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Conflict checks

How a conflict search runs, what it compares, and why only an attorney decides the result.

For: AttorneyStaff

On this page

Staff can run a conflict search. Only an attorney decides what it means.

You need conflict-search permission (intake staff, case coordinators, paralegal-equivalent support and attorney roles have it).

  1. Open the prospect and choose Conflicts.
  2. Add the terms to search: names and aliases, phone numbers, email addresses, and the last four digits of identifiers.
  3. Run the search.

By default a search also runs automatically when an intake is submitted, and again when a new participant is added to an engaged matter.

What the search compares

The search compares the terms with the firm's people, organizations, prospects and matter participants. Names are normalized and compared fuzzily, so spelling variations, transliterations and aliases are found. Each hit gets a score, and hits at or above the firm's threshold need a disposition.

What a worker sees of the matches depends on the firm's settings. By default, staff who are not attorneys do not see the names of matched people.

Who decides

A conflict search waiting for a decision appears in Conflicts in the Attorney workspace, oldest first.

  1. Open the search. The terms stay hidden until you choose to show them.
  2. Give each match a disposition.
  3. Record a decision: cleared, conflict, waived or needs attorney, with a rationale such as Different person, Adverse party in a current matter or Informed consent obtained.

Rules the product enforces:

  • By default the deciders are attorneys, supervising attorneys and the firm owner. The firm can narrow this list in its intake settings.
  • A search with no matches still needs a recorded clearance. Nothing clears itself unless the firm changes that setting.
  • A waiver needs a linked waiver document by default.
  • Nobody acting on someone else's behalf can decide. A support session that is impersonating an attorney cannot review an intake, decide a conflict or send an engagement offer.
  • By default, a consultation cannot be booked and an engagement cannot be offered until the conflict is cleared or waived by a current search.

To check again after new information, choose Run new search and add terms. Earlier decisions stay on record.