Peer to Peer Magazine

Summer 2019: Part 2

The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association

Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/1150262

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20 Rethinking Conflicts B Y E R I C M O S C A O ver the past four years, we've seen a seismic shift in conflicts management, as firms migrate from legacy systems. The 2018 ILTA Technolo Survey found that adoption of modern conflicts management solutions had grown by 50% year over year and by 650% over the previous three years. Even as firms embrace advanced conflicts software, they have been much slower to adapt their staffing approach and processes to a more centralized conflicts clearance model, exposing them to unnecessary risks and inefficiencies. There are many reasons for this organizational stasis, including challenges in making the business case to lawyers who may be reluctant to change the way the firm clears conflicts. In this article, we'll explore several ways that firms can advance their transition to a more robust, more efficient, centralized model for intake and conflicts. Create a Comprehensive Playbook Documenting the firm's conflicts policies and procedures in a comprehensive playbook is valuable for lawyers as well as the administrative resources charged with managing risk. A playbook helps to ensure that processes are documented and followed consistently. It improves efficiency by reducing time spent asking and answering the same questions repeatedly. Documented procedures also define the roles and responsibilities of the risk and conflicts team and set a baseline for how to measure its success. We recommend taking a layered approach to documentation — crafting different content for different audiences including clients, lawyers and conflicts staff. For lawyers, a well-written playbook can be a useful reference. Many firms simply assume that lawyers will generally "know" what types of clients it will and won't accept and why. However, publishing general guidelines and stock language that lawyers can use when navigating potential ethical and business conflicts with clients can remove Leveraging Risk Management Insights Within the Firm

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