Overview
This role is a Conflicts Counsel position with a lateral hire focus. The Conflicts Counsel is a member of the Conflicts Department collaborating with colleagues in Conflicts, Client Engagement, and Risk Management 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)
- other conflicts-related issues as needed
The position may be filled remotely, or in any of the organization’s locations.
Responsibilities
- Maintain a 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 potential conflicts with attorneys, analysts, business intake, other support staff, and firm leadership while maintaining objectivity and independent professional judgment.
- Review conflicts requests to provide concise, complete evaluations of potential conflict issues, document findings, and execute/communicate resolution steps.
- Draft and review language in waiver and engagement letters to ensure proper coverage of conflicts issues and confirm execution by individuals with appropriate authority.
- Review existing client conflict waivers for applicability to new conflicts involving that client.
- Make requests and recommendations related to the implementation of ethical walls.
- Develop and maintain knowledge of legal ethics, case law, and professional responsibility rules related to conflicts of interest, as well as relevant firm procedures, policies, and practices related to conflicts, risk, and ethics.
- Review client outside counsel guidelines and engagement agreements to identify deviations from firm policies; coordinate with billing and relationship partners to address deviations.
- Assist with clearance of new hire candidates, including complete conflicts analysis and resolution, drafting engagement agreements and waivers as needed, communicating conflicts status with recruiting and firm leadership, 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 RFPs 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
This role focuses specifically on conflicts 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, as needed, with recruiting, onboarding, firm leadership, and candidates throughout clearance and onboarding.
- Provide training and resources on conflicts and new matter opening to new hires.
Requirements
- Juris Doctor and an active law license in the U.S. in the jurisdiction in which the candidate resides.
- Two or more years of conflicts-related experience preferred.
- 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 conflicts of interest issues and recommend and implement solutions, including responding effectively to sensitive inquiries or complaints.
- Ability to track, manage, and effectively prioritize numerous responsibilities, emails, and conflicts requests.
- Strong writing skills with the ability to clearly and concisely communicate complex or numerous conflicts issues.
- Ability and availability to travel to other firm locations on occasion as needed.
Compensation & Benefits
Employees receive compensation 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 dependent upon 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
- and more
Location
Remote option available, or work in any of the organization’s locations in the United States (with compensation ranges provided for the listed states and Washington, D.C.).