Compliance Attorney

About the Firm

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP is an elite global law firm with world-class practices across the board. Clients rely on Davis Polk for their most challenging legal and business matters. From offices in the world's key financial centers and political capitals, more than 1,000 lawyers collaborate seamlessly to deliver exceptional service, sophisticated advice, and creative, practical solutions.

About the Role

The Compliance Attorney is responsible for assisting the General Counsel’s Office with tasks relating to engagement letters and client outside counsel guidelines, reviewing client questionnaires, Codes of Conduct, NDAs, and other similar requests for provisions that create risk for the Firm. The role supports the Business Development Group’s compliance with applicable rules of professional responsibility in connection with external communications, liaises with the Firm’s Vendor Management Office in reviewing and revising business services contracts, and advises on conflicts analysis for lateral attorney hires. The position is part of the Office of General Counsel and involves frequent interaction with the Associate General Counsel, Assistant General Counsel, associates, and administrative personnel. This is not a partnership track position.

Responsibilities

• Engagement Letter Compliance
  • Review client engagement letters.
  • Monitor engagement letter compliance.
  • Maintain repository of client engagement letters.
  • Consult with Associate General Counsel and Assistant General Counsel regarding engagement letter questions and liaise with responsible lawyer(s) in responding to client requests.
  • Assist in preparation of engagement letters.
• Client Outside Counsel Guidelines
  • Review client Outside Counsel Guidelines and prepare draft responses.
  • Consult with Associate General Counsel and Assistant General Counsel regarding responses and liaise with responsible lawyer(s).
  • Monitor status of Outside Counsel Guidelines responses and correspondence.
  • Maintain repository of client Outside Counsel Guidelines.
• Client Questionnaires, Codes of Conduct, NDAs, and Other Requests
  • Review client due diligence and information security questionnaires to identify compliance and risk issues and prepare draft responses.
  • Review Terms and Conditions associated with RFPs, Codes of Conduct, or other client requests and prepare draft responses.
  • Review and mark-up NDAs and advise lawyers regarding same.
• Business Development Compliance Initiatives
  • Support the Business Development Group’s compliance with applicable rules of professional responsibility in connection with external communications, including:
    • Client Marketing Restrictions: Maintain the system for tracking and implementing client marketing restrictions, analyze and respond to inquiries regarding restrictions and consent, and develop training materials.
    • Attorney Advertising: Address issues involving applicable rules of professional responsibility and Firm policy, monitor legal developments, review Firm communications for compliance, and develop training materials.
    • Social Media: Maintain compliance with applicable rules of professional responsibility relating to attorney use of social media, update Firm policy, respond to attorney inquiries, review the Firm’s use and development of blogs and microsites, and develop training materials.
• Vendor Management Office Contract Review
  • Support business services personnel by liaising with the Firm’s Vendor Management Office in the review and revision of vendor contracts.
  • Advise VMO contract reviewers regarding provisions that create risk for the Firm, including representations and warranties, limitations of liability, and indemnification obligations.
• Lateral Attorney Conflicts Analysis
  • Review lateral attorney candidate conflicts reports based on prior work history.
  • Identify and analyze potential conflicts.
  • Communicate with the candidate and relevant attorneys regarding potential conflicts.
  • Draft conflicts waiver request letters for review by Deputy General Counsel.
  • Implement ethical walls, as appropriate.
  • Consult with Managing Attorney to ensure appropriate notifications to government agencies and courts.
  • Accurately document conflicts resolution, including waivers obtained or relied upon.
• General Responsibilities
  • Evening and weekend on-call coverage.
  • Special projects, as needed.

Requirements

• Working knowledge of the Rules of Professional Responsibility.
• Impeccable integrity.
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent organizational skills, ability to set priorities, and multi-task while meeting strict deadlines.
• Ability to maintain flexibility as priorities and tasks change.
• Keen attention to detail.
• Ability to exercise discretion and good judgment, including as to the need for consultation with more experienced colleagues.
• Ability to apply strong analytical skills and use deductive reasoning to draw appropriate conclusions about risk management issues and potential conflicts.
• Availability outside normal office hours and flexibility with respect to evening and weekend work as circumstances require.

Qualifications

• Law degree from an accredited law school and licensed and in good standing to practice in New York.
• A minimum of three years of experience in a large law firm.
• Experience in a General Counsel’s office or compliance is a plus.

Pay

The expected base salary for this position ranges from $175,000 to $225,000. Salary offers are based on a wide range of factors including relevant skills, training, experience, education, and, where applicable, licensure or certifications obtained. Market and organizational factors are also considered.

Benefits

Davis Polk offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.