LegalConflictTools

Conflict Check Procedure Checklist

A structured sequence for running and recording a conflicts check, from collecting names through to documenting the outcome.

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Free · No sign-up · Runs in your browser

A conflicts check that was performed and never recorded provides no protection at all. The record is the whole point: what names were searched, when, against what, what was found, and what was concluded.

This checklist covers that sequence. It is deliberately procedural rather than substantive - the rules on what constitutes a conflict, what is waivable and what screening is permitted differ substantially between jurisdictions, and no checklist can resolve them.

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How to use the conflict check procedure checklist

  1. Collect the full name list before searching - an incomplete list produces a search that finds nothing for the wrong reason.
  2. Work through the search section and record what was searched, not only the result.
  3. Evaluate each hit and document the reasoning, whether or not it turns into a conflict.
  4. Close out by updating the conflicts database with every new name, including the ones that produced no hits.

What people use this for

  • Running a conflicts check consistently across a practice.
  • Training a new assistant or paralegal on the firm procedure.
  • Documenting a check for the matter file.
  • Preparing a waiver process where the applicable rules permit one.

The name list is where checks fail

Most missed conflicts are not judgement failures - they are search failures, and the search failed because the name that would have matched was never searched. Former names, trading names, subsidiaries and the individuals behind a corporate party are the usual omissions.

Building the list properly takes longer than running the search and is the part that determines whether the search was worth running.

Record the reasoning, not just the outcome

A hit that was evaluated and correctly concluded not to be a conflict is a good outcome, and it is indistinguishable from an unexamined hit unless the reasoning was written down.

Recording the conclusion and why converts a judgement into a defensible decision. It also means the same hit does not have to be re-evaluated from scratch the next time it appears.

What this checklist does not decide

Whether a conflict exists, whether it is waivable, whether screening is permitted, and what disclosure is required are all governed by professional conduct rules that vary considerably between jurisdictions.

This is a procedural sequence for running and recording a check. The substantive questions belong to the rules that apply to you and to your own professional judgement.

Methodology and assumptions

What this calculator does, and what it deliberately does not do.

  • The checklist is a general procedural sequence and does not reflect any jurisdiction’s conflicts rules, imputation principles or waiver requirements.
  • Progress is stored in your browser using local storage and is never uploaded.
  • The tool performs arithmetic or date counting on the values you enter. It does not interpret a rule, a statute or a contract.
  • Nothing you type is transmitted or stored - the calculation runs entirely inside your browser.

This website provides general informational and productivity tools and does not provide legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship.

The date and deadline tools count days exactly as you instruct them. They do not interpret court rules, statutes of limitation, filing requirements or any other legal authority, and they do not know the rules of your jurisdiction.

Always verify any date, fee, or calculation against the governing rule, the court calendar and your own professional judgement. If you need legal advice, consult a lawyer licensed in your jurisdiction.

Frequently asked questions

Does this tell me whether a conflict exists?

No. That is a question of professional judgement applied to conduct rules that differ by jurisdiction. This covers the process of searching and recording.

Are all conflicts waivable?

No. Which conflicts can be waived, by whom, and on what disclosure differ by jurisdiction, and some are not waivable at all.

Should I record checks that found nothing?

Yes. A recorded clear search is evidence that the check happened. An unrecorded one is indistinguishable from no check.

Is my checklist progress private?

Yes. It is saved in your own browser and never transmitted anywhere.

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