Conflicts Attorney

Our client, a global law firm, is seeking a Head of Risk & Compliance. This individual will oversee the firm’s risk and compliance strategy, ensuring legal compliance and effective risk management practices, and will have 8 direct reports. Locations: New York, New Haven, or Greenwich, CT Schedule: Hybrid 3/2 Responsibilities: Direct the regulatory compliance and professional indemnity elements of the firm's US Risk & Compliance team. Manage and optimize US new business intake (NBI), conflicts analysis and resolution, including waivers, engagement terms, and ethical screens/information barriers. Collaborate with the AML & Sanctions Manager to implement the Firm’s client due diligence, sanctions, and reputational risk controls for US matters (as a Firm policy and client/market expectation), ensuring alignment across regions. Spearhead horizon scanning and oversee the application, implementation, and regular periodic reviews and updating of the firm's policies, controls, and procedures. Collaborate to make improvements to systems and processes. Draft and update Risk policies and procedures accordingly. Support the International Risk & Compliance Director, Compliance Officer for Legal Practice (COLP), Finance International Finance Director, and the Chief People Officer in the management of regulatory, professional ethics, and compliance matters relevant to the partners, other fee-earners, and support staff throughout the firm's US offices. Collaborate with US Claims Counsel and Professional Indemnity Manager to support complaints/claims processes, root-cause learning, insurer/broker relationships, and risk reduction initiatives. Drive US risk workstreams for major projects (e.g., lateral partner hires, office openings, large conflicts exercises, sensitive matters) and provide structured risk input to decision-makers. Facilitate and oversee training for US lawyers and staff (induction and refreshers) on conflicts, engagement governance, ethical screens, confidentiality, information handling, and related risk topics. Administer key US registers (e.g., screens/barriers, waivers, exceptions) and produce concise management information and periodic reports for US leadership and the Partnership Board. Supervise and develop the US Risk & Compliance team; set standards for quality, turnaround times, and stakeholder service; contribute to resourcing and budget planning. Recommend required conditions (e.g., screens, waiver wording, engagement terms, additional diligence) to facilitate sign‑off of high‑risk accept/decline decisions. Elevate matters that are high‑risk, novel, time‑critical, or cross‑border to the appropriate approving partner/committee and the International Risk & Compliance Director, and coordinate documentation of rationale and evidence. Partner with the Europe and APAC Heads of Risk & Compliance to oversee the preparation of the firm's Annual Declaration process and ensure its timely completion. Monitor registers to ensure they are properly maintained, draft regular reports to keep the US Regional Divisional Leaders in each Department informed of relevant risk and compliance issues, and liaise with the International Risk & Compliance Director and the US Claims Counsel on issues they should be aware of. Qualifications: Possess a Juris Doctor (JD) (or equivalent) and active US bar admission in good standing. Bring 6-8+ years’ experience in law-firm risk & compliance, office of general counsel, professional responsibility/ethics, conflicts, or closely related areas, including people leadership. Must have law firm experience. Expertise in conflicts (new matters and lateral hires), engagement/waiver governance, and the design and operation of ethical screens/information barriers. Prior experience reviewing outside counsel guidelines, RFP terms, and negotiating non‑standard engagement provisions. #J-18808-Ljbffr