Conflict Check is Important – But Should Not Paralyze Intake
Many teams do conflict checks too early or too heavily. The result: Intake blocks, status is unclear, and leads get lost. The solution is a two-stage process that provides security without slowing down business development.
The Typical Problem
An inquiry comes in. Before anything happens, the conflict check must be completed. This takes 2-3 days because:
- The responsible partner is currently in meetings
- The opposing party is not yet known
- The system requires a complete check
Meanwhile, the prospect has contacted three other firms – and one of them has already responded.
The Core Problem: Complete conflict checking BEFORE first contact is often unnecessary and always expensive.
Copy/Paste: The 2-Stage Model
Stage 1: Quick Pre-Check (5 Minutes)
Trigger: New inquiry received
Required Data:
- Name of the prospect
- Opposing party (if already known)
- Rough category (employment law, M&A, litigation, etc.)
Check:
- Direct name matching against client database
- Known opposing parties from ongoing matters
- Obvious industry conflicts
Output:
- ✅ OK → Proceed to intake conversation
- ❓ Question → Clarification needed, but contact allowed
- ⛔ Stop → No contact, partner decides
Time Target: Within 4 hours, ideally 30 minutes.
Stage 2: Complete Check (Before Retainer Acceptance)
Trigger: Retainer acceptance is imminent
Required Data:
- Complete parties (including shareholders, representatives)
- Affiliated companies
- All known opposing parties
- File references to similar matters
Check:
- Deep database search with fuzzy matching
- Review of affiliated companies
- Historical matters (including closed ones)
Output: Documented clearance or reasoned rejection
Status Model for the Intake Process
| Status | Owner | Rule | Escalation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conflict_PreCheck | Intake Team | Max. 4h | Auto-reminder after 2h |
| Question_Open | Intake Team | Follow-up every 24h | To partner after 3 days |
| ConflictFree_Stage1 | Intake Team | Proceed to meeting | - |
| ConflictCheck_Full | Compliance | Before retainer | Parallel to onboarding |
| Conflict_Confirmed | Partner | Decline + documentation | - |
Important: Stage 1 clearance is sufficient for initial meeting and consultation. You only need Stage 2 for retainer acceptance.
Automation: What Pays Off
Immediately Automatable:
- Name matching against client list
- Triggers for reminders and escalation
- Status updates to all stakeholders
Partially Automatable:
- Fuzzy matching for similar names
- Affiliated company checks (requires data source)
Remains Manual:
- Final decision on unclear cases
- Documentation of reasoning
KPIs for Conflict Checking
| KPI | Target | What It Shows |
|---|---|---|
| Time to Pre-Check | <4h | How fast leads get feedback |
| Stage 2 Stop Rate | <5% | Quality of pre-check |
| Escalation Rate | <10% | Clarity of process |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake 1: Checking Everything in Stage 1
→ Unnecessarily slows intake. Stage 1 is a quick check, not a full audit.
Mistake 2: No Time Targets
→ Without deadlines, checks get stuck. Clear SLAs are mandatory.
Mistake 3: Partner as Bottleneck
→ Partners should only decide on real conflicts, not every lead.
Next Step
Conflict checking must be secure – but should not destroy sales. With the 2-stage model, you get both: compliance and fast response times.