Lateral Analyst

Job description

Overview You will primarily be responsible for assisting Clyde & Co with the highly confidential conflicts and compliance checks of potential new joiners, with an emphasis on the firm's North American region. This covers recruiting for all of the firm's position types (where fee earning candidates are most commonly referred to as "laterals"). This not only covers individual new hires but also involves larger group acquisitions. You will keep in contact with HR and other firm leaders on the ever-evolving statuses of candidates under consideration. You will update and maintain records for your region on a global spreadsheet shared internally among BAU and Risk as well as within Intapp Open. This includes but is not limited to updating records to reflect when a candidate is no longer under consideration. You will perform conflicts checks according to the firm's global and regional policies on rules of professional conduct, sanctions, and anti-money laundering. You will perform the necessary analysis, reporting, and summarizing, with supplementation efforts varying on a case by case basis. Routine tasks include running preliminary checks on candidates' client lists and performing full searching on all parties involved in candidates' open matters as well as those closed within the last five years. Upon the joining of new hires, you will liaise with project teams comprised of representatives from multiple departments to successfully on-board the laterals you searched prior to their arrival. This includes sheparding their portable work through and serving as a resource for their ongoing BAU training needs. You will also be responsible for performing ethical wall/information barrier/matter access restrictions attendant to the joining of lateral hires. To the extent you have capacity, you will likely be asked to help with special projects; conflicts searches needed for marketing/business development purposes; and the conflicts and compliance checks associated with the existing partnership's generation of new business. You may also be asked to help process laterals from other firm regions. Structure You will be part of the global Conflicts & Compliance BAU Team, reporting regionally to the Head of BAU, North America. The BAU Team consists of a Global Head; a North American Regional Head; Team Leaders; Lawyers/Counsel; Senior Analysts; Analysts; and Assistants. The BAU works very closely with the firm's Risk Department, including its AML & Sanctions Lawyers and paralegals; General Counsel(s); and Risk Managers. Main Responsibilities Specific to the processing of lateral candidates: Reviewing relevant documentation for North American applicants under consideration, including CVs, top clients lists; conflict of interest forms, and matter/party spreadsheets. Sorting, filtering, and uploading all names from the applicant's documentation into Intapp Open for searching, applying firm policy and procedure regarding codings of each category of information. Specifying within Intapp Open search records identifying details of the candidate, visible to BAU/Risk only, including warnings regarding confidentiality. Apprising Risk early in the process if the candidate's documentation appears significantly lacking in sufficient information or detail. Immediately locating any same-case involvement between the candidate and Clyde. Breaking down search terms uploaded and performing corporate family tree research where necessary; running conflicts searches against the names uploaded; and selecting relevant results to appear in reports according to current lateral policy then summarizing same. Keeping interested parties apprised of status and attending routine status meetings. Updating firm records throughout the life of the candidacy to reflect whether someone has ultimately joined or not. Running as many supplemental conflicts checks as are necessary based on the candidate's potential supplemental disclosures. Identifying when turnaround deadlines are not practical considering current workload and suggesting risk-based, candidate-specific tailored approaches to particular lateral handling if appropriate. Helping get a candidate's portable work pre-conflicts cleared prior to their firm arrival. Serving as a department liaison during the on-boarding transition phase to the candidate and other departments, helping ensure all cleared matters are opened upon arrival. Providing Intapp training to the new joiner once here on proper conflicts submission for ongoing work. Creating ethical wall/information barrier/matter access restrictions according to Risk's clearance instructions upon the new joiner's employee account being created in our systems. Running conflicts for process laterals from other firm regions on an as-needed basis. To the extent you have capacity, you will likely be asked to help with special projects; covering the general department inbox and helpline; providing coverage of queues to team-members away from the office; running conflicts searches needed for marketing/business development purposes; and handling the conflicts and compliance checks associated with the existing partnership's generation of new business. When assisting with general department workload: Reviewing Intapp Open request forms, ensuring satisfactory details are provided by the engagement teams and querying instances where information is either incomplete or unclear. Handling a variety of request types, including but not limited to initial conflicts checks only, full matter setups, matter changes, matter reopenings, sub-file setups, and client changes. Conducting conflicts checks using the firm's conflicts database, paying close attention to sensitive entries in the firm's Black Book warning file database. Drafting broad enough search terms to catch a variety of