Description:

Job Description:
A&O Shearman is a new global industry-leading law firm, with 48 offices in 28 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 optimize 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 and Structure
The Business Acceptance Unit (BAU) is a dynamic, global, collegiate team responsible for assessing all new business before it is accepted by the firm's partners, to ensure the firm's commercial objectives and legal obligations are met. The team works closely with partners and other senior stakeholders to identify and resolve legal and commercial conflict issues, sanctions and anti-money laundering risks, as well as reputational and values issues in each of the jurisdictions in which A&O Shearman operates. The BAU has a unique, broad view of the firm's business and clients, and facilitates strategic decisions by the firm's partners and leaders, as well as managing the firm's risk exposure regarding new work. The BAU is widely respected throughout the firm and strongly supported by the firm's management.

This role is a fantastic opportunity to gain unparalleled experience working for one of the largest law firms in the world and to learn the unique approach that a truly global firm utilizes towards finance and operations. Our U.S. team works cooperatively with our colleagues located in nearly 50 offices throughout the world as one integrated team.

Role Purpose:
The role of the Senior In-House Lawyer – Terms/OCGs is to be a trusted adviser to the business, providing high quality, proactive business-focused support and solutions to colleagues on a variety of commercial and complex regulatory issues, focused mainly on conflicts of interest and other business acceptance matters. It requires an individual with the ability to develop strong working relationships to be a "go to" and accessible person for queries and concerns from around the world. These queries come from stakeholders of all levels from business teams and fee earners, including practice group heads and senior management. The Senior In-House Lawyer is given a high level of autonomy and expected to take responsibility for identifying solutions and driving them forward. In addition, the Senior In-House Lawyer – Terms/OCGs will participate in strategic projects and be part of the horizon- scanning team, inputting into the strategic direction of the firm's regulation.

Key Relationships:

Head of Engagement Terms/OCGs
The Business Acceptance Unit (BAU)
Partners and fee earners
In-House Legal and Risk Management

Context
This role involves acting as a reliable point of contact as it relates to the Senior In-House Lawyer – Terms/OCGs function. The Senior In-House Lawyer function is crucial to the day-to-day success of the business and this individual will play an essential part in this model.

Role and Responsibilities:

Being an in-house legal specialist in relation to client form Outside Counsel Guidelines (OCG) and A&O Shearman own form Engagement Terms (Terms).
Providing expert advice and counsel to Partners and senior BD staff to support the negotiation/agreement of Terms/OCG with our Clients including, where appropriate, leading Client negotiations.
Analyzing and resolving (or, where appropriate, facilitating resolution of) professional, legal, regulatory and commercial issues relating to OCG and Terms arising from reviews of such terms and/or which are referred by BAU analysts, paralegals and by Partners and all other levels of lawyer and support staff.
Exercising judgment as to when to refer issues of the type listed above to the Head of Engagement Terms and OCGs (the Head) and facilitating the resolution of any such issues referred.
Responding to queries relating to OCG and Terms.
Mentoring, supervising and assisting in the management and development of the In-House Lawyers and Paralegals.
Assisting the Head and supporting other Senior In-House Lawyers in monitoring changes in practice, professional rules, regulations and the law as affects OCG and Terms globally so that these can be reflected in A&O Shearman guidance to Partners, its standard form precedent Terms (including Standard Terms of Business (STOB)) and the business acceptance and client engagement policies/processes.
Supporting the Head in the creation and maintenance of precedents and know-how resources relating to OCG and Terms for use within the team and the development of appropriate Terms/OCG know how and policies, a database of OCG and standard form precedents for use throughout the firm.
Assisting the Head and supporting other Senior In-House Lawyers in managing the day-to-day operations in relation to:
Development of the Engagement Terms Team's regulatory and commercial expertise regarding OCG and Terms.
Day to day performance in terms of quality of service, fulfilment of the team's role as set out above and its speed of turnaround regarding OCG and Terms.
An inquiry line regarding OCG and Terms.
Proactively seek to streamline process and increasing efficiency within the Engagement Terms Team.
Assisting the Head and supporting other Senior In-House Lawyers in the creation, maintenance, on-going development and implementation of the firm's global Terms/OCG policies, processes and systems.
Intervention (where required) to issue directions or guidance on OCG and Terms-related issues and questions.
Assisting the Head and supporting other Senior In-House Lawyers in the design, implementation and delivery of training presentations and other development programs for lawyers and support departments regarding OCG and Terms.
Assisting the Head and supporting other Senior In-House Lawyers in retrospectively auditing OCGs and Terms that are currently in place and identifying any constraints that apply to A&O Shearman, the responsible partners/business support professionals, and documenting review dates.

Team:
This position reports directly to the Head of Engagement Terms/OCGs and collaborates closely with various team members, including the wider BAU team.

Key Requirements:

Qualified lawyer with significant experience of contract/commercial law and contract reviews and/or significant experience in disputes or litigation / investigations.
Excellent communication skills at all levels.
Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience.
J.D. Required. Preferably admitted in NY.
A proven ability to work independently and proactively and take the lead in driving projects forward to completion.
Self-motivation and ability to manage new and varied challenges.
Excellent attention to detail.
Collaborative approach and ability to work well in a team.
A commercial-minded, can-do attitude, with excellent communication skills and ability to influence.
Flexibility outside usual working hours if and when dictated by business requirements.
International experience with a leading top tier law firm is highly advantageous with a strong background in multi-jurisdictional disputes, investigations, or transactions. Big Law experience strongly preferred.
Experience of people management and an interest in, and potential for, developing mentoring skills.
Commercially minded and possessing a strong legal skill set.
Ability to analyze facts and scenarios thoroughly and to proactively put forward resolutions to legal and commercial problems.
Excellent task/project management skills and a proven ability to manage multiple tasks/projects under time pressure.
Strong interest in legal technology and finding technology-based solutions to achieve process improvements and efficiency.
Enthusiastic, 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.

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