Assistant Conflicts Counsel
At Taft, we work as one team, driven and committed to helping our clients succeed. A full-service law firm with more than 1,250 attorneys and over 2,000 on our team, we have the collaborative approach, advanced technological resources, and depth of services that make us a preeminent law firm.
Taft is looking for a highly motivated, team-oriented Assistant Conflicts Counsel to serve our Conflicts team.
We are seeking an Assistant Conflicts Counsel to join our conflicts team. The ideal candidate will have 10+ years of experience working in a conflicts department in a mid – to large-sized law firm, and can be based in any of Taft’s offices. Under the direction of the Conflicts Counsel, the Assistant Conflicts Counsel will be responsible for all aspects of the conflicts process, from preparing conflicts search reports as needed, to identifying and resolving possible ethical conflicts and business issues for firm mergers, as well as new business and lateral matters. The Assistant Conflicts Counsel serves clients and attorneys by ensuring that the firm fulfills its ethical obligations.
Duties & Responsibilities:
- Assist Conflicts Counsel in managing a team of Conflicts Attorneys and Conflicts Analysts. Delegate work assignments in a fast-paced environment with a heavy workload.
- Have primary responsibility for managing the merger conflicts process from start to finish, including analyzing conflicts search results, tracking conflicts resolutions, communicating with internal and external stakeholders, overseeing waivers, and managing the implementation of ethical walls.
- Run and analyze conflicts search results in Intapp for new business and lateral hires. Identify potential conflict issues and determine appropriate steps for resolution.
- Work collaboratively with Conflicts Counsel, General Counsel team, firm attorneys and the conflicts team to effectively resolve conflict issues.
- Draft engagement letters and complex conflicts waivers for current and former client conflicts.
- Draft and distribute ethical screen memorandums. Set up new ethical walls and manage existing walls using firm software.
- Identify opportunities to create or streamline existing processes and procedures to reduce risk and increase efficiency. Manage or assist in implementation of projects to update processes and procedures, including coordination with other firm departments as needed.
- Assist in the development and training of department employees, specifically new Conflicts Attorneys.
- Provide excellent customer service to legal assistants and firm attorneys.
- Travel within the U.S. to other offices as required.
- Must have ability and willingness to work remotely outside of normal business hours as needed.
Requirements:
- 10+ years of experience working in a conflicts department in a mid- to large-sized law firm required.
- Experience with Intapp Conflicts, Intake and Walls required. Must be able to enter, execute and analyze conflicts searches in Intapp.
- Experience with law firm merger conflicts strongly preferred.
- Ability to efficiently manage multiple tasks and projects while providing an accurate work product in a high-volume, fast-paced work environment.
- Ability to think critically, independently and decisively.
- Exhibit strong problem-solving and time management skills.
- Ability to take initiative, and implement and adapt to changes in workflow, processes and procedures.
- Ability to work effectively in a team atmosphere.
- Possess an acute attention to detail, along with excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to scale communications to all levels within the firm and translate complex issues into simple concepts.
- Expert knowledge and understanding of professional responsibility and legal ethics rules pertaining to conflicts.
- Juris doctor required.
Candidates interested in Atlanta should apply here.
Candidates interested in Chicago should apply here.
Candidates interested in Cincinnati should apply here.
Candidates interested in Cleveland should apply here.
Candidates interested in Columbus should apply here.
Candidates interested in Dayton should apply here.
Candidates interested in Denver should apply here.
Candidates interested in Detroit should apply here.
Candidates interested in Indianapolis should apply here.
Candidates interested in Minneapolis should apply here.