Balance, Breakthroughs, and Beats

By Carl Radcliffe, Team Lead, Anti-Money Laundering, Baker McKenzie

I’ve been with Baker McKenzie for over eight years, joining the firm in December 2015 as a Legal Professional in what we now call Alternative Legal Services (ALS). After a couple of years, I transitioned to the New Business Intake (NBI) team, which has since grown and expanded its work, creating the Anti-Money Laundering team in 2020. I moved across when the new team started, and by October 2021, I had stepped up to the role of Team Lead.

My job involves managing a team of people based in Belfast and I spend a lot of my time answering queries from the team, supporting their work and reporting on team progress. On office days, I have frequent one-to-one meetings and team-wide discussions about work updates and professional development. I also handle specific queries for senior management related to suspicious activities or transactions involving clients or potential clients, assessing whether we can continue representing them.

Leading the team is the best part of my job, which I didn’t expect for myself as someone headed straight for a more traditional legal career, but I genuinely enjoy helping team members develop their skills and achieve their career goals.

I’ve been lucky enough to benefit from the same culture of support in my career journey. Each year, Baker McKenzie organises a development programme called "BakerNext." The programme is designed for new team leads and managers to support us in developing people management and leadership skills.

Through BakerNext, I earned a Level 4 Award in Leadership & Management from the Institute for Leadership and Management. The training covered topics such as coaching, dealing with difficult conversations, and emotional intelligence, greatly benefiting my management approach.

Our work-from-home policy at Baker McKenzie Belfast is designed with a clear focus on work-life balance. It follows a 2:2:1 model: two days in the office, two at home, and one that’s flexible. This setup has allowed me to balance family commitments and spend more time with my two young daughters.

On WFH days, I typically start at 9 am but I can also work 8-4. The extra time saved from commuting, which can take up to an hour each way from Greyabbey, is invaluable for family activities such as school drop-offs and pick-ups.

Life at Baker is probably not what most people expect from the idea of a “large corporate law firm.” There’s a real focus on culture, wellbeing and ensuring this is a friendly and welcoming environment. There are loads of initiatives to help people connect across teams, seniorities and functions, whether that is the monthly social mixer on our rooftop terrace, the seasonal parties or the range of clubs, societies, and campaign groups to get involved with.

I recently joined “BakerBeats,” a small group that shares three songs every Friday morning. Each week, someone picks an older song, a new song, and a song to get everyone in the Friday feeling. This initiative has exposed me to a wonderful mix of music and helped me connect with colleagues on a more personal level.

It’s just one of the many ways Baker has made it possible to make genuine friendships here, which is instrumental in my long tenure.

Want to meet more brilliant, brave and kind people?

We're currently recruiting for the Anti-Money Laundering Team in Belfast! Read the full job description and apply here!