Senior Conflicts Attorney

McDermott Will & Emery•Chicago, IL

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Conflicts Attorney leads the conflict resolution process for complex and high impact matters. This position ensures new matters and attorney hires are compliant with the firm’s conflicts and risk management policies and procedures and works with senior firm leadership to review all escalated conflicts matters. The Senior Conflicts Attorney works under minimal supervision and relies on experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals.

Requirements

Juris Doctorate (J.D.) from an accredited law school
Active bar membership in good standing
At least seven (7) years of related work experience
Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word)
Knowledge of time entry and conflict of interest databases
Knowledge of legal research tools and databases
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Strong leadership and analytical skills
Strong organizational skills
Ability to work under tight deadlines and prioritize responsibilities
Ability to handle and maintain confidential information
Ability to learn new concepts and skills quickly

Responsibilities

Collaborate with senior leadership and serve as the departmental liaison to clear escalated conflicts issues
Lead the conflicts clearance process for complex and sensitive matters; serves as a point of contact for the Conflicts Attorneys for all escalated matters
Conduct conflict analysis on new firm business and lateral hires
Prepare, audit, and present conflict reports to attorneys to resolve issues in a timely manner
Consult with partners, Professional Responsibility Committee, and Information Governance to create and maintain effective screening restrictions
Review engagement letters and outside counsel guidelines to ensure firm-wide compliance
Perform legal research, including review of case law and jurisdictional issues related to conflicts clearance, lateral hiring, ethical walls, and related issues
Assist the Director of Conflicts and Client Intake with overseeing the Conflicts Attorneys team’s workflow and training
Lead the training and onboarding of Conflicts Attorneys