Bressler Risk Blog

In this BRB jobs update, I’m pleased to spotlight an open position at Ashurst Perkins Coie: “Conflicts Attorney” —

• Ashurst Perkins Coie is looking for a dynamic, qualified individual to fill a Conflicts Attorney position performing conflicts analysis on new business and firm lateral hires, and advising firm lawyers on conflicts of interest issues.
• The Conflicts Attorney will independently review, research, and resolve conflicts issues related to firm new business and staff personnel and ensure compliance with ethical standards in all jurisdictions as well as firm policies.
• For purposes of complying with Export Control laws, candidates must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.
• Locations:  Seattle, WA; Portland, OR; Phoenix, AZ; Denver, CO; Dallas, TX; Austin, TX; New York, NY; Chicago, IL; Washington, D.C.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Independently analyze conflicts of interest on new business, firm lateral hires, and merger candidates.
• Resolve issues that arise in such matters with little to no supervision, including drafting of waivers and advising on ethical issues relating to withdrawal and screening.
• Resolve conflicts issues related to firm lateral hires.
• Manage a large conflicts workload with little to no supervision.
• Manage, prioritize, and meet deadlines with little to no supervision.
• Manage sensitive and confidential issues related to practice management and firm ethics. Provide training on conflicts issues.
• Lead small projects.
• Coordinate workload coverage.
• Provide backup to department Directors when needed.
• Act as a strategic legal advisor to firm lawyers on complex and sensitive conflicts of interest issues.
• Perform legal research and prepare legal memoranda in response to requests from firm lawyers, managers, claims counsel and various firm committees.
• Analyze complex factual situations and spot issues where problems might occur.
• Draft complex waivers, engagement and joint representation letters in final format.
• Negotiate between lawyers in resolving disputes over conflicts and waivers. Other related legal work as needed.
• Be present at work during regularly scheduled working hours and as needed in the job position, consistent with the Firm’s attendance expectations.

SPECIFIC SKILLS REQUIRED

• Thorough knowledge of the Rules of Professional Conduct and their application to the practice of law.
• Strong database skills.
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing across the firm’s U.S. and international offices; timely with information.
• Solid understanding of jurisdictional differences in the application of different rules and principles to use in making a choice of law, including risk analysis.
• Effectively cope with change; can decide and act without having the total picture.
• Arrive at good decisions based upon a mixture of analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgment.
• Thorough understanding of a wide range of legal matters, including an understanding of the parties and their respective roles in transactions and litigation, knowledge of litigation procedures such as depositions, subpoenas, role of co-defendants and comparative fault.
• Solid understanding of business organizations and financing concepts (critical).
• Ability to think creatively about solutions to issues raised. High attention to detail.
• Use time effectively and efficiently, concentrating on the more important priorities and can quickly sense what will help or hinder accomplishing a goal.
• Minimal supervision needed when working on independent assignments.
• Understand and respect the need for teamwork within the department and firm; follow procedures established to facilitate teamwork, including with personnel in international offices.
• Accept and convey decisions of Firm and Department Management in a professional manner.
• Relate well to all kinds of people, up, down, lateral, inside, and outside the organization; build constructive and effective relationships.
• Proven ability to be responsible for and capably resolve conflicts of interest issues for challenging personalities and groups/offices.
• Thorough and complete understanding of the lateral hire process.

SPECIFIC SKILLS PREFERRED

• Understanding of litigation practice and working knowledge of law firm processes.
• Ability to detect procedural problems and determine appropriate relationships.
• Experience with legal research and writing, ability to independently manage multiple tasks of varying importance.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Qualified candidates must have a Juris Doctorate and a minimum of five (5) years of practice experience and equivalent senior level conflict/ethics experience.
• Active member in good standing in any jurisdiction required.
• Strong working knowledge of relevant topics, legal issues, and the rules governing professional responsibility required.
• Demonstrated success in a stressful environment.
• Applicants must be licensed and in good standing to practice law in the state of the office out of which they will be based and the state in which they reside.

About Ashurst Perkins Coie

• Our business services professionals are at the forefront of delivering value and innovation for the firm and our clients.
• Our teams are full of creative individuals who are passionate about high performance. It is this collective drive and ambition that makes our culture worth being part of. You don’t need extensive experience in professional services—we value experience gained in other sectors too. You’ll be someone who can work with others towards a common goal and support your colleagues with openness and respect. You’ll bring an instinct for problem solving and be able to anticipate our clients’ needs. What’s more, you’ll share our approach to innovation, whatever your background.
• We’ve witnessed a period of unprecedented change and development over the past five years, made possible through the knowledge of our business services professionals globally.

See their careers site for more on the company and work environment, see the complete job posting for more details on the position and to apply.

