OGC Counsel - Conflicts & Ethics

Latham & Watkins LLP • Washington, DC

7d • $170,000 - $200,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The OGC Counsel is an integral part of Latham’s Office of the General Counsel team. This role will be responsible for resolving professional ethics conflicts and related compliance issues by applying legal ethics rules, professional responsibility principles, Latham & Watkins policies, and practical judgment to lateral clearances, new business matters, outside counsel guidelines, engagement terms, waivers, ethics walls, and related risk-management issues, while coordinating with partners, Ethics Committee Members, and other stakeholders to resolve conflicts issues, communicating status updates and following through until the matter is resolved or appropriately escalated. This role will be located in either our Chicago, San Francisco, New York, Washington, D.C., or Boston office. Please note that this role may be eligible for a flexible working schedule that allows for a hybrid and in-office presence.

Requirements

• Demonstrate knowledge of legal ethics rules, professional responsibility principles, and conflicts of interest analysis
• Display strong written and oral communication skills, with excellent attention to detail and the ability to translate conflicts and ethics concepts into practical guidance
• Possess the ability to communicate effectively and professionally with attorneys, OGC colleagues, Ethics Committee Members, Analysts, Assistants, and business professionals at all levels of the firm
• A Juris Doctor (JD) or equivalent
• Admission to the relevant state bar with active status
• Minimum of two (2) years of experience in legal ethics, conflicts of interest, professional responsibility, or a closely related area of law firm risk management required
• law firm experience preferred

Nice To Haves

• Experience with conflicts clearance processes, engagement terms, outside counsel guidelines, waivers, or ethics walls is strongly preferred

Responsibilities

• Applying knowledge of professional responsibility rules and relevant Latham procedures, policies, and practices to resolve lateral attorney and new matter conflicts, advising Ethics Committee Members, firm attorneys, and other stakeholders throughout the process
• Reviewing situation-specific conflicts checks as needed; analyzing the results in light of applicable rules and firm policies; identifying potential conflicts of interest and determining appropriate next steps, including clearance, waiver, screening, or escalation
• Analyzing outside counsel guidelines, non-standard engagement letters, and RFPs received from clients; identifying issues related to conflicts, ethics, liability, and firm policy; coordinating with partners and other stakeholders to resolve or escalate those issues
• Drafting, reviewing, and advising on waivers, ethics walls, engagement letters, and related documents in coordination with Senior Counsel and Managing Counsel as appropriate
• Conducting legal research on ethics rules, professional responsibility issues, and conflicts-related topics as needed to support the resolution of assigned matters or team projects
• Helping prepare and deliver trainings for attorneys and staff on conflicts, ethics, professional responsibility, and related topics, in collaboration with Senior Counsel, Managing Counsel, and other OGC colleagues
• Contributing reliably to shared inboxes, urgent matters, weekend coverage, and team processes
• Supporting partner audits and other OGC or Ethics Committee projects in collaboration with Senior Counsel, Managing Counsel, and other OGC colleagues
• Protecting and maintaining any highly sensitive, confidential, privileged, financial, and/or proprietary information that Latham & Watkins retains

Benefits

• Healthcare, life and disability insurance
• A generous 401k plan
• At least 11 paid holidays per year
• PTO program that accrues 23 days during the first year of employment and grows with tenure
• Well-being programs (e.g. mental health services, mindfulness and resiliency, medical resources, well-being events, and more)
• Professional development programs
• Employee discounts
• Affinity groups, networks, and coalitions for lawyers and staff

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree