Conflicts Attorney

About the role

Ashurst Perkins Coie is seeking a Conflicts Attorney to perform conflicts analysis on new business and firm lateral hires, and advise firm lawyers on conflicts of interest issues. The position requires thorough knowledge of the Rules of Professional Conduct and their application to the practice of law, strong database skills, and the ability to communicate effectively across the firm's U.S. and international offices.

Responsibilities

• 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.
• 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.
• Cover workload coverage as needed.
• 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.

Requirements

• 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.

Qualifications

• Qualified candidates must have a Juris Doctorate and a minimum of five (5) years of practice experience and minimum two (2) years of experience as a Conflicts Attorney I or 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.

Skills

• 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.

Benefits

This position is eligible for an annual discretionary bonus, 401(k) plan, medical, dental, and vision insurance, accrued paid time off plan starting at 20 days annually, personal medical and parental leave, up to ten paid holidays, and family care benefits. More information regarding benefits and programs may be found here.