And if you’re interested in seeing your firm’s listings here, please feel free to reach out…

In this BRB jobs update, I’m pleased to spotlight an open position at Fredrikson: “Conflicts Resolution Specialist” —

• We are seeking a Conflicts Resolution Specialist to join our Risk Management team.
• This role plays a critical part in protecting the firm and its clients by analyzing and resolving conflicts of interest, identifying potential ethical and business risks, and ensuring compliance with professional responsibility rules and firm policies.
• The Conflicts Resolution Specialist partners closely with the Conflicts Resolution Manager, Conflicts Counsel, Intake Team, and attorneys across the firm to navigate sophisticated conflicts issues while supporting efficient client intake and matter opening processes.
• This is a hybrid position requiring candidates to reside in Minnesota.

Key Responsibilities Include:

• Analyze, evaluate, and assist in resolving conflicts of interest related to new clients and new matters
• Partner with Conflicts Counsel, attorneys, and professional staff to assess conflicts risk and develop practical, defensible solutions
• Review new client and matter requests for compliance with firm policies, engagement requirements, and applicable rules of professional responsibility
• Identify potential legal, business, and positional conflicts, including those involving affiliates, subsidiaries, and complex corporate structures
• Conduct corporate research and relationship analysis to determine client affiliations and conflict implications
• Review and assist with engagement letters, conflict waivers, and related conflict resolution documentation
• Exercise sound judgment by escalating complex or high-risk matters to the Conflicts Resolution Manager and Conflicts Counsel
• Maintain thorough, accurate documentation of conflicts analyses, research, and decision-making
• Support the continuous improvement of conflicts processes, policies, training materials, and best practices
• Collaborate with the Intake Team and other internal stakeholders to facilitate timely matter opening while maintaining compliance with firm risk management standards

Our Ideal Candidates Will Have:

• Bachelor’s degree, paralegal certificate, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience
• 5+ years of law firm experience with exposure to conflicts, ethics, new business intake, or risk management functions strongly preferred; substantial paralegal experience will also be considered
• Working knowledge of conflicts of interest principles and the rules of professional responsibility preferred
• Experience using Intapp or a similar conflicts management system
• Strong analytical, research, and issue-spotting skills, including the ability to interpret complex corporate structures, affiliations, and organizational hierarchies; experience conducting corporate family tree research is highly desirable
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to clearly communicate risks and recommendations
• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Strong professional judgment, attention to detail, discretion, and a collaborative approach to problem solving

Benefits

Our comprehensive benefits options include medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, short- and long-term disability, employee resource benefits (inclusive of counseling, coaching, and caregiving guidance), paid parental leave, parenting classes, pre-tax parking and transportation options, and much more! Our retirement plan includes financial planning, Social Security/Medicare planning, 401k/Roth investment options, and a firm-paid profit-sharing contribution. Benefits are subject to eligibility requirements and other terms and conditions.

About Fredrikson

With a reputation as the firm “where law and business meet,” our attorneys and staff bring business acumen and entrepreneurial thinking to operate as business advisors, strategic partners, and legal counselors to our clients. To best serve our clients, we provide innovative solutions to legal needs while reflecting inclusion and diversity as core values. We offer highly competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits in a collaborative work environment. The firm’s 400+ attorneys serve clients through our ten locations around the world: Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and Mankato, MN; Bismarck and Fargo, ND; Ames and Des Moines, IA; Madison, WI; Saltillo, Mexico; and Shanghai, China. Visit www.fredlaw.com for more information.

Fredrikson is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply. Fredrikson does not discriminate in its recruiting, hiring or employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, age, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, national origin, ancestry, marital status, familial status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, military or veteran status, genetic information, status with regard to public assistance, and any other characteristics protected by applicable local, state, and/or federal laws.

See their careers site for more on the company and work environment, see the completes job posting: “Conflicts Resolution Specialist” for more details on the position and to apply.

And if you’re interested in seeing your firm’s listings here, please feel free to reach out…

In this BRB jobs update, I’m pleased to highlight an open role at McNees: “Conflicts Counsel” —

• McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC is seeking a Conflicts Counsel to join our growing team.
• This position plays a critical role in supporting McNees’ ethical obligations by reviewing, analyzing, and resolving conflicts of interest related to new clients, new matters, and lateral attorney hires. We foster a culture of integrity, innovation, and collaboration – where your ideas matter, and your contributions make a real impact.
• The Conflicts Counsel is responsible for the daily review, analysis, and resolution of conflicts and related issues concerning the Firm’s acceptance of new clients, matters, and lateral attorneys.
• This role works closely with the Firm’s conflicts team to facilitate approvals and ensure compliance with professional responsibility requirements.

