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Lateral Timing and Conflicts

Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2018 4:16 pm
by Anonymous User
I'm a 3rd year transactional associates that's accepted a lateral offer contingent on a conflicts check. I submitted the conflicts check a few weeks back and have yet to hear from the new firm if I've cleared. Since submitting the form I've been staffed to a number of new matters at my current firm (waiting to give notice until I clear). The last thing I want to due is drag out the conflicts check any longer than I have to, but my question is should I reach out to the new firm to disclose the new matters now, or wait until I pass conflicts and then disclose?

It'd also be great to hear from anyone who has lateraled recently on how long the conflicts process took? I was fairly confident conflicts wouldn't be an issue since I'm corporate and there is little to no overlap between firms, but 2+ weeks seems like an atypically long time to clear considering I only had to disclose 20 or so matters.

Thanks in advance for any insight!

Re: Lateral Timing and Conflicts

Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2018 5:09 pm
by thelastlaugh
Recently cleared conflicts after 3+ years in commercial litigation. Conflicts took less than two weeks. I've heard from colleagues that clearing conflicts on the transactional side is more difficult, especially if the firms have the same/overlapping clients, but that doesn't seem to be the case here. I think it would be worth both checking in and providing an update on your matters. If you wait to get cleared, they will undoubtedly have to also clear the additional matters.

Re: Lateral Timing and Conflicts

Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2018 9:05 pm
by Toni V
Right at a month. Also, the hiring firm had a system in place to monitor [possible] upcoming conflicts.