Sr. Conflicts Specialist

Jackson Lewis P.C.•Los Angeles, CA

13d•$97,500 - $146,000•Remote

About The Position

The Senior Conflicts Specialist role operates within Firm Operations, reporting to the Conflicts Counsel. The Senior Conflicts Specialist role is a leader on the Conflicts team. The team is responsible for conducting conflict checks on New Business Intake (“NBI”) and Lateral Hire prospective representations while providing superior customer service to the Firm in executing this function. The Senior Conflicts Specialist will be expected to work occasional evening/weekend/holiday hours to address urgent conflict checks and meet client expectations. This role uses Intapp Open conflicts software and online research tools to generate accurate searches and analyze results to both identify and resolve potential conflict issues (both legal and business) for the firm’s new business opportunities. We are looking for an individual with superior customer service skills, outstanding research abilities, and acute attention to detail, who thrives in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment. The Senior Conflicts Specialist must possess excellent communications skills with the ability to work with all levels of staff, attorneys, firm leadership and prospective new hires using tact and diplomacy.

Requirements

Demonstrate sound judgment in managing assignments, given various firm and department priorities.
Be a self-starter; able to work with a diverse team in a fast-paced environment while exercising independent judgment in performing all aspects of assignments.
Understand advanced conflicts of interest resolution principles as would be obtained in having 8+ years’ experience in a conflicts role in a law firm.
Proficiency with online research tools, like D&B/Hoovers, Orbis/BvD, LexisNexis and gleaning information from company’s website or 10K filings, etc.
Strong database skills and attention to detail for managing data in Conflicts as well as maintaining accuracy of requests that are submitted.
8+ years’ experience in law firm Conflicts department.

Nice To Haves

Prefer experience in a large law firm or specifically in employment law.
Ideally, candidate will have familiarity with the Model Rules of Professional Conduct for Attorneys for the context of the conflict resolution process for both new business of current attorneys and also for pre-hire conflict checks for incoming Lateral Hires (paralegals and attorneys) and the process for onboarding and transferring work.
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution; advanced degree preferred.

Responsibilities

Monitors JLConflicts shared email box to address Urgent conflict inquiries, which may come after hours or during office closures and holidays.
Participates in testing, and providing feedback, for various firm projects.
Handles Lateral Hire Conflict Clearance projects from start to finish.
Serves as the first line of contact for questions from NBI Specialists, Conflict Specialists, and any other departments or teams.
Assists with training new conflicts staff through shadowing and serving as a resource for questions.
Accurately identify and summarize potential conflict issues for resolution, with comfort in performing research and analyzing results to make the decision of whether a potential conflict exists or not.
Work with Talent Acquisition, Human Resources, Office Administrators, Firm Managing Partners and sponsoring attorneys in each office on Conflict Questionnaire analysis for Lateral Hires.
Review new business intake (NBI) requests for quality control purposes to identify typos, missing parties, scope of engagement and firm policy issues.
Advise NBI Specialists on party positions, new matter versus matter maintenance, and New versus Existing Client account choices in intake.
Respond to inquiries from secretaries and attorneys about the overall NBI workflow process, understanding other Firm Departments’ requirements and perspectives.
Set up ethical walls and send memos to those who are impacted, for conflict clearance and security management purposes.
Process subpoena inquiries, hotline call checks, media searches, RFP conflict checks, bankruptcy projects, searches for blogs and articles being written, and respond to/research any non-intake-related conflict questions that come up.
Act as an administrator in the Intapp Open environment and become an expert on the firm’s intake workflow and the role of the conflict check data within that process.