Principal Investigative Lawyer

The role will be based at our offices at 2-4 Cockspur Street, London, SW1Y 5BS, in central London, however please note that we are due to move to Canary Wharf in early 2027. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas. Informal hybrid working arrangements apply and there is an expectation that staff will attend the office regularly. Work pattern and office attendance will be agreed with successful candidates. Job Summary The SFO investigates and prosecutes the most serious and complex fraud, bribery and corruption, and pursues the proceeds of crime, and compensates victims where possible. As a Principal Investigative Lawyer, you will have the opportunity to make a significant contribution by providing strong leadership to drive cases forward delivering high quality outcomes by collaborating with a variety of internal and external stakeholders world wide. This is an interesting and engaging role, providing legal expertise to bring our cases to a successful outcome. As a Principal Investigative Lawyer, you will be part of a team comprising of investigators, accountants, digital specialists, and financial investigators and will progress cases by leading and managing teams and providing quality legal advice. We are also recruiting for Principal Investigative Lawyers Proceeds of Crime & International Assistance (POCIA) where you will be providing legal expertise to bring our cases to a successful outcome. You will be part of a team comprising financial investigators, case progression officers, and crypto specialists, tasked with progressing asset recovery and denial cases under both the civil and criminal provisions of the Proceeds of Crime Act.

As a Principal Investigative Lawyer, your role will typically include:

