Overview
The organization is seeking a Director of Conflicts to partner with Risk Management leadership and the Office of the General Counsel to establish processes and procedures that ensure conflicts are resolved in a timely manner, mitigate risk, and support consistent execution through functional managers.
This position may be filled remotely, or in any of the organization’s locations across the United States.
Responsibilities
- Provide firm-wide operational direction for conflict checking.
- Stay abreast of new technologies, trends, and changes in ethical requirements in the varying jurisdictions in which the firm operates.
- Train conflicts managers, conflicts counsel, and analysts in a supervisory role; provide training as needed to other relevant teams (such as business intake specialists) to maintain effective turnaround times and exceptional work product.
- Coordinate with the Business Intake Team and other departments as required.
Essential Functions
Department Policies and Procedures
- Identify and implement best practices in the assigned functional areas.
- Identify efficient methods for processing requests to continually improve service, accuracy, value, turnaround time, and cost effectiveness.
- Monitor technology developments in the functional areas and recommend appropriate technology adoption to leadership.
- Work with leadership to develop and enforce firm-wide policies and procedures addressing conflicts, intake, and risk management concerns.
- Establish and oversee processes to capture updated information on firm engagements.
- Conduct training for firm lawyers and staff on departmental policies and procedures.
Department Execution
- Serve as the primary escalation source for all departmental quality assurance issues.
- Responsible for employment conflict check processes, including reviewing and approving specialized new client matter forms (e.g., toxic tort, bankruptcy, etc.) firm-wide.
- Oversee guidelines pertaining to the implementation of Ethical Walls.
- Prepare and maintain department budget, with particular attention to compensation, operations, and project budgets.
- Manage department projects and requests to ensure they are on budget, on time, and meeting objectives outlined by the firm’s strategic initiatives.
- Provide oversight of the department intranet site (e.g., departmental policies and procedures, forms, department contact information, etc.).
- Ensure accuracy and readiness of supported systems for internal and external audits.
- Ensure service standards are met and establish mechanisms to monitor productivity and service for the conflicts function.
- Provide statistical information to senior leadership as needed.
- Design, implement, and execute systems that deliver daily and weekly NBI and conflicts reports in a timely and accurate manner.
- Collaborate regularly with other groups across the firm, including Business Professional Recruiting, Accounting, Managing Directors, and others involved in conflicts, new business intake, and lateral hiring.
- Participate in strategic leadership meetings.
Talent Management
- Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of professionals, promoting a culture of accountability, inclusivity, and service excellence.
- Provide strategic leadership and direction to the Conflicts team.
- Recruit, train, and mentor team members, ensuring a high level of competence and professionalism.
- Foster a collaborative and inclusive work environment that promotes teamwork and employee development.
- Maintain working knowledge of responsibilities for all roles within the department.
- Provide employee counseling and disciplinary action as needed, pursuant to firm policies and procedures, to ensure satisfactory performance.
- Conduct regular meetings (weekly/biweekly) with managers and staff to keep them up to date on changes in the department and the firm.
- Conduct monthly meetings with managers.
- Identify training and development needs for the department and work with managers to implement training.
- Provide recommendations for annual bonus and merit increases with input from the managers where appropriate.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field required; JD strongly preferred but not required.
- Extensive legal conflicts experience within a law firm environment in an attorney or senior paralegal role.
- Minimum of ten (10) years of increasingly responsible, directly related experience, including significant supervisory experience, in a law firm or similar professional services environment, during which the knowledge, skills, and abilities applicable to the position were demonstrated.
- Demonstrated subject matter expertise in legal ethics and conflicts rules, practices, and procedures.
- Substantial experience leading company-wide initiatives within a multi-office setting, preferably in a professional services firm environment required.
- Proficiency with conflicts software systems, preferably Elite and Intapp Open.
- Demonstrated ability to provide quality client service to internal and external contacts regarding routine and complex matters, and to develop and maintain effective business relationships with people of diverse backgrounds; requires tact, patience, and the ability to maintain confidentiality.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly and effectively (orally and in writing) and to make presentations to small and large groups.
- Demonstrated intellectual curiosity and commitment to innovating and enhancing the firm’s practices.
- Demonstrated ability to organize and prioritize multiple projects in a dynamic and complex environment, meeting deadlines and successfully managing daily workload.
- Ability to work under pressure and in conflicting circumstances.
- Non-hierarchical approach, with flexibility and ability to build consensus.
- Strong integrity, maturity, and fairness in dealing with people and confidential information.
- Strong influencing capabilities and sound judgment.
Compensation & Benefits
Compensation is commensurate with skill and experience and varies based on skills, experience, location, and other factors permitted by law.
Expected compensation ranges by location:
- State of California: $209,000 - $427,000
- State of Colorado: $193,000 - $343,000
- State of Connecticut: $166,000 - $421,000
- State of Illinois: $189,000 - $367,000
- State of Massachusetts: $209,000 - $400,000
- State of Maryland: $203,000 - $307,000
- State of Maine: $142,000 - $328,000
- State of Minnesota: $209,000 - $346,000
- Jersey City, NJ: $227,000 - $412,000
- State of New York: $195,000 - $421,000
- State of Virginia: $136,000 - $397,000
- State of Vermont: $207,000 - $397,000
- State of Washington: $203,000 - $385,000
- Washington, D.C.: $270,000 - $397,000
Salaries do not include a discretionary bonus. Bonus opportunities are non-guaranteed and depend on individual and firm performance.
Full-time benefits include:
- 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 work is available, or candidates may be located in any of the organization’s United States locations.
Application Requirements
Please include a cover letter and resume when applying.
Equal Opportunity Statement
EOE/Minority/Female/Disabled/Vet. Principal Applicants Only.