Lawfirms sometimes ask us for a job description for A someone to have a responsibility in our firm to help us on ethics matters.@ Assuming the lawfirm neither has a General Counsel position within the lawfirm, nor wants to have such a position, my response is to suggest formally designating a position of Ethics Analyst (or some other job name including the word "ethics). The formal designation accomplishes several things, including making both the person chosen and the lawfirm lawyers and staff recognize that he/she is going to be responsible for initial question-answering and the affirmative, self-starting, analysis of potential ethics problems.

Once having identified time needs (e.g., full or part time job), the lawfirm could well describe the position as follows.
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The primary focus of the job of the Lawfirm= s Ethics  Analyst is to:

• conduct in depth analysis of complex conflict issues,

• then advise the firm's partners and lawyers on the management of those issues and any associated risks to the lawfirm.

Other responsibilities of the Ethics Analyst include:

• coordinating with partners to manage ethics issues,

• devising and implementing practical workable solutions to ethics issues.

• advising on client engagements, and

• answering ethics queries from attorneys and support staff at all levels.

The Ethics Analyst will:

• document risk management policies and conflicts resolution processes, and

• prepare for the partners draft documents regarding ethics and conflicts resolution processes for distribution within the lawfirm.

The Ethics Analyst must have:

• comprehensive knowledge of ethical rules, guidelines, and compliance issues; word processor and data entry ability;

• superior organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills;

• consistent attention to detail, and

• ability to analyze complex concepts and facts.

A J.D. degree is required, with at least four years of lawfirm work experience including at least one year directly related to ethics issues.

[Note: this job description is adapted from an advertisement by the firm of Fennemore Craig, P.C., an Arizona lawfirm.]