Conflicts Attorney

Summary:

Gibson Dunn is a leading global law firm, advising clients on significant transactions and disputes. Our exceptional teams craft and deploy creative legal strategies that are meticulously tailored to every matter, however complex or high-stakes. The firm’s work is distinguished by a unique combination of precision and vision.

Based in London or Singapore, the Conflicts Attorney will be responsible for assisting with all aspects of conflicts clearance for new clients, new matters, and lateral candidates. The Conflicts Attorney is responsible for daily review and analysis of conflicts and other issues related to firm acceptance of new clients, new matters and lateral attorneys, and will interface with the Firm's partners regarding approval of new matter and lateral attorney hiring requests. The Conflicts Attorney will handle additional assignments from the Firm's General Counsel and Legal Operations team, as needed.

This role reports to the Director, Conflicts Attorneys & Assistant General Counsel and will work closely with the Firm’s Office of General Counsel, Chief Legal Operations Officer, Director of Conflicts & Information Governance, and partners throughout the Firm.

Responsibilities include:

• Analyzing conflict of interest reports for all new firm representations and lateral attorney hires to identify potential conflict problems to ensure new matters and attorney hires are compliant with the firm’s conflict and risk management policies and procedures.
• Resolving conflict of interest issues (to include obtaining necessary waivers and drafting ethics wall memos) related to the firm's clearance of new clients, new matters and lateral attorneys.
• Analyzing information provided with new matter requests for compliance with firm policies and applicable rules of professional responsibility and reviews and edits draft engagement letters for compliance with same.
• Proactively communicating with partners and management regarding complex conflicts issues.
• Reviewing client outside counsel guidelines and assists with assessment of firm's ability to comply.
• Supervising Resolution Analysts’ clearance efforts and processes.
• Conducting orientation of staff and attorneys regarding new matter approval process.
• Consulting with partners, professional responsibility committee and information governance to create and maintain effective screening restrictions.
• Maintaining thorough and accurate records of all conflicts resolutions and related communications.
• Developing expertise on conflicts rules and approaches in specific practice areas and formulate templates and frameworks of analysis for conflicts issues in such areas.
• Performing corporate research as required.
• Performing other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Knowledge of conflict-of-interest principles under professional responsibility rules in various jurisdictions and experience with analyzing conflicts of interest and the law of conflicts of interest.
• Basic knowledge of legal software such as Intapp, D&B/Hoovers, CapIQ, BvD.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing, with attorneys and staff.
• Ability to organize and prioritize work in a dynamic and complex environment to meet deadlines and daily requirements.
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities and maintain a productive committed work effort, meeting deadlines and managing workload.
• Ability to analyze and interpret information from a variety of sources, apply critical and creative thinking, and pay strong attention to detail, draw valid conclusions of develop solutions to complex problems.
• Strong analytic, interpersonal and organizational skills.
• Methodological approach to work with a strong focus on accuracy, attention to detail, consistency and good decision-making skills.
• Strong technological skills, knowledge of conflicts clearance and ethical screening software preferred.
• Aptitude for learning new systems, including ability to participate in discussions about design of existing or new systems based on departmental and firm needs.
• Able to work under pressure to tight project deadlines and able to adapt to competing demands and prioritize tasks to ensure complete follow-through on outstanding issues.

Experience:

• Qualified lawyer/solicitor 
• A minimum of 3 years of experience as a lawyer/solicitor in a conflicts department required.

Gibson Dunn will consider for employment qualified Applicants with Criminal Histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of local law.