potential matches. Maintaining familiarity with application of a variety of intersecting rules based on jurisdiction, practice type, etc. Knowing when to perform corporate family tree research and incorporate entities related to submitted parties in conflicts searches. Analyzing conflict search results and liaising with partners and case handlers on the matters that may present conflicts of interest. Obtaining relevant information on the matter, if required, in order to make a judgement call on whether a conflict or potential conflict is present. Escalating conflicts issues as appropriate with clear analysis of the conflict and the conclusions reached so far. Proactively following up when seeking information or conflict resolution from other stakeholders around the firm. Maintaining and updating the conflict search database as key information becomes apparent on existing matters. Assisting in the research and implementation of ethical walls/information barriers. Working with the Risk Team as needed, safeguarding confidentiality at all times for the involved teams. Supporting the high-volume business on matter inception, ensuring that conflict checks are carried out in a timely manner for all types, but also recognizing those which need prioritization above others. Recording all conflict research, communication with stakeholders, and analysis and conclusion of the conflict resolution in the firm's client and matter inception software, for the purposes of compliance and auditing. Maintaining working knowledge of sanctions policies and procedures, including escalation. Anti-Money Laundering, for both lateral and non-lateral work: Researching, identifying and verifying new clients to the firm by using online data providers and any other online resources. Analyzing and establishing the corporate structure for entity clients, tracing up to the ultimate beneficial owner(s). Advising the relationship partner on further details that are required from the client in the event that information is not available in the public domain or documentation is required on identified individuals. Researching and identifying politically exposed persons and high-risk clients by creating an online profile. Attributing a risk rating to the client and escalating the client where a decision needs to be made upon analysis of documentation and risk. Seeking sign off from MLRO's and Risk Partners when required and advising partners on any steps that need to be taken to mitigate the risks associated with the client. Assisting in the on-going monitoring and need for updated due diligence for existing clients. Recording all AML documentation, communication and risk rating in the Client Risk Assessment section of the client and matter inception software, with a clear synopsis of how the client rating has been attributed, stating any mitigating factors and follow up steps that need to be taken by the BAU or case handlers. Experience & Skills: Knowledge of rules of professional conduct applicable to lawyers, specifically those covering conflicts of interest rules, duties to former and current clients, obligations of confidentiality, notice and consent requirements, and ethical screens. Prior experience with legal case management and conflicts software (preferably Intapp Open and Intapp Walls). Knowledge of anti-money laundering legislation (desirable). Strong MS Office. Meticulous attention to detail. Strong customer focus. Excellent communications skills and ability to articulate issues, rules, objective application of facts thereto, and conclusions drawn. Diligent but efficient ability to perform various online research endeavors. Strong spelling and grammar skills. Respectful of cultural differences among a diverse global staff. College degree required. J.D. or paralegal certificate a plus. Relevant experience may substitute. The Firm When you work at Clyde & Co, you join a team of 500 partners, 2,400 lawyers, 3,200 legal professionals and 5,500 people in nearly 70 offices and associated offices worldwide. Our values are the principles that guide the decisions we make, unite us in our endeavours and strengthen our delivery, for both our clients and our firm. We work as one, excel with clients, celebrate difference and act boldly. We are committed to operating in a responsible way by progressing towards a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the communities and clients it serves. We are devoted to providing an environment in which everyone can realise their potential, using its legal and professional skills to support its communities. We do this through pro bono work, volunteering and charitable partnerships, and minimising the impact it has on the environment, including through our commitment to the SBTi Net-Zero standard and the setting of ambitious emissions reduction targets. Our Commitment Clyde & Co is proud to be an equal opportunities employer. Our values encourage us to support fairness, celebrate diversity and prohibit all forms of discrimination in the workplace to allow everyone to excel at work. Therefore, we welcome and encourage all applications from suitably qualified individuals, regardless of background or identity. Learn more about our interview process. A Note on Privacy Please take a moment to read our privacy notice. . This describes what personal information Clyde & Co (we) may hold about you, what it’s used for, how it’s obtained, your rights and how to contact us as a data subject. If you are submitting a candidate as a Recruitment Agency Partner, it is an essential requirement and your responsibility to ensure that candidates applying to Clyde & Co are aware of this privacy notice. This is the job description as constituted at present; however, Clyde & Co reserves the right to reasonably amend it in accordance with the changing needs of the business.