Description:
Position Summary:Jackson Walker is seeking an experienced Conflicts Attorney to join the Office of General Counsel. This position plays a critical role in protecting the Firm by providing legal analysis and guidance on conflicts of interest, professional responsibility, and new business intake. The Conflicts Attorney will review and analyze conflicts associated with new clients, new matters, lateral and staff hires and other professional opportunities, working closely with attorneys, recruiting, and business professionals to facilitate timely and well-reasoned conflict resolutions.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Conflicts Review & Legal Analysis
- Review and analyze complex conflicts reports involving new clients, new matters, prospective engagements, lateral attorneys, and attorney mobility.
- Identify legal, ethical, and business conflicts requiring additional review or resolution.
- Interpret applicable Rules of Professional Conduct and provide guidance regarding conflicts-of-interest issues.
- Evaluate corporate affiliations, client relationships, adverse parties, and attorney representations to determine potential conflicts.
- Prepare written legal analyses and recommendations regarding complex conflicts matters.
Professional Responsibility & Risk Management
- Advise attorneys and Firm leadership regarding conflicts of interest, professional responsibility obligations, confidentiality, ethical walls, and client engagement issues.
- Recommend appropriate conflict resolution strategies, including waivers, informed consent, declining representations, or implementation of ethical screens.
- Support compliance with applicable Rules of Professional Conduct and Firm policies.
- Monitor developments in ethics opinions, professional responsibility rules, and legal conflicts guidance.
New Business Intake & Lateral Attorney Review
- Review conflicts associated with new business intake and lateral attorney hiring.
- Partner with Recruiting regarding conflicts reviews for lateral candidates and attorney groups.
- Analyze portable business, prior client representations, and matters requiring legal review.
- Collaborate with attorneys and business professionals to obtain additional information necessary for conflicts analysis.
- Assist in resolving conflicts issues impacting client onboarding and attorney transitions.
- Review requests requiring ethical walls or information barriers.
- Recommend implementation of ethical walls and monitor compliance with approved procedures.
- Coordinate with Information Technology, Records Management, Human Resources, and Firm leadership regarding implementation of access restrictions.
- Review conflict waivers, engagement letters, and related documentation involving ethical restrictions.
Collaboration & Operational Support
- Provide guidance and legal support to the Conflicts Team regarding complex or unusual conflicts issues.
- Assist with attorney education regarding conflicts policies and professional responsibility requirements.
Additional Responsibilities:
- Build collaborative relationships with attorneys, Firm leadership, Recruiting, Finance, Information Technology, Records Management, and other business professional departments.
- Maintain confidentiality while handling highly sensitive client, attorney, and Firm information.
- Participate in special projects related to conflicts, ethics, risk management, and operational improvements.
- Perform additional duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
- Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
- Active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction; eligibility to register as in-house counsel in Texas if not licensed in Texas. Active license to practice law in Texas preferred.
- Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible legal experience in conflicts, professional responsibility, ethics, risk management, or law firm operations.
- Experience reviewing conflicts of interest, client intake, lateral attorney conflicts, ethical walls, and professional responsibility matters within a law firm preferred.
- Strong knowledge of conflicts of interest, legal ethics, and professional responsibility rules, including the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct.
- Experience interpreting ethics rules and providing practical legal guidance to attorneys and Firm leadership.
- Strong analytical, legal research, issue-spotting, and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and facilitation skills with the ability to communicate complex legal issues clearly and effectively.
- Strong judgment and decision-making skills with the ability to balance legal risk, client service, and business objectives.
- Experience with law firm conflicts and intake systems; experience with Intapp or similar software preferred.
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities while meeting deadlines.
Work Conditions:
This position operates in a professional office environment using standard office equipment and technology. The role requires extended periods of computer use, legal analysis, document review, and collaboration with attorneys, Firm leadership, and business professionals. Occasional travel between Jackson Walker office locations may be required. Additional hours may occasionally be necessary to support time-sensitive client matters, lateral attorney reviews, ethical issues, or other business needs.
The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of essential functions, responsibilities, or requirements.
