Compliance, Regulatory
Compliance Officer for Legal Practice (COLP): Reading / London / Bristol / Remote.
A well-established firm is creating a dedicated COLP position for the first time, this role has previously been combined with a fee-earning workload, but now the firm wants to invest properly in the function rather than bolt it onto someone's day job.
- Location
- London
- Discipline
- Compliance
- Level
- In-House Counsel, Legal Director, Partner
- Salary
- £120,000+
- Contract
- Permanent
The Real Talk
This is a genuinely well-run firm, circa £20m turnover, three offices and over 100 staff, so there's real scale and infrastructure behind the role without the bureaucracy of a national giant. The COLP function has, until now, sat as part of a fee-earning practice. But now, the firm has taken the decision to make this a standalone, properly resourced position rather than quietly hand it to whoever's next in line. That's a meaningful signal about how seriously they take the role.
What You’ll Actually Be Doing
- Taking personal responsibility for the firm's compliance with the terms of its SRA authorisation
- Overseeing compliance by the firm's partners, managers and employees with the SRA's Standards and Regulations
- Building and maintaining the firm's compliance culture, systems and training, not just policing it after the fact
- Identifying and managing regulatory risk across all three offices
- Reporting serious breaches to the SRA promptly and appropriately, working closely with the COFA on overlapping issues
- Acting as the go-to voice on regulatory matters for the partnership, with the standing to challenge where needed
What We Need From You
- Qualified solicitor, with the seniority and authority the SRA expects of a COLP
- Solid working knowledge of the SRA Standards and Regulations, ideally with prior COLP, deputy COLP, or senior risk/compliance experience
- Comfortable holding personal regulatory accountability, and confident challenging partners or senior colleagues where compliance requires it
- Happy to be based from Reading, London or Bristol, or fully remote provided you can commit to meeting the team periodically
- Open to full-time or part-time, whichever suits your circumstances
The Offer
- Salary: £120,000+
- Flexibility: Full-time or part-time considered, plus remote working with periodic in-person team days
- The bit worth highlighting: A rare chance to build a standalone COLP function from scratch, on your terms, rather than inherit someone else's half-time legacy setup
Want the full picture? Message Emma directly, no forms.
Bovelle is committed to building a more inclusive legal profession. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of race, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion, or background, and we actively encourage applications from underrepresented groups in law. If you require any adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know, we’re happy to accommodate.