Job description

A&O Shearman is a new global industry-leading law firm, with nearly 50 offices in 29 countries worldwide.

Our fluency in English law, US law, and the laws of the world’s most dynamic markets, enables us to provide unmatched insight and seamless delivery to clients. We work on challenging and important deals and disputes that have the potential to shape the future.

We offer exceptional opportunities for our people; opportunities to work for the world’s leading businesses; to transform the status quo, and to deliver your best work, helping you and your career to thrive, while delivering unparalleled outcomes for our clients.

Whether you're helping clients solve complex challenges, transforming the ways we manage our business, or ensuring the smooth-running of our operations, this is an environment where you can belong and excel. We provide first-rate training and development, we are committed to an inclusive environment, and we provide support and ways of working that help you optimise your wellbeing.

What truly defines a career with us? We recruit the best and ask for the best of you. And together, we will redefine success.

Department Purpose
Our Business Acceptance Unit (BAU) provides a cutting-edge service to support the Firm in performing checks against all new 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, largely driven by the Firm’s continued expansion in the US market and the A&O Shearman merger which took place in May 2024, but also by the firm’s business expanding generally and by additional regulation and security controls put in place by regulatory bodies such as the SRA and ABA.

Role Purpose
The duties of the US Senior Manager involve leading the Senior Analysts and Analysts in their day-to-day roles and providing support and guidance where required. The Senior Manager oversees the day-to-day operational running of the US BAU conflicts team and its workload and processes, with regular check-ins with the Head of Conflicts – US to understand the department strategy, projects, resourcing needs, and enhancements to processes.

The role will provide support and guidance to the US BAU Conflicts Team including but not limited to: performance management, career development, training, and complex HR related matters.

The US Senior Manager will also be involved in analyzing and resolving (or, where appropriate, facilitating resolution of) professional, legal, regulatory, and commercial issues relating to complex business acceptance issues. The focus will be on becoming a key point of contact for the firm on matters relating to conflict resolution.

This role will assist in evaluating internal and external databases to enhance efficiency across BAU procedures.

Key Relationships

Greg Crovo, Interim Global Head of Business Acceptance Unit
Stephanie Wessel, Head of Conflicts – US
Matthew Cosgrove – Head of Conflicts – UK and EMEA
Xiela Osia, Head of Conflicts - APAC
Joanna Halsall, Head of Financial Crime & Sanctions
Louise Dillon, Head of Engagement Terms
Sam Avis, Senior Manager BAU
Ryan Faulkner, BAU Conflicts Manager

Role and Responsibilities

Overseeing the day-to-day operational running of the US BAU conflicts team, workload and processes;
Regular check-ins with the Head of Conflicts – US to understand department strategy, goals, and aims and to discuss any team and / or BAU business updates, projects, resourcing needs enhancements to processes, etc;
Where appropriate, analyzing and resolving (or, where appropriate, facilitating resolution of) professional, legal, regulatory and commercial issues relating to complex business acceptance issues:
- professional and legal conflicts issues;
- business conflicts and other commercial issues;
- reputational and suitability issues at the point of business acceptance;
Leading the Senior Analysts and Analysts in their day-to-day roles and providing support and guidance where required;
Holding regular performance and development discussions with the Senior Analysts and Analysts using the firm’s Compass tool. Driving forward career development conversations, establishing goals and targets, and monitoring progress of these with the same;
Ensuring appropriate conflicts global coverage with the assistance of other conflicts manages;
Leading the recruitment processes in relation to vacancies in the BAU Analyst, Workflow and Admin Teams;
Overseeing management on team related requirements, including but not limited to: performance management, career development, training, and complex HR related matters;
Establishing and running a conflicts training program and running regular team training sessions for the US conflicts team, including providing guidance on any updates to the conflicts rules and procedures;
Helping to evaluate internal and external databases for use in the conflict checking process to enhance efficiency across BAU procedures;
Assisting with the BAU aspects of major conflicts projects (e.g. group lateral hires, secondees, pro bono and LSC lead projects) and other relevant work-streams;
Intervention (where required, at the point of business acceptance) to issue directions on specific formalities required for business acceptance purposes, e.g., levels of virtual file security and any need for formal information barriers;
Working alongside Financial Crimes & Sanctions teams, take forward new matter inception forms, using experience and institutional knowledge to make judgment calls regarding any conflicts or risk reviews;
Continuously monitor and effect enhancements to the BAU's conflict and matter opening processes with a view to ensuring that the process is as efficient and streamlined as possible whilst remaining thorough and rigorous;
Assist BAU teams in the implementation and maintenance of information barriers, requiring familiarity with processes and procedures;
Being a senior contact point for BAU Analyst interaction with US Office of General Counsel, Practice Group COOs and senior finance and BD staff and building a strong network across the A&O Shearman business with a view to identifying enhancements to processes with the engagement and input of the same;
Assist BAU lateral team in all aspects of lateral conflict checks on an as needed basis, including but not limited to, secondment, share trades, Peerpoint, Outside Appointment, and lateral hire checks;
Being flexible in undertaking the above responsibilities and any others so required.

Key Requirements

Must have a strong academic background.
International experience with a leading top tier firm with a strong background in multi-jurisdictional transactions or dispute resolution.
Experience in relation to Conflicts Management is essential.
Strong knowledge of SRA and US conflict rules and proficient in the application of the same.
Able to confidently discuss those more complex conflict issues with Partners / Fee earners with a view to providing a solution / conflicts resolution.
Ability to analyze facts and scenarios thoroughly and proactively (and often at speed) to put forward resolutions to problems.
Proven track record of recruiting, training, mentoring and the on-going development of a high performing conflicts team.
Strong communicator with a proven ability to motivate others and communicate positively and effectively with team members and with fee earners and support staff.
Substantial and detailed knowledge of ordinary course BAU systems and processes.
Top level task management and organisational skills and a proven ability to manage multiple tasks under time pressure.
Able to establish a strong network across the A&O Shearman network and able to establish business relationships with same.
Able to initiate and lead BAU related projects from beginning to end whilst establishing clear project goals and timelines and leading the team to completion.
Possessing a "can do" approach with an ability to solve problems and look beyond practical and logistical challenges by suggesting solutions and implementing them.
Experience in people management is essential.
Authority and credibility to lead people. Inspiring confidence and respect from fellow team members.
Enthusiastic, positive-minded, self-motivated and pro-active.

Equal Employment Opportunity, including Veterans and Disability

A&O Shearman is an equal opportunity employer, including Veterans and Disability. Every individual has the right to work in a professional environment that promotes equal opportunity and prohibits discrimination and harassment. This policy applies to all aspects of an individual’s relationship with A&O Shearman, including, without limitation, recruitment, hiring, training and development, promotion, compensation, discipline, termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment.

If you are vision-impaired or have another disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act or similar law and wish to discuss accommodations related to applying for employment at A&O Shearman, please contact US HR Transactions at US-HRTransactions@aoshearman.com or call +1 212 610 6300 and ask for HR Transactions. This role is open to our New York office. For individuals assigned to or hired for this opportunity in New York, the estimated annualized base salary range for this position is $172,000-$233,000. The actual base salary offered will depend on the overall qualifications of the individual applicant for the position and other job-related factors permitted by law. We offer a competitive compensation and benefits package which includes a discretionary bonus, paid leave, life, health, accident, and disability insurance; and a 401(k) plan.

APPLY