Conflicts Attorney

$160,000-$200,000

Position: Conflicts Attorney (Hybrid)

Industry: Law Firm

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Position Summary:

The Conflicts Attorney is responsible for evaluating and resolving conflicts of interest related to new business intake, matter openings, client updates, and lateral attorney onboarding. This role provides strategic guidance on ethical and risk-related issues while ensuring compliance with professional responsibility rules and firm policies.

Key Responsibilities:

• Evaluate and analyze actual and potential conflicts of interest for new and existing clients
• Conduct in-depth research using internal systems and external databases (e.g., Hoover’s, D&B, Lexis, EDGAR)
• Interpret research findings to assess legal, business, and ethical risks
• Recommend and implement conflict resolution strategies, including:
• Ethical walls
• Client disclosures
• Consent letters
• Engagement modifications
• Draft and maintain conflict waivers, disclosures, and engagement letter language
• Review Outside Counsel Guidelines and engagement letters for conflicts-related provisions
• Advise attorneys on restrictions, required ethical screens, and necessary updates to internal records
• Perform conflicts analyses for lateral attorney candidates
• Collaborate with Division Managers and Ethics Committee to resolve conflicts for new hires
• Prepare and manage consent letters and documentation pre- and post-onboarding
• Support matter opening workflows and ensure accuracy of conflicts data
• Educate attorneys and staff on:
• Ethical obligations
• Conflicts procedures
• New business intake processes
• Participate in conflicts on-call rotation and respond to after-hours urgent conflict checks

Qualifications:

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school
• Active bar admission in California
• Minimum of 3 years of conflicts or professional responsibility experience in a mid-to-large law firm
• At least 2 years of private practice experience strongly preferred
• Strong understanding of legal ethics, conflicts rules, and law firm operations
• Experience with conflicts and new business intake systems

Skills & Competencies:

• Advanced analytical skills with the ability to evaluate complex legal and business relationships
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to present nuanced analyses and influence firm leadership
• Strong negotiation and consultative problem-solving abilities
• High level of discretion and professionalism with confidential information
• Exceptional attention to detail and organizational skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Strong client service orientation and responsiveness