Client Onboarding Graduate Scheme | Fieldfisher
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The Client Onboarding Graduate Scheme

The Client Onboarding Graduate Scheme will work within the Client Onboarding team at Fieldfisher in the Belfast Support Hub, with analyses of clients and matters on behalf of all the Fieldfisher offices. 

The successful candidates will develop knowledge and practical experience of Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) checks. They will also develop the skills to assess the impact of international Sanctions, involvement of Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs, and conduct negative news reviews to develop a holistic and detailed risk assessment. 

The programme will also allow you the opportunity to develop the legal knowledge and analytical skills to perform Conflicts of Interest checks to protect the firm's client-base and relationships. This is done in a time-sensitive fashion often dealing with confidential and sensitive issues.

About the opportunity
A bit about the programme and day to day responsibilities
  • Utilising cloud based, AI Infused technology to assist our Anti Money Laundering processes
  • Provide all aspects of support to the Firm, Partners and offices about Onboarding clients and matters
  • Diligently review and assess the AML risks associated with all new client and matter requests submitted via the Firm’s systems (e.g. Intapp) to perform KYC/CDD
  • Document research and analysis into an AML 'Pack' provided to fee-earners for their approval
  • Assessment  and collation of of Politically Exposed Persons
  • Collating information from Company registers globally
  • Conducting research into negative news stories
  • Liaising with Partners and Senior Stakeholders to obtain outstanding information
  • Verifying ID of individuals using our Biometric Identity Verification Tool
  • Matter Management on our bespoke in house finance system Evergreen
  • Assisting the team by gathering information on active clients to be reviewed
  • Assisting in the Ongoing Monitoring and Re-Reviews of existing client relationships
  • Attending Risk and Compliance team meetings
  • Assist with developing training materials, presentations, and courses on AML
  • Performing Conflict of Interest Searches, diligently assessing the results and liaising with fee-earners across the firm to address any concerns
What do the Client Onboarding Team do?

The Client Onboarding Team sits within the Risk group at Fieldfisher. Risk exist to protect the firm and ensure that the regulatory exposures a law firm encounters are identified and properly managed. Risk provides broader support and expertise in areas not limited to but including professional indemnity insurance issues, relations with our regulators, data privacy and information security, as well as Anti-Money Laundering (AML), anti-terrorist financing, sanctions and legal conflicts services on behalf of the firm.

The Client Onboarding Team is responsible for reviewing new and existing clients. We determine the nature and level of due diligence required in order to comply with AML Regulations in multiple jurisdictions. We work with Fieldfisher's offices in the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Brussels, Luxembourg, Amsterdam and Silicon Valley. The team also identifies politically exposed persons (PEPs) and those subject to sanctions or to wider enforcement action.

The client onboarding team is essential to the smooth operation of legal business and the team provides the firm with  ad hoc advice , ongoing training and general guidance to fee earners and business service functions on processes such as AML and other general Client Onboarding queries.

The Client Onboarding Team are also responsible for performing the necessary Conflicts of Interest checks for the partnership. The team assists partners in complying with ethical and legal duties to avoid legal (and commercial) conflicts of interest. For ease of use, the conflicts and AML processes have been combined, so that they both operate through one interactive form.

A bit about you
  • 2:1 (achieved) in a law degree (preferable)
  • Strong research skills
  • Demonstrable Organisation skills
  • Ability to adjust workflows to meet deadlines
  • Clear and concise communicator, written and verbal
  • Team-focused
  • Self-motivated
  • Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Products
  • Excellent problem solving skills and attention to detail
  • Keen interest in a career in Risk and Compliance
What do we offer?

This programme will help in developing your communication and organisational skills, and managing your own workload. You will be communicating with some of the most senior people in the firm. You will gain exposure to the work types, client types and practice types of an international law firm, from assisting individuals to some of the largest corporations. You will be able to leverage this knowledge in your career to demonstrate knowledge on the breadth of work at a law firm.

By working inside Risk you will gather experience on the risks associated with legal work and our clients, also how to mitigate those risks. You will develop excellent research and analytical skills and bring this into any legal work you subsequently do and identifying risks in potential clients/matters early.

  • Practical experience
  • Full-time employment
  • Hybrid working
  • Technical and business skills training
  • Competitive benefits and salary
  • Supportive of a Mentor, Buddy and HR
  • Real life work on exciting projects with real clients
  • Learning and development that you will be able to utilise throughout your career
  • A friendly, social and inclusive working environment
Recruitment Process

Our ability to deliver the quality service that our stakeholders expect relies on the quality of our people and it's important to establish we're the right fit for each other. Our recruitment process has been designed with social mobility in mind, with a view to encourage candidates to be authentic and demonstrate your skillset that you will have learnt through your studies and/or work experience to date.

With the above in mind, we have designed a recruitment process that is rigorous, yet fair. Our Business Services Recruitment Team are on hand throughout the entire process to give you all the help and support need.

Your application

Your application should be clear and concise and be careful to check your spelling, grammar and punctuation. You'll need to complete a few questions and upload an up to date copy of your CV. 

Video interview

If your application is successful, you'll be invited to complete a 30 video interview with the recruitment team. This interview will look at your motivation for the programme, your communication and team working skills.

Assessment centre

After a successful video interview, you'll be invited to attend an assessment centre day in our offices. Don't worry, you'll be given a full briefing beforehand but in short, you'll be asked to complete an interview, a written exercise and a team exercise. During the day we'll be assessing all of the skills and behaviours we believe a candidate will require to be successful on our programme. You'll be given the opportunity to meet with the team you have applied to and see our Belfast Hub Office.

What others say
Cameron Buchanan - Graduate onboarding officer
Joining the Fieldfisher team was something that , since finishing my degree , felt like it would be the best option for me to ensure that I would have a thriving career in risk and compliance. I have always had a keen interest in research and working within an environment that would allow me to grow not only as a person but would also allow me to hone in on my skills. The first week of starting here I was given a wealth of support and knowledge into the world of client onboarding as well as being welcomed into a team full of great people and great mentors who I can learn a lot from. I am very excited to see what the future holds for myself.
Brion Sweeney-Batard - Graduate onboarding officer
Since I have begun my graduate client onboarding officer role at Fieldfisher in Jan 2024, I have noticed I am constantly surpassing my own expectations of not just what the firm can offer, but also what I could be capable of. FF initially grabbed my attention at a university-based careers fair and my interest was sparked mainly due to its modern and sustainable demeanour. As a former law student entering the legal-corporate world, I was unsure as to what direction my choice with FF would take me but upon joining, this uncertainty soon became a reassurance. Firms like FF uphold its reputation through exercising their core values in practice. It is very much a firm that embraces collaboration and uses everyone's individualistic traits in the most forward-thinking way. Woking in AML has proven to be highly interesting and satisfying so far, I am constantly learning how crucial and diligent a risk department is. Additionally, I've had the enjoyment of working closely with a variety of roles throughout the firm thereby understanding where we fit in and how important the client onboarding team is. For someone like me with an advanced level in another language, I am given more opportunities in honing my academic and language skills on an international setting which not only allows me to learn more about AML in other jurisdictions, but also provides me with a fulfilling sentiment that a skill of mine is being constantly improved and refined. As someone who was a stranger to working in a law firm, I was made to feel very welcome and supported. I firmly believe FF as a firm, equips its employees with the skills necessary to develop and excel, not just in their role but equally in life. I am very enthusiastic to see how much more accomplished and competent I become as time goes on.