Responsibilities:

• Analyze conflict of interest reports for new Firm representations and lateral attorney hires to identify potential conflicts issues
• Resolve conflicts of interest, including obtaining necessary consents and drafting ethical wall memoranda
• Review new matter requests for compliance with Firm policies and professional responsibility rules; review and edit engagement letters as needed
• Assess client outside counsel guidelines and evaluate the Firm’s ability to comply
• Oversee the Firm’s waiver process
• Provide training and orientation to attorneys and staff regarding conflicts procedures and the new matter intake process
• Lead and mentor Conflicts Analysts, providing guidance, training, and oversight to ensure quality and consistency
• Perform additional duties as assigned

Requirements:

• J.D. from an accredited law school and active licensure
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience in conflicts of interest, ethics and professional responsibility
• Strong knowledge of conflict-of-interest principles under applicable professional responsibility rules
• Familiarity with automated new business intake and file opening systems
• Strong analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication abilities
• Ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Effective judgment and decision-making skills aligned with Firm policies and legal/ethical standards
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate with professionals across all levels of the organization

See their careers page for more on the firm and work environment, and see the complete job posting for more details on the job and to apply for this position.

About McNees:

Joining McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC means becoming part of a team that values your voice, your growth, and your impact on clients, colleagues, and the communities we serve. Since 1935, McNees has been a trusted, client-focused law firm delivering practical, results-driven legal solutions with integrity and a client-first philosophy. We are a full-service firm with more than 150 attorneys and 300 professionals, committed to excellence across a wide range of practice areas and industries.

At McNees, we are guided by our core values of authentic relationships, excellence, growth, and balance to foster collaboration and innovation. We support your success through mentorship, leadership development, and continuous learning opportunities. Our commitment to community runs deep, with a strong tradition of stewardship through pro bono work, charitable initiatives, and civic engagement. We also prioritize flexibility and well-being with a family-focused culture, reasonable revenue hour expectations, and technology that drives efficiency.

If you’re looking for an opportunity to do meaningful work with people who value integrity and collaboration, you’ll feel at home at McNees.

And if you’re interested in seeing your firm’s listings here, please feel free to reach out…

In this BRB jobs update, I’m pleased to highlight an open role at Alston & Bird: “Associate Director, Client Intake & Compliance” —

• The Associate Director, Client Intake & Compliance (AD), will lead the firm’s enterprise‑wide conflict‑of‑interest, new business intake, and risk management functions.
• This leader will have full autonomy to imagine, rebuild, and direct the Conflicts Department—including operational strategy, staffing, technology, governance, workflows, and firmwide training.
• The AD will partner closely with the General Counsel, firm leadership, and administrative stakeholders to ensure a modern, efficient, and defensible conflicts infrastructure.
• The AD is expected to serve as a positive role model and mentor for the staff, and to perform all responsibilities with a commitment to providing superior service to the firm’s lawyers, efficient and effective departmental operations, and an atmosphere of teamwork and continuous improvement.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Execute strategic vision of Director of Business Information Governance and Office of General Counsel
• Direct the firm’s new business intake, conflicts, and risk compliance on a firm wide basis
• Serve as point of contact to partnership on client intake and conflicts needs and issues, with escalation to the Director of Business Information Governance and General Counsel as needed
• Continually assessing technology and staffing needs, advance recommendations to Director of Business Information Governance.
• Manage direct reports
• Develop and maintain policies and procedures related to risk including client due diligence, lateral transfer processes, intake and conflicts process, ethical wall process, audit letter process, and matter closing process
• Oversee training for new and existing personnel
• Maintain expertise in the full life cycle of business intake policies and procedures, including file closure, and advise firm leadership on best practices and areas for improvement.
• Align processes across offices and work closely with Office of General Counsel in providing service to partnership.
• Maintain expertise in risk management policies and procedures, advise firm leadership on best practices and areas for improvement.
• Develop and maintain internal training manuals and documentation.
• Respond to inquiries from firm staff and attorneys regarding the new business intake, conflicts, and other risk compliance processes.
• Apply expertise and experience to develop staff to reach their fullest potential in support of extraordinary service to the partnership and clients.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS NEEDED TO BE SUCCESSFUL:

• Demonstrate project management skills and ability to lead others on potentially lengthy, complex projects and initiatives
• Superior written communication skills and the ability to draft and execute complex communications including policies and procedures, instructional documents, etc.
• Superior interpersonal skills, including strong oral communication skills and the ability to communicate potentially detailed and complex information to others
• Commitment to confidentiality of firm, department and client information
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and adjust to changing priorities in a professional manner
• Strong leadership and managerial skills
• Strong research skills, including via internet, databases and other sources
• Strong service orientation, and an ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with users, peers, office and firm management, and outside business partners
• Ability to work well under pressure, facilitate solutions, and meet deadlines and milestones

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:

• 10+ years of progressively more responsible new business intake and conflict/compliance experience, preferably with manager or associate director-level experience
• Bachelor’s Degree/Master of Studies or MBA is preferred

About Alston & Bird:

As a leading international law firm, we are dedicated to excellence through impactful communication, collaboration, and community involvement. Our company culture has earned us one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” for 27 consecutive years. This honor, along with many others, highlights our commitment to innovation and professional development. At Alston & Bird LLP, our foundation is made of trust, reliability, and compassion.

