make.

THE TEAM

The GC & Risk team comprises over 50 lawyers and other team members. It acts as the internal legal function of the Firm, overseeing regulatory compliance in the jurisdictions in which the Firm operates and supporting the Firm in managing legal risk in the work it undertakes. The team has a number of sub-teams that handle claims and complaints, oversee negotiation of the Firm’s professional indemnity and other insurances, manage conflicts, investigate and assess financial crime and sanctions risk in potential client relationships and counterparties to work the Firm is asked to undertake, negotiate key supplier contracts for the Firm and the terms that govern key client relationships. The team is involved in the Firm’s strategic activity.

The team, along with the rest of the Firm, has embedded a flexible and agile culture. Our working flexibly policy makes agile working accessible to all, whilst always balancing an individual’s needs with the requirements of the team, the Firm and its clients.

THE ROLE

The General Counsel and Risk (GC&R) Directorate focuses on strategic compliance and risk management advice and projects across AG’s UK and international offices: drafting and agreeing firm-wide policies and procedures; advising on regulatory issues; and assisting the firm’s Executive, Conflicts Committee, Conflicts Partner and various related sub-committees (each comprised of senior partners, members of the management team and Board members), on other professional issues. The group is also responsible for implementing, embedding and monitoring compliance and risk practices (including conflict identification and resolution and AML compliance) across the firm, globally. 

The GC&Risk Lawyer role primarily focuses on conflicts of interest and confidentiality work with other related projects. There is also an opportunity to undertake other risk and compliance work as required. The role works closely with the Senior General Counsel and Risk Lawyers with responsibility for supervising the relevant area, and with the firm’s Conflicts Committee and Conflicts Partner. There will also be some involvement in other wider General Counsel and Risk projects.

DUTIES

  • legal analysis of potential conflicts / confidentiality issues and reviewing conflict check results (produced by the Business Acceptance Unit (BAU));
  • supporting and advising the Conflicts Committee/Conflicts Partner in collating information from the business and making recommendations for the Conflicts Committee’s/Conflicts Partner’s decision;
  • understanding and identifying wider commercial, risk and reputational issues at client acceptance / conflict checking stage;
  • liaising with partners and fee earners: to obtain further information to assist with conflicts analysis; to advise on engagement terms which manage conflict and confidentiality;
  • attending Conflicts Committee/Conflicts Partner meetings and advising the business of decisions;
  • liaising with BAU to ensure appropriate confidentiality protocols are implemented.
  • Assisting and reporting to the Senior General Counsel and Risk Lawyer with supervision responsibility for conflicts.
  • Inputting into policies and procedures for managing compliance and recommending and implementing improvements, as required.
  • Considering team processes and recommending changes where necessary to achieve better effectiveness.
  • Inputting into wider General Counsel and Risk projects, as required.
  • Supervisory and mentoring responsibilities for the Conflicts Analysts and Conflicts Paralegals within the team.

    • WHAT WILL YOU NEED TO SUCEED? 

  • the ability to think laterally, commercially and analytically; dealing with large amounts of information to short deadlines; and finding practical solutions for the business;
  • strong organisational skills, attention to detail;
  • competence to explain technical legal reasoning behind Conflicts Committee/Conflicts Partner decisions (which may be unfavourable) clearly and concisely and cope with the challenge;
  • ability to actively listen to others and ask appropriate questions, encouraging two-way communication and constructive feedback; and
  • ability to drive projects to achieve successful delivery and results.

    • WHAT CAN WE OFFER YOU?

    As a firm, we aim to provide a positive experience to everyone who works here and our focus on financial, lifestyle and wellbeing benefits ensures that this experience goes beyond the nine-to-five. As part of this mission, some of the benefits employees of AG can expect are; 

  • Life Assurance & Income Protection
  • Competitive employer matched pension contribution rate
  • Health and wellbeing subsidiary, up to £180 per year
  • One day per year to volunteer (as part of our CSR initiative)
  • Buy/Sell holidays (up to 5 days each year)
  • Mental health and wellbeing initiatives such as The Mindful Business Charter, Mental Health Champions and 1:1 sessions with an in-house professional
  • Talent referral bonus incentives
  • AG Excellence awards for the recognition of exceptional effort
  • Opt in private medical and private dental insurance
  • Opt in annual health screening
  • Voluntary critical illness cover
  • Annual discretionary bonus plan

    • AG is an equal opportunity employer and we do not discriminate on the basis of a person’s gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected characteristic. We are committed to having a diverse team and actively encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds and communities, particularly those from underrepresented demographics. We want our recruitment practices to be as inclusive as possible, so please let us know if you need us to make any reasonable adjustments during the application or interview process to help you perform to your best .