Director of Conflicts

Overview

This role supports legal conflicts resolution and risk mitigation across a multi-office law firm with domestic and international operations. The employer 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, create systems that mitigate risk, and enable consistent execution through functional managers.

This position may be filled remotely, or in any of the firm’s locations.

Responsibilities

• Provide firm-wide operational direction for conflict checking
• Stay current on new technologies, trends, and changes in ethical requirements across the jurisdictions where the firm operates
• Train conflicts managers, conflicts counsel, and analysts in a supervisory role; provide training as needed to other relevant teams (e.g., business intake specialists) to maintain effective turnaround times and exceptional work product
• Coordinate with the Business Intake Team and other departments as required

Department Policies and Procedures

• Identify and implement best practices in assigned functional areas
• Identify efficient methods for processing requests to continuously improve service, accuracy, value, turnaround time, and cost effectiveness
• Monitor technology developments in functional areas and recommend appropriate technology adoption to leadership
• Work with leadership to develop and enforce firm-wide policies and procedures related to conflicts, intake, and risk management
• 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 source of escalation for departmental quality assurance issues
• Manage employment conflict check processes
• Review and approve 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 the department budget, with attention to compensation, operations, and project budgets
• Manage department projects and requests to ensure they are on budget, on time, and aligned with firm strategic initiatives
• Provide oversight to the department intranet site (e.g., departmental policies and procedures, forms, department contact information)
• 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 departmental NBI and conflicts reports in a timely and accurate manner
• Collaborate regularly with other firm groups involved in conflicts, new business intake, and lateral hiring (including Business Professional Recruiting, Accounting, Managing Directors, and others)
• Participate in strategic leadership meetings

Talent Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of professionals
• Provide strategic leadership and direction to the Conflicts team
• Recruit, train, and mentor team members to ensure competence and professionalism
• Foster a collaborative and inclusive work environment that promotes teamwork and employee development
• Maintain working knowledge of responsibilities across all roles within the department
• Provide employee counseling and disciplinary action as needed pursuant to firm policies and procedures
• Conduct regular meetings (weekly/biweekly) with managers and staff to keep teams up to date on departmental and firm changes
• Conduct monthly meetings with managers
• Identify department training and development needs and work with managers to implement training
• Provide recommendations for annual bonus and merit increases with input from 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, demonstrating knowledge, skills, and abilities applicable to the position
• 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; ability to develop and maintain effective business relationships with people of diverse backgrounds, requiring tact, patience, and the ability to maintain confidentiality
• Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly and effectively (orally and in writing) and make presentations to small and large groups
• Demonstrated intellectual curiosity and commitment to innovating and enhancing firm practices
• Demonstrated ability to organize and prioritize multiple projects in a dynamic and complex environment, meeting deadlines and 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

Employees are entitled to compensation commensurate with skill and experience. Exact compensation 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

These salaries do not include a discretionary bonus. Bonus opportunities are non-guaranteed and dependent upon 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

This position may be filled remotely, or in any of the firm’s locations.

Equal Employment Opportunity

EOE/Minority/Female/Disabled/Vet. Principal Applicants Only.

Application Requirements

Please include a cover letter and resume when applying.