Free compliance check
Conflict of Interest Check Checklist for Law Firms (By State)
Audit your law firm's conflict check process against the actual ethics rules in your state.
Every US law firm is required to screen new matters for conflicts of interest before accepting representation. Under ABA Model Rules 1.7, 1.9, and 1.10, failure to identify a current or former client conflict can lead to disqualification, fee forfeiture, and disciplinary action.
This validator checks your conflict check process against the specific rules in your state. Select your jurisdiction below and confirm each step is part of your firm's intake workflow. The tool flags missing required steps and explains why each matters.
Use it as a quarterly audit of your intake procedures or when onboarding a new attorney or paralegal who handles conflict checks.
Why use itBuilt for the way law firms actually work
Jurisdiction-aware rules
Each checklist reflects the actual ethics rules and bar requirements in your selected state.
ABA Model Rule aligned
Built on ABA Model Rules 1.7, 1.9, 1.10, and 1.18 with state-specific adaptations.
Required vs recommended
Clearly separates mandatory ethics requirements from best-practice steps that strengthen your defense.
Documentation prompts
Highlights record-keeping steps that protect the firm during disqualification motions or bar complaints.
Instant results
See your gaps and required remaining items the moment you finish checking the list.
100% free, no signup
Use the validator as often as you want with no account, paywall, or data collection.
ProcessHow it works
- 01 Select your state jurisdiction
Choose the state where your firm is licensed to load the relevant ethics rules and bar requirements.
- 02 Review each checklist rule
Read the rule label and description to understand what step your conflict check process should include.
- 03 Check the boxes you meet
Mark each item that your current intake workflow already covers from initial search through documentation.
- 04 Review your gap report
See which required ethics rules are unmet and which best practice steps you should consider adding.
- 05 Update your intake workflow
Bring missing required steps into your conflict check procedure and document the changes in your firm manual.
CoverageWhat's included
- State-specific rule citations for each step
- Current client and former client screening checks
- Imputed disqualification analysis under Rule 1.10
- Prospective client conflict screening under Rule 1.18
- Informed written consent requirements by state
- Lateral hire screening procedures
- Documentation and record-retention prompts
- Required versus recommended distinction for each rule
ContextWhy this matters
Conflicts of interest are among the most common bases for legal malpractice claims and bar discipline in the United States. ABA data shows that conflict-related allegations consistently rank in the top five causes of malpractice complaints, and disqualification motions can cost firms entire matters along with the fees earned to date.
State rules vary in important ways. New York Rule 1.10(e) explicitly requires firms to maintain a written conflict checking system, while California permits screening of lateral hires that some other states still prohibit. A generic checklist downloaded from the internet will miss these nuances, and that gap is exactly what opposing counsel exploits in a disqualification motion.
Running a structured, state-aware audit of your conflict check process protects client confidences, preserves fees, and demonstrates the kind of compliance discipline that bar counsel looks for when reviewing a grievance. It also gives a managing partner a clear, defensible answer when asked how the firm screens for conflicts.
Q&AFrequently asked
- A conflict of interest check is the process a law firm uses to screen new matters against current and former client representations to identify any ethical conflicts under ABA Model Rules 1.7, 1.9, and 1.10. It is required before formally accepting an engagement.
- Yes. The validator is free to use, requires no signup, and does not store or transmit the data you enter. You can run it as many times as you need.
- Solo attorneys, managing partners, intake coordinators, and law firm administrators who design or audit conflict screening procedures. It is also useful for new associates learning the firm's intake workflow.
- Generic checklists summarize only the ABA Model Rules, but each state has adopted them with variations. This tool surfaces the specific rule numbers and obligations in your jurisdiction so your process matches the rules your bar actually enforces.
- Run a conflict check before opening any new matter, when a lateral attorney joins the firm, when new parties join an existing matter, and as a periodic audit of your intake workflow at least annually.
- No. This validator is an educational tool to help firms structure their conflict check process. For specific ethical questions, consult your state bar's ethics hotline or outside ethics counsel.
- A missing required step means your conflict check process likely does not meet the ethics rules in your state. Update your intake workflow to add the missing step and document the change in your firm's policies and procedures manual.
- The most common mistakes are searching only current clients and not former clients, failing to check prospective client communications, not documenting the search methodology, and skipping re-screening when new parties join an existing matter.