OGC Counsel - Conflicts & Ethics

Latham & Watkins; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 170,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare, life and disability

401k plan

11 paid holidays

PTO 23 days

Well-being programs

Professional development

Job summary

Latham & Watkins seeks an OGC Counsel to join the Office of the General Counsel in a US office with a hybrid/in‑office schedule. You will resolve conflicts, advise on ethics walls, waivers, engagement terms, and related risk issues, coordinating with partners and the Ethics Committee to ensure compliance and timely resolution.

The role requires a JD, active state bar admission, and at least two years in ethics, conflicts, or professional responsibility within a law firm.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of legal ethics rules and professional responsibility principles.
• Ability to analyze conflicts of interest and provide practical guidance.
• Strong written and oral communication with attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Resolve lateral attorney and new matter conflicts; advise Ethics Committee and stakeholders.
• Analyze outside counsel guidelines, engagement letters, waivers, and ethics walls; coordinate with partners.
• Conduct legal research on ethics and conflicts; support training for attorneys and staff.

Skills

Legal ethics

Professional responsibility

Conflicts of interest

Written communication

Oral communication

Attention to detail

Education

Juris Doctor (JD) or equivalent

Job description

About Latham & Watkins

Latham & Watkins is one of the world’s leading global law firms advising the businesses and institutions that drive the global economy. We are the market leaders in major financial and business centers around the world. Our investment in people, commitment to innovation, and focus on the future empower you to build an incredible career and thrive as an exceptional professional in a supportive culture. If you aspire to be the best, and work with the best, this is where you belong.

About The Role

The OGC Counsel is an integral part of Latham’s Office of the General Counsel team. This role will be responsible for resolving professional ethics conflicts and related compliance issues by applying legal ethics rules, professional responsibility principles, Latham & Watkins policies, and practical judgment to lateral clearances, new business matters, outside counsel guidelines, engagement terms, waivers, ethics walls, and related risk-management issues, while coordinating with partners, Ethics Committee Members, and other stakeholders to resolve conflicts issues, communicating status updates and following through until the matter is resolved or appropriately escalated. This role can be located in any of our US offices. Please note that this role may be eligible for a flexible working schedule that allows for a hybrid and in-office presence.

Responsibilities & Qualifications

Other key responsibilities include:

Conflicts of Interest

• Applying knowledge of professional responsibility rules and relevant Latham procedures, policies, and practices to resolve lateral attorney and new matter conflicts, advising Ethics Committee Members, firm attorneys, and other stakeholders throughout the process


• Reviewing situation-specific conflicts checks as needed; analyzing the results in light of applicable rules and firm policies; identifying potential conflicts of interest and determining appropriate next steps, including clearance, waiver, screening, or escalation

Engagement Terms & Other Issues

• Analyzing outside counsel guidelines, non-standard engagement letters, and RFPs received from clients; identifying issues related to conflicts, ethics, liability, and firm policy; coordinating with partners and other stakeholders to resolve or escalate those issues


• Drafting, reviewing, and advising on waivers, ethics walls, engagement letters, and related documents in coordination with Senior Counsel and Managing Counsel as appropriate

Legal Research & Training

• Conducting legal research on ethics rules, professional responsibility issues, and conflicts-related topics as needed to support the resolution of assigned matters or team projects


• Helping prepare and deliver trainings for attorneys and staff on conflicts, ethics, professional responsibility, and related topics, in collaboration with Senior Counsel, Managing Counsel, and other OGC colleagues

General & Administrative

• Contributing reliably to shared inboxes, urgent matters, weekend coverage, and team processes


• Supporting partner audits and other OGC or Ethics Committee projects in collaboration with Senior Counsel, Managing Counsel, and other OGC colleagues


• Protecting and maintaining any highly sensitive, confidential, privileged, financial, and/or proprietary information that Latham & Watkins retains

We’d love to hear from you if you:

• Demonstrate knowledge of legal ethics rules, professional responsibility principles, and conflicts of interest analysis


• Display strong written and oral communication skills, with excellent attention to detail and the ability to translate conflicts and ethics concepts into practical guidance


• Possess the ability to communicate effectively and professionally with attorneys, OGC colleagues, Ethics Committee Members, Analysts, Assistants, and business professionals at all levels of the firm

And have:

• A Juris Doctor (JD) or equivalent


• Admission to the relevant state bar with active status


• Minimum of two (2) years of experience in legal ethics, conflicts of interest, professional responsibility, or a closely related area of law firm risk management required; law firm experience preferred.


• Experience with conflicts clearance processes, engagement terms, outside counsel guidelines, waivers, or ethics walls is strongly preferred.

Benefits & Additional Information

Successful candidates will not only be provided with an outstanding career opportunity and welcoming environment, but will also be provided with a generous total compensation package with bonuses awarded in recognition of both individual and firm performance. Eligible employees can participate in Latham’s comprehensive benefit program which includes:

• Healthcare, life and disability insurance


• A generous 401k plan


• At least 11 paid holidays per year, and a PTO program that accrues 23 days during the first year of employment and grows with tenure


• Well‑being programs (e.g. mental health services, mindfulness and resiliency, medical resources, well‑being events, and more)


• Professional development programs


• Employee discounts


• Affinity groups, networks, and coalitions for lawyers and staff

Latham & Watkins is an equal opportunity employer. The Firm prohibits discrimination against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race (including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles), color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status (including veterans of the Vietnam era), gender expression, marital status, or any other characteristic or condition protected by applicable statute. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability. An employer that violates this law may be subject to fines and/or a private right of action for $500 in statutory damages “for each such violation,” among other things.

Pay Range

USD $170,000.00 - USD $200,000.00 /Yr.