This is an exciting opportunity to join the Economic Crime and Confiscation Unit (“ECCU”) at the Law Officers’ Department in Jersey, which was established in 2017. The team currently has four Legal Advisers (two of whom are also Crown Advocates), two Assistant Legal Advisers, one Accountant, one Detective Sergeant and a Civilian Investigator.
In preparation of an upcoming MoneyVal assessment in either 2023 or 2024, ECCU is recruiting a Legal Adviser to join the team.
The focus of the work is on significant economic crime risk to Jersey and prosecuting complex international financial crime and money laundering cases. In addition, the work will include reviewing Suspicious Activity Reports (“SARs”) and preparing applications for the forfeiture of assets under the Forfeiture of Assets (Civil Proceedings)(Jersey) Law 2018.
You will provide advice and give comprehensive legal guidance focussed on medium and high-risk cases of money laundering both domestic and trans-national in nature.
The work will be interesting, challenging and varied, working with different government agencies both in Jersey and internationally. You will have the support of a friendly, inclusive, and highly professional team at the Law Officers’ Department, under the leadership of the Attorney General for Jersey.
Job accountabilities
1. Provide legal advice and to direct investigations to be prosecuted by ECCU. There will be a requirement to provide legal advice on occasion to the States of Jersey Police, and other investigatory authorities in relation to particular cases under investigation by reviewing the adequacy of the evidence and the public interest. This will include considering the nature of the offence, identifying the most productive lines of further enquiry and recommending the acceptable limit and range of each investigation.
2. Represent the Attorney General in criminal matters before courts, tribunals and other forums.
3. Provide training to other team members and stakeholders on relevant aspects of the criminal law and procedure in relation to financial crime, corruption, and bribery.
4. Deputise for the senior legal advisers as required.
5. Supervise Band 1 and 2 Legal Advisers, Assistant Legal Advisers and support staff, providing advice and guidance as appropriate.
6. Support the team to plan and deliver their workload in line with LOD and SoJ priorities.
7. Supervise, research and analyse the implications of case law, legislation and regulatory matters and provide reports as appropriate. This will include supporting senior officers with research and reasoned advice.
8. Ensure adherence to LOD and SoJ administrative procedures and policies including time recording, working within delegated authorities and monitoring progress.
9. Carry out such other duties as the LOD may reasonably request.
Job context / dimensions
The Jersey Financial Crime Strategy Group (JFCSG) set out its agreed financial crime priorities for the Island in May 2017. The priority areas focus on the implementation of the
2012 Financial Action Task Force Recommendations and the 2015 Jersey MONEYVAL
Mutual Evaluation report by the Council Europe (published in 2016). The MONEYVAL report recommended that the Jersey authorities consider enhancing the resourcing of financial crime, with a view to increasing the number of money laundering investigations and prosecutions in Jersey. As a result of a recent growth bid ECCU is now expanding to further increase capability to prosecute complex and serious cases in light of the upcoming MoneyVal assessment.
The position advertised is for an additional Legal Adviser within the Economic Crime and
Confiscation Unit.
Qualification requirements
Professional legal qualification required – minimum of 10 years PQE of which at least 7 years must have been spent dealing with serious financial crime, money laundering and fraud and/or related civil proceedings.
Experience requirements
The post holder will have:
- experience of preparing and presenting advice on mainly, although not exclusively, medium
and high risk cases, with the ability to demonstrate an aptitude for applying legal theory to
practice;
- broad professional knowledge, and a broad range of experience dealing with complex fraud
and money laundering, which demonstrates the ability to develop, articulate and defend
conclusions;
- broad technical competence in Criminal Law.
- experience of handling complex areas of law, with the ability to absorb and interpret information quickly and accurately.
- experience of acting on own initiative on medium and high-risk matters, referring to others on the more complex high-risk cases.
Skills, knowledge, and competency requirements
The post holder will:
- have the ability to present a point of view convincingly and persuasively through rational
argument.
- be able to engage effectively with clients, counsel and other experts on a regular basis at all levels of seniority;
- have advocacy and litigation knowledge and experience in fraud and money laundering
cases
- have an understanding of how criminal law works and be able to demonstrate a willingness to stay abreast of current developments in legal practice, and be able to develop a thorough knowledge of Jersey laws and Jersey Court procedures;
- have the ability to interact effectively with colleagues, managers and other relevant stakeholders to maintain an understanding of a wide range of related activities;
- have the ability to work effectively in a team of lawyers to achieve high levels of professional and technical standards, with the ability to supervise the work and provide support to more junior colleagues;
- have the ability to take decisions confidently and effectively on medium and high-risk cases.
For an informal discussion please contact the Director - Criminal Division Howard Tobias on
01534 441478, or email h.tobias@lawofficers.je