• Providing advice in relation to prosecutions and Deferred Prosecutions Agreements
• Drafting search warrants, attending searches, interviewing witnesses, identifying asset recovery options in tandem with our Proceeds Of Crime team and engaging counsel for trial and disclosure work
• Engagement with overseas law enforcement and prosecuting agencies, with possible travel
• Enhancing your technical skills through working with digital evidence (training to use our software will be provided)
• Drafting case strategy, key decisions, team building and outcomes
• Working on a variety of cases to expand your career experience As a Principal Investigative Lawyer (POCIA), your role will typically include:
• Providing advice in relation to the use of POCA powers
• Drafting a range of court applications in collaboration with financial investigators, attending searches, briefing counsel, engaging with respondents and their representatives, supporting disclosure, and liaising with criminal case teams
• Engagement with overseas law enforcement and prosecuting agencies, supporting International Assistance casework.
• Attending court, and if rights of audience held, representing POCIA in non-complex matters
• Drafting case strategy, key decisions, supporting team building, and delivering outcomes
• Working on a variety of cases to expand your career experience As a Principal Investigative Lawyer, your role will typically include:
• Providing advice in relation to prosecutions and Deferred Prosecutions Agreements
• Drafting search warrants, attending searches, interviewing witnesses, identifying asset recovery options in tandem with our Proceeds Of Crime team and engaging counsel for trial and disclosure work
• Engagement with overseas law enforcement and prosecuting agencies, with possible travel
• Enhancing your technical skills through working with digital evidence (training to use our software will be provided)
• Drafting case strategy, key decisions, team building and outcomes
• Working on a variety of cases to expand your career experience As a Principal Investigative Lawyer (POCIA), your role will typically include:
• Providing advice in relation to the use of POCA powers
• Drafting a range of court applications in collaboration with financial investigators, attending searches, briefing counsel, engaging with respondents and their representatives, supporting disclosure, and liaising with criminal case teams
• Engagement with overseas law enforcement and prosecuting agencies, supporting International Assistance casework.
• Attending court, and if rights of audience held, representing POCIA in non-complex matters
• Drafting case strategy, key decisions, supporting team building, and delivering outcomes
• Working on a variety of cases to expand your career experience Person specification See above and attached Candidate Pack Qualifications You must be a barrister authorised by the Bar Council to practice in England and Wales OR a solicitor, admitted by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority and authorised to practice in England and Wales with a minimum of 2 years PQE. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace Alongside your salary of £59,971, Serious Fraud Office contributes £17,373 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides . Generous annual leave provision of 25 days which increases to 30 days after five years' service plus an additional day in recognition of the King's Birthday and the option to buy or sell up to five days' leave per year. Different terms may apply if you are already a Civil Servant. Discretionary performance-related bonus scheme. Interest-free season travel ticket, bicycle loan and cycle to work scheme. Access to the Rental Deposit Salary Advance Scheme which assists employees in meeting the costs of deposits for privately rented homes. Opportunities for learning and development. Flexible working arrangements and family-friendly policies. Voucher for eye care and discounted spectacles. Access to a range of discounts through membership of the Civil Service Sports and Social Club, CSSC Sports and Leisure. http://www.cssc.co.uk/ Maternity and paternity leave provision over and above the statutory entitlements. Access to My CPS Rewards Gateway. My CPS Rewards offers staff a range of rewards and savings including:
• Discounts with high street retailers
• Savings on grocery shopping at a range of supermarkets
• Special salary sacrifice and recognition schemes
• Reloadable gift cards and e-cards
• Instant vouchers Any move to the Serious Fraud Office from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/ Artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use. Selection process details This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Behaviours and Experience. Application Process We are currently recruiting for 2 positions: Principal Investigative Lawyer and Principal Investigative Lawyer (POCIA). You only need to complete this application form, and where asked, specify you wish to be considered for one or both roles. Please Complete The Online Application Process Via The Link On This Advert. As Part Of The Application Process, You Will Be Required To Provide:
• A CV (2 pages maximum) setting out your career history, covering any relevant qualifications you hold to demonstrate the essential technical requirement. This is the LEAD criteria for the role and only candidates who meet this will have the remainder of their application considered
• For both roles a personal statement of up to 500 words that explains how your skills and experience meet essential and desirable criteria listed below. Desirable criteria will only be taken into account where it is necessary to further shortlist for interview Essential Experience Criteria
• Delivering successful case outcomes and demonstrating leadership in a complex, multi-strand legal or investigative environment
• Ability to assess significant amounts of complex information, distil it down to the key points and communicate clearly in writing and orally
• Effective decision making and influencing stakeholders and staff in complex, fast-moving environments Desirable Criteria
• Experience of managing large quantities of data using software tools and review databases
• Written and/or oral advocacy in courts and/or tribunals
• Advising on and/or delivering disclosure under the Criminal Procedures and Investigations Act 1996 If you would like to apply for the POCIA role or both roles we require a further 250 words that explain how your skills and experience meet the essential criteria as below Essential Experience Criteria
• Practical experience of legal remedies and tools pursuant to the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and the Criminal Finance Act 2017
• Significant experience of at least two of the following; restraint proceedings; confiscation investigations and proceedings of complex orders (confiscation or civil recovery); civil recovery and/or civil recovery investigations; request from overseas jurisdictions for asset recovery assistance
• Excellent drafting and communication skills The candidates shortlisted for the next stage of the selection process will be those who have clearly demonstrated that they meet the essential experience and technical criteria for the role. Please note that it will not be possible to provide feedback to applicants who are unsuccessful at the application stage. We may include a telephone screen as part of any POCIA applications. Interview If you are shortlisted, you will be invited to an interview which will include an exercise to test your legal knowledge and skills. This will be followed by interview questions to explore the behaviours and experience criteria in more depth. Full details of the interview process will be made available to shortlisted candidates Sift to take place from 02 November In person interviews are expected to take place from 16 November All dates are indicative and subject to change. Successful Candidates Must Meet The Security Requirements Before They Can Be Appointed. To Be Eligible You Must Meet The Following Residency Requirements Dependent Of The Level Of Security Vetting Required: SC: 5 years residency in the United Kingdom preceding this application. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment. This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Behaviours and Experience. Security Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check .See our vetting charter . People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard checks. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check .See our vetting charter . People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard checks. Nationality requirements This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups:
• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service Further information on nationality requirements Working for the Civil Service The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles . The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy. The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles . The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative. Contact point for applicants Job Contact :

• Name : People and Culture
• Email : people@sfo.gov.uk Recruitment team
• Email : people@sfo.gov.uk Further information For external competitions there is no appeal against the selection decision. However, individuals have a right to appeal if they feel that the principle of appointment on merit through fair and open competition and the Civil Service Commissioners' recruitment principles have not been met. Individuals who want to appeal should do this by setting out their grounds for appeal in an email for the attention of Head of People to People@sfo.gov.uk. If, after an internal appeal, you still believe that the Civil Service Commissioners' Principles have not been met, then you can contact the Commission directly: Complaints should be sent in writing to: Civil Service Commission, Room G08 ,1 Horse Guards Road, London SW1A 2HQ. Email info@csc.gov.uk