For more about the firm, see their careers page. And see the complete job posting for more details on the job and to apply for this position.

And if you’re interested in seeing your firm’s listings here, please feel free to reach out…

In this BRB jobs update, I’m pleased to highlight an open role at Norton Rose Fulbright: “Compliance (Conflicts) Lawyer” —

• Norton Rose Fulbright is seeking an experienced lawyer with conflict review experience to join the US Compliance team.
• The Compliance (Conflicts) Lawyer directly protects the firm by ensuring ethical, regulatory, and commercial risks are identified and mitigated before new matters, lateral hires, or business initiatives proceed.
• This team enables partners and other personnel to move forward confidently with client work while maintaining compliance with U.S. and global practice standards.
• The US Compliance Team consists, at present, of the Deputy General Counsel, two Assistant Deputy General Counsels, three Counsel and Senior Managers, as well as a team of Compliance Lawyers, Senior Compliance Analysts, Compliance Analysts and Client/Matter Intake Analysts. The US Compliance Team, works daily with Norton Rose Fulbright Compliance Teams in Australia, Canada, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
• This role may be performed remotely from any state where the firm maintains an office (Texas, California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, and the District of Columbia). Employees must also be able to attend the office at the request of their supervisor as needed.
• This position requires a commitment to work outside of regular business hours and includes a rotating on-call schedule (weekends and holidays, distributed across the team).

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Advise partners, lawyers, and the Global Compliance Team regarding the identification and resolution of potential conflicts of interests, including the relevant legal and ethical considerations and commercial concerns.
• Collaborate with a team of analysts to ensure consistent workflow and timely production, which includes specifically supervising the workflows and work products of at least two Compliance Analysts.
• Interact with all levels of Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP Management to resolve potential conflict of interest issues or commercial concerns in the context of new matter intake, lateral hires, business development, and practice development projects.
• Drive any conflict issues to full resolution and manage a docket of between 15 and 30 outstanding conflict matters at any given time.
• Assist with enforcement and other issues related to Norton Rose Fulbright’s Global Practice Standards addressing stock and share dealings, external appointments, prohibitions on bribery, corruption and discrimination, economic sanctions, anti-money laundering requirements, and (to some extent) cyber security considerations.
• Liaise and interact with the Compliance Teams at Norton Rose Fulbright Australia, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada, and Norton Rose Fulbright LLP on a daily basis.
• Analyze conflict issues surrounding directorships and trusteeships in order to maintain databases.
• Review client relationship letters to identify contractual obligations to consider in the resolution of conflicts.
• Deal with questions and concerns related to our policies related to share dealing.

Other duties

• Please note this job description does not cover or contain all activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Qualifications and experience:

• Licensed to practice law in one or more States in which Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP has an office (particularly Texas, California, Colorado, New York, Missouri, Illinois, Minnesota, and the District of Columbia).
• Experience working as a lawyer.
• A thorough acquaintance with and working knowledge of US conflicts rules highly preferred.
• Highly intelligent with excellent commercial judgment.
• Strong written and oral communication skills and experience operating in a multi-cultural environment.
• Sufficient maturity and judgment to work successfully and confidently with all levels including senior management and partners.
• Be sufficiently confident to exercise risk-based judgment calls on a daily basis.
• Be fully familiar with a lawyer’s duties regarding confidentiality, privilege and client care.
• Highly analytical with an ability to anticipate potential problems and creatively propose/implement solutions.
• Ability to effectively supervise the work product and daily workflow of two analysts; prior supervisory experience is preferred.

About Norton Rose Fulbright

At Norton Rose Fulbright, people thrive because of a shared commitment to quality, unity and integrity. The highly regarded law firm consistently receives recognition from Great Place to Work and Top Workplaces, two companies that specialize in assessing organizational culture. Teams collaborate across regions, value new ideas and deliver meaningful client solutions, supported by a culture that embraces ambition, development and shared success. With more than 3,000 lawyers and 3,000 business services professionals working together across 50 offices worldwide, this global law firm provides a full range of legal services to leading corporations and financial institutions operating in key markets and sectors.

For more about the firm, see their careers page. And see the complete job posting for more details on the job and to apply for this position.

And if you’re interested in seeing your firm’s listings here, please feel free to reach out…