Conflicts & Risk Management Lawyer

An exceptional opportunity has arisen for a Conflicts and Risk Management Lawyer to join a highly respected global legal team based in Leeds. This is a non-traditional legal position, offering you the chance to make a significant impact by ensuring the highest standards of ethical practice and risk management within a collaborative and supportive environment.

You will play a pivotal role in safeguarding the integrity of the business intake process, working closely with colleagues across multiple jurisdictions and practice areas. With no billable hour requirement, this role provides an ideal platform for those seeking meaningful work-life balance while contributing to the success of a world-class legal organisation.

• Enjoy a unique legal position focused on ethical analysis and conflict resolution without the pressure of billable hours, allowing you to focus on quality and accuracy.
• Be part of a globally recognised legal team that values collaboration, professional growth, and the sharing of ideas across diverse practice areas and international offices.
• Benefit from flexible working opportunities, ongoing training, and a culture that prioritises listening to its people and supporting their long-term career aspirations.

What you'll do:

As a Conflicts and Risk Management Lawyer based in Leeds, you will immerse yourself in the critical function of analysing potential conflicts of interest for new business matters. Your day-to-day activities will involve reviewing complex data sets using advanced research techniques, preparing clear written analyses, and facilitating resolutions that uphold the highest ethical standards. You will draft essential documents such as waivers and engagement letters while collaborating with colleagues across departments to ensure seamless business intake processes. Your expertise will also be called upon to construct Ethical Walls when necessary, evaluate lateral hire scenarios for possible conflicts, and contribute insights into technology improvements for the group.

In addition to these core responsibilities, you will play an important role in maintaining up-to-date procedures, devising emergency protocols for system downtimes, assisting with off-hours coverage (with time off in lieu), and providing guidance to internal clients regarding conflicts queries. Success in this role requires not only technical proficiency but also excellent communication skills, adaptability to evolving tasks within the Business Intake function-including outside counsel guideline review and anti-money laundering checks-and a genuine commitment to supporting your colleagues in delivering outstanding client service.

• Conduct thorough analysis of conflict reports, drafting detailed written analyses to identify and resolve or avoid conflicts of interest according to specific matter requirements.
• Prepare conflict waivers, engagement letters, and related documentation or memoranda as needed for new business matters.
• Perform comprehensive electronic research on legal issues, corporate affiliations, public records, sanctions lists, SEC filings, and other relevant sources to support conflict checks.
• Utilise both internal databases and external resources to gather pertinent information for business intake assessments.
• Construct Ethical Walls when required to ensure confidentiality and compliance with professional standards.
• Analyse potential conflicts of interest arising from lateral hires and provide guidance on appropriate actions.
• Collaborate with the Director of Business Intake on matters relating to conflicts of interest and overall business intake processes.
• Support Conflict Specialists by supplementing conflict searches during peak periods or as required by workflow demands.
• Assist in evaluating new technologies that could enhance the efficiency or effectiveness of the Business Intake Group's operations.
• Recognise inconsistencies in data within databases, advising on corrective actions to maintain data integrity.

What you bring:

To excel as a Conflicts and Risk Management Lawyer in this environment, you will bring proven experience from either a compliance-focused legal setting or from practising law where attention to detail was paramount. Your ability to communicate clearly-both verbally and in writing-will enable you to build trust with colleagues across departments while providing dependable advice on complex matters. You will demonstrate empathy when supporting internal clients through challenging queries about conflicts or risk management processes. Your approach will be methodical yet flexible enough to adapt as priorities shift within the Business Intake Group.

A natural collaborator who thrives in communal settings, you will value teamwork as much as individual contribution-always striving for accuracy while remaining sensitive to deadlines.

• A completed Law Degree or successful completion of a Law Conversion course demonstrating strong foundational knowledge of legal principles.
• Previous experience within a business intake compliance function is preferred; however, qualified lawyers without direct experience are also encouraged to apply if they possess transferable skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills enabling you to interact professionally with clients as well as colleagues at all levels within the firm.
• Demonstrated analytical ability to collect, compile, interpret, and present large volumes of data accurately under tight deadlines.
• Proven organisational skills with an aptitude for prioritising workload effectively while using sound judgement in decision-making processes.
• A keen eye for detail combined with the ability to follow specific instructions meticulously while adapting quickly when procedures change or evolve.
• Strong time management capabilities ensuring productive use of working hours even during periods requiring off-hours or weekend coverage (with time off in lieu).
• Familiarity with PC applications including Windows-based software; prior exposure to Intapp Risk applications would be advantageous but is not essential.
• A willingness to learn about ethical rules across multiple jurisdictions if not already known; openness to ongoing training is highly valued.

Robert Walters Operations Limited is an employment business and employment agency and welcomes applications from all candidates