Senior Compliance Attorney

Manatt Phelps & Phillips•Los Angeles, CA

18d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Compliance Attorney is a non-billing Business Professional on Manatt’s Legal and Risk Management team. The role works closely with the General Counsel, other Legal and Risk Management attorneys, Relationship Partners, the Conflicts Department, and other stakeholders to evaluate, negotiate, interpret, and implement client retention documentation. Materials include outside counsel guidelines, requests for proposals, non-disclosure agreements, Business Associate Agreements, engagement documentation, and other client- or firm-generated terms. The attorney reconciles client requirements with the Firm’s ethical obligations, business objectives, and risk tolerance; identifies and helps resolve issues; and ensures agreed requirements are documented and operationalized. The position calls for expertise in professional-responsibility rules governing the attorney-client relationship and contributes to improving related Firm policies and procedures. The role operates in a fast-paced, collaborative hybrid environment and requires sound judgment in addressing sophisticated legal and business challenges. The Firm’s stated hybrid schedule requires in-office work Tuesday through Thursday, with optional remote work on Mondays and Fridays; employees must remain available for onsite work up to five days a week as business needs dictate, and flexibility is required.

Requirements

JD degree required.
Currently licensed and in good standing in a Firm-approved U.S. state.
At least five years of law firm experience at an AmLaw 100 firm.
At least four years of experience handling review and negotiation of outside counsel guidelines and similar matters.
Experience with legal ethics and privilege issues.
Effective, succinct oral communication and clear, concise written communication.
Effective analytical, logical reasoning, and problem-solving abilities.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, including thorough follow-through.
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment and meet deadlines.
Demonstrated professionalism, sound judgment, and discretion.
Commitment to exceptional internal and external client service.
Ability to learn new software programs as needed and resolve problems in a timely manner.
Flexibility to respond quickly and positively to shifting demands.
Ability to communicate effectively with all Firm constituents.
Strong Outlook, Excel, and Word skills.
Demonstrated reliability and ability to work independently and collaboratively in a hybrid remote and in-office team environment.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Intapp.

Responsibilities

Review outside counsel guidelines and other client-drafted engagement terms, non-disclosure agreements, Business Associate Agreements, RFP terms, Codes of Conduct, third-party engagement terms or requests, and other non-standard client contracts; advise on the Firm’s ability to comply.
Collaborate with internal stakeholders to revise and draft exceptions and responses to client engagement terms and contracts.
Communicate identified issues to Firm partners and lead or support negotiations with Firm clients when appropriate, recommending practical revisions that protect the Firm while addressing client priorities.
Monitor the status of outside counsel guidelines responses and related correspondence.
Coordinate contract version control and finalization by completing redline comparisons.
Oversee client due diligence requests, including reviewing due diligence and information security questionnaires, identifying compliance and risk issues, and preparing draft responses.
Direct posting of pending client guidelines and tracking of executed client contracts in the centralized Intapp repository; maintain the repository and the team’s OCG playbook.
Review, develop, and assist the work of other Compliance team members.
Coordinate with the Legal and Risk Management and Conflicts teams on conflicts and other issues arising during review and negotiation of client materials.
Develop expertise in technologies supporting the role and stay informed about emerging tools and process improvements for client-guidelines processes.
Contribute to the development and refinement of policies, procedures, and initiatives related to client retention, professional responsibility, and risk management.
Monitor relevant legal and regulatory developments and recommend updates to policies, processes, and engagement practices.
Assist with training Conflicts Department members, including Compliance team members; help create written training materials, develop best practices and procedures, and ensure standardized results across the Department.
Communicate with and advise professionals, secretaries, and other Firm personnel on established Firm policies and procedures.
Confirm the need for and create inclusionary ethical walls as required by client engagement terms.
Prioritize requests and coordinate with team members to maintain an appropriate flow of priority requests.
Perform other duties or projects assigned or required by the Legal and Risk Management team.