Overview
This role involves serving as Conflicts Counsel (Lateral Hire Focus) within the Conflicts Department. The position collaborates with colleagues in the Conflicts, Client Engagement, and Risk Management departments to identify and resolve conflicts of interest issues related to intake and maintenance of new and existing business, lateral clearance, outside counsel guidelines (OCGs), requests for proposals (RFPs), and other conflicts-related matters.
The role may be filled remotely or in any firm location.
Responsibilities
- Maintain a thorough working knowledge of technologies that support daily Conflicts Department operations, including Intapp Open and Intapp Terms.
- Serve as a resource for conflicts analysts on identifying and resolving conflicts of interest, including communicating outcomes to attorneys and staff.
- Discuss conflict of interest issues with attorneys, analysts, business intake, other support staff, and firm leadership to identify and resolve potential conflicts while maintaining objectivity and professional independence.
- Review requests submitted to the Conflicts Department to provide concise and complete evaluations of potential conflict issues, including communicating and executing resolution steps and documenting outcomes.
- Draft and review language in waiver and engagement letters to ensure conflicts issues are appropriately addressed and executed by individuals with appropriate authority; review existing client conflict waivers for applicability to new conflicts involving the same client.
- Make requests and provide recommendations related to implementing ethical walls.
- Develop and maintain knowledge of legal ethics, case law, and professional responsibility rules related to conflicts of interest, along with relevant departmental procedures, policies, and practices related to conflicts, risk, and ethics.
- Review client outside counsel guidelines and engagement agreements to identify deviations from firm policies and work with billing and relationship partners to address deviations.
- Support review and clearance of new hire candidates, including performing complete conflicts analysis and resolution, drafting engagement agreements and waivers as needed, communicating with recruiting and firm leadership regarding the status of conflicts issues, and providing training to a new lateral partner hire.
- Review outside counsel guidelines and work with partners to prepare client responses aligned with firm needs and requirements.
- Assist with maintenance and documentation of clients’ agreements within conflicts software and databases.
- Assist the Client Development team and partners in reviewing and responding to requests for proposals and similar business opportunities.
- Prepare and deliver trainings for the Conflicts team and for firm attorneys and staff on conflicts, ethics, and professional responsibility.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Lateral Hire Focus
- Collaborate with colleagues to identify and resolve conflicts of interest issues related to candidates’ former work or portable work.
- Conduct efficient review, identification, and resolution of conflicts of interest related to lateral candidates and new hires.
- Liaise with recruiting, onboarding, firm leadership, and candidates throughout the clearance and onboarding process as needed.
- Provide training and resources on conflicts and new matter opening for new hires.
Position Requirements
- Juris Doctor and active law license in the U.S. in the jurisdiction in which the candidate resides.
- Two or more years of conflicts-related experience preferred.
- Computer proficiency in all Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, and Outlook) required.
- Experience with online reference materials and Boolean searching techniques preferred.
- Experience with Intapp Open and Intapp Terms strongly preferred.
- Ability to identify and analyze conflict of interest issues and recommend and implement solutions.
- Ability to respond effectively to sensitive inquiries or complaints.
- Ability to track, manage, and effectively prioritize numerous responsibilities, emails, and conflicts requests.
- Strong writing skills, including the ability to clearly and concisely communicate, particularly when summarizing and simplifying complex or numerous conflicts issues.
- Ability and availability to travel to other firm locations on occasion as needed.
Compensation & Benefits
Compensation is commensurate with skill and experience. The exact compensation varies based on skills, experience, location, and other factors permitted by law.
Expected compensation ranges by location:
- State of California: $135,000 - $276,000
- State of Colorado: $125,000 - $222,000
- State of Connecticut: $108,000 - $272,000
- State of Illinois: $122,000 - $237,000
- State of Massachusetts: $135,000 - $258,000
- State of Maryland: $131,000 - $199,000
- State of Maine: $92,000 - $212,000
- State of Minnesota: $135,000 - $224,000
- State of New York: $126,000 - $272,000
- Jersey City, NJ: $147,000 - $266,000
- State of Virginia: $88,000 - $257,000
- State of Vermont: $134,000 - $257,000
- State of Washington: $131,000 - $249,000
- Washington, D.C.: $174,000 - $257,000
The salary ranges above do not include a discretionary bonus. Bonus opportunities are non-guaranteed and depend on individual and firm performance.
Full-time employees receive benefits including:
- Medical and dental coverage
- Life insurance
- Short-term and long-term disability insurance
- Pre-tax flexible spending account for certain medical and dependent care expenses
- Employee assistance program
- Paid Time Off
- Paid holidays
- Participation in a retirement plan program after meeting eligibility requirements
- More
Location
Remote work may be available, or the role may be filled in any firm location. Travel to other firm locations may be required on occasion as needed.