Conflicts Analyst

We have an exciting opportunity for a Conflicts Analyst to join our Business Acceptance Unit (BAU) team, based in A&O Shearman’s Belfast Office.  

Business Acceptance Unit team – Belfast

Our Business Acceptance Unit (BAU) provides a cutting-edge service to support the Firm in performing checks against all incoming business and the team prides itself on providing a second-to-none service in the areas of conflict and new client on-boarding checks. The team is growing exponentially – this is largely driven by the Firm’s continued expansion in the US market and the A&O Shearman merger which has been much reported in the press recently - and with this comes opportunity for growth. To further strengthen our team, we are looking to hire a Conflicts Analyst who will be based at our Belfast office.

For the right candidate, this is an opportunity to work in a friendly team where they will be able to develop their conflicts skills whilst receiving the professional support and accompanying benefits that can be expected from a prestigious magic circle law firm. Regularly voted in the top employer lists, A&O Shearman fosters a collaborative work environment, is a leader in ESG, is regularly praised for its commitment to its pro-bono work and its commitment to social mobility as well as its support for its LGBTQ+ colleagues. With a reputation of being a fantastic employer, A&O Shearman offers extensive benefits to support wellbeing and training and development.

What you will do  

• Taking responsibility for conflict searches and individual matter inception requests submitted via the business acceptance system and then monitoring the progress of such requests to conclusion (using workflow technology).
• Analysing the information submitted by fee-earners in conflict searches and matter inception and new client requests.
• Applying relevant laws, professional rules, regulations and A&O Shearman compliance policy to conflict searches and matter inception and new client requests covering varied and wide-ranging work types.
• Performing relevant databases searches to satisfy A&O Shearman's regulatory requirements (e.g. in relation to sanctions, conflicts of interest and anti-money laundering).
• Liaising with partners and other relevant fee-earners and with support departments such as Finance and Business Development at appropriate stages of the business acceptance process.
• Applying judgement and decision-making in relation to individual conflict searches and matter inception requests (including supporting and facilitating A&O Shearman’s processes by which commercial and strategic decisions are made about what new business to accept) and spotting and, if needed, then referring any issues 'up chain'.
• Helping to develop internal databases of information for use in conducting regulatory checks and searches during business acceptance process.
• Providing reports and updates of items on work list as required.
• Assisting in monitoring service levels of unit (e.g. speed of responses and quality of decision making).
• Undertaking administrative duties including record maintenance as required.
• Being flexible in undertaking the above responsibilities and any others so required.

• Strong analytical skills are essential.
• Experience of working in a law firm, risk and compliance or a financial services environment is preferred.
• Attention to detail, ability to work under pressure and manage conflicting deadlines at speed.
• Flexibility regarding working hours may be an advantage.