Join one of the UK's leading specialist disputes practices.
An outstanding opportunity has arisen for a talented Sanctions Associate (2–5 PQE) to join a highly regarded Business Crime team within one of the UK's premier disputes boutiques.
The team advises multinational corporations, financial institutions, governments, UHNW individuals and international businesses on some of the market's most complex investigations, regulatory matters and cross-border disputes. Renowned for handling high-profile and strategically significant mandates, the practice has established itself as one of the market leaders in business crime and financial crime litigation.
The Opportunity
You'll join a market-leading sanctions and export controls practice advising on matters involving:
- UK, EU and US sanctions regimes
- Export controls and trade restrictions
- OFSI investigations and enforcement
- Sanctions licensing applications
- Challenges to sanctions designations
- Cross-border investigations
- Civil and criminal sanctions litigation
- Regulatory investigations involving financial crime
- International asset tracing and enforcement
This is not a pure compliance role. The majority of the work has a contentious focus, providing exposure to litigation, investigations and strategic advisory matters where the legal, commercial and reputational stakes are exceptionally high.
The team acts for an impressive international client base, including:
- Global financial institutions
- Multinational corporates
- Governments and sovereign entities
- Professional services firms
- Universities
- Charities and NGOs
- Importers and exporters
- Aerospace, defence and energy companies
- Maritime and shipping businesses
- Real estate and telecommunications organisations
What You'll Need
- 2–5 years' PQE
- Strong civil litigation, criminal litigation or investigations experience
- Excellent academic background
- Existing sanctions/export controls experience, or a genuine interest in specialising in this area
- Strong drafting and analytical skills
- Ability to advise on complex, cross-border matters
Why Apply?
- Join one of London's leading specialist Business Crime teams
- Exposure to genuinely international, high-profile work
- Work alongside recognised experts in sanctions, investigations and financial crime
- Excellent progression opportunities within a specialist disputes practice
- Supportive, collaborative culture with first-class mentoring and training
- Opportunity to develop expertise in one of the fastest-growing areas of legal practice
The sanctions practice has experienced significant growth in recent years and advises across all major UK sanctions regimes, regularly handling matters with EU, US and UN dimensions.
Unlike many larger full-service firms, where sanctions work often sits within regulatory or commercial teams, this practice is typically instructed once matters become contentious or involve significant legal risk. As a result, associates gain substantial exposure to complex disputes and investigations rather than routine compliance advice.
Typical work includes:
- Advising individuals and companies designated under UK sanctions.
- Applying for licences from the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI).
- Challenging sanctions designations through administrative reviews and litigation.
- Defending clients facing OFSI enforcement action.
- Advising financial institutions on sanctions exposure.
- Assisting exporters on complex export control issues involving dual-use and military goods.
- Advising on UK, EU and US sanctions simultaneously where international operations are affected.
- Supporting internal investigations into suspected sanctions breaches.
- Advising on the intersection of sanctions, money laundering, fraud and bribery investigations.
The sanctions lawyers work closely alongside specialists in fraud, corruption, extradition, asset recovery and regulatory investigations, offering associates a broader disputes practice than is typically available within larger full-service firms.
This is an exceptional opportunity for a litigation or investigations lawyer looking to develop a market-leading practice in sanctions, export controls and financial crime.