Director, Conflicts Attorney

Job 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 any U.S. office, the Director, Conflicts Attorney will be responsible for assisting with all aspects of conflicts clearance for new clients and matters. They will also be responsible for daily review and analysis of conflicts and other issues related to firm acceptance of new clients, new matters and lateral attorneys, and interface with Firm’s partners regarding approval of new matter and lateral attorney hiring requests. The Conflicts Attorney Manager will handle additional assignments from the Firm’s General Counsel and firm administration, as needed.

This role will report directly to the Chief Legal Operations Officer and General Counsel’s Office and will work closely with the 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.
• Identifying 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 reviewing and editing draft engagement letters for compliance.
• 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.
• 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.

Qualifications

• 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 analyze and interpret information from a variety of sources, apply critical and creative thinking, and pay strong attention to detail, to 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 system based on departmental and firm needs.
• Ability 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

• JD required.
• A minimum of 3 years of experience as an attorney in a conflicts department required.
• 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.

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

Compensation & Benefits:

The annual compensation range for this position is $225-300k. The salary offered within this range will depend upon qualifications and other operational considerations.

Locations:

Century City, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Orange County, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Washington, D.C.

EEO Statement

Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity for all partners, employees and applicants and, in accordance with the applicable federal and state laws, does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, creed, color, religion, matriculation or political affiliation, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, ancestry, age, marital status or partnership status, family responsibilities, disability, medical condition, personal appearance, genetic information, predisposing genetic characteristics, sexual orientation, military status, status as a victim of domestic violence, stalking and sex offenses, arrest or conviction record, or on any other basis prohibited by law.