Trust Compliance Officer - Private Client - Edinburgh (Full-time/Part-time)

Anderson Strathern is a modern, innovative law firm. We’re proud of our history but firmly focussed on an exciting future, one that embraces technology and smarter ways of working.  We’re independent, and proudly so.

As Investors in People and Investors in Young People Gold award holders, we will provide you with comprehensive training and support.

Our team

Our team is a mix of experienced practitioners, trainees, accounts and tax specialists and legal support professionals who bring professionalism, empathy, and ambition to the work we do.

 Led by Carole Tomlinson, a dual-qualified, accredited specialist in Trust Law with 24 years of experience

• 8 partners and 30 non-partners
• 7 Chartered Tax Specialists
• 3 dual-qualified solicitors expanding our practice across the border and providing advice on complex cross-border issues
• Accredited Specialists in Trusts, Private Client Tax and Heritage Property by the Law Society of Scotland
• Recognised in Legal 500 (Tier 1) for ‘Personal Tax, Trusts and Executries’ and ‘Contentious Trusts and Probate’ in Scotland
• Recipients of the Legal 500 ‘Private Client Firm of the Year’ Award in 2024
• Platinum accreditation of the STEP Employer Partnership Programme
• Key clients include some of Scotland’s highest net worth individuals, families and estates including the UK’s two largest landowning families
• Leaders in the field of Personal Injury and Adults with Incapacity, advising on claims in excess of £500m since 2010. Panel Solicitors for Office of the Public Guardian and Mental Welfare Commission.
• Some of our recent/notable work includes conducting a once in a generation review of the estate structure of one of the UK’s largest land estates including a review of the complex ownership structure of a £1.3bn entity, ensuring it is fit for purpose for the future
• Involvement in the restructure of another £1.2bn entity as it undergoes a one-off transformation to a more efficient structure
• Our ‘Family Office Service’ – an offering of few firms in Scotland which recognises that families have different needs and goals and tailors our service to meet their individual wishes. It involves providing a fully integrated service requiring cross departmental involvement and coordinating our services with external advisers such as accountants and investment managers.

The role will involve

We are seeking a Trust & Regulatory Compliance Specialist to support the firm’s growing Private Client practice by overseeing our trust‑related regulatory, governance and reporting obligations. This is a key role within our compliance and risk function, ensuring that the firm meets its duties under the Common Reporting Standard (CRS), Anti‑Money Laundering (AML) frameworks, Trust Registration Service (TRS), and the Law Society of Scotland’s trust register requirements.

The role is not a trust administration or fee‑earning post. Instead, it focuses on regulatory compliance, data governance, quality assurance and transparency reporting. It would suit candidates with experience in financial services compliance, fiduciary regulation, AML/CDD, or tax transparency regimes.

You will work closely with our Private Client teams to ensure that trust structures are properly understood, categorised, and monitored, and that the firm’s policies, processes and governance standards remain robust and compliant.

As a Trust & Regulatory Compliance Specialist, you will be expected to

Trust & Regulatory Compliance

• Maintain, enhance and implement policies and procedures governing trust‑related compliance.
• Provide guidance to fee‑earners on trust governance, AML requirements, onboarding processes and regulatory expectations.
• Conduct internal compliance reviews, audits and quality assurance checks on trust‑related matters.
• Monitor legislative and regulatory developments—domestic and international—and ensure timely updates to internal processes.

CRS Reporting & Transparency

• Lead the firm’s CRS compliance activities, including trust classification, due diligence, review of structures and annual reporting.
• Oversee data collection, evidence trails, and audit‑ready documentation.
• Act as an internal subject‑matter resource on international transparency regimes and beneficial ownership obligations.
• Deliver training and support to colleagues on CRS and related compliance areas.

Trust Register & TRS Oversight

• Maintain the firm’s internal trust register in line with Law Society of Scotland requirements.
• Ensure prescribed information is collected, verified, recorded and updated within set timeframes.
• Coordinate with fee‑earners to ensure completeness and accuracy of trust data.
• Support regulatory inspections and produce documentation when required.

About you

Essential

• Experience in CRS/FATCA, AML, financial crime compliance, fiduciary regulation, or a related regulatory reporting environment.
• Strong understanding of due diligence, risk assessment, and governance frameworks.
• Ability to analyse legislation and apply it pragmatically to processes and controls.
• High attention to detail with excellent organisational and analytical skills.
• Strong communication skills with the confidence to advise colleagues and maintain effective working relationships.
• Experience in a law firm, financial services provider, fiduciary services business or similar professional environment.

Desirable

• STEP qualification or willingness to undertake relevant STEP modules in the future.
• Experience with trust structures, TRS, or beneficial ownership registers (training can be provided).
• Knowledge of UK trust law or professional trust governance.

What you will get in return

• Exposure to complex, high value Private Client compliance and governance work.
• Continued professional development, including support for external qualifications.
• A supportive, professional and collaborative working environment.
• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements to support work-life balance.
• The opportunity to take a leading role in shaping trust-related compliance processes in a forward-looking firm.

Anderson Strathern is an equal opportunities employer.  Our policy is to recruit, develop, nurture and retain a diverse workforce following the guidelines of the Equality Act 2010.