Conflict check software searches a law firm's records for any existing relationship with a new client or party before the firm accepts the work. It looks for the same or similar names among current and former clients, opposing parties and related companies, and records the result so the firm can show the check was run.
The useful systems match near spellings as well as exact names, search aliases, and keep a record of each check with its outcome and any waiver.
LawAOS runs conflict searches with fuzzy name matching (trigram similarity), including aliases, across contact names, companies, matter parties, matter names and clients. Each check is recorded as Clear, Potential or Flagged. If the search could not run, the result is recorded as could not check, and that is never stored as a clearance.
Names are recorded inconsistently: a company appears with and without its suffix, a person with and without a middle name, a transliterated name with two spellings. An exact-match search misses these. Trigram similarity scores how many short character sequences two names share, so near spellings surface as potential matches for a person to review.
In a firm with departments, a person running a check may not be allowed to see the matter that conflicts. LawAOS still reports the hit but redacts it to a statement that a conflict exists, with its severity and department, so the right person can be asked without the details leaking.
Ethical walls are enforced in the database on conflict search as well as on matters and documents. Walls are applied by an authorized administrator.
- Clear
- No match found. The check is stored on the record.
- Potential
- A near match that a person needs to review before accepting the work.
- Flagged
- A match that needs a decision: decline the work or document a waiver.
- Could not check
- The search did not complete. It is recorded as its own result and is never stored as Clear.
- Waivers
- A waiver needs a written justification and a permission to record it, and the firm can make a waiver record mandatory before a flagged matter proceeds.
Enter the names
From a new enquiry or the Conflicts module, enter the prospective client, related companies and other parties.
See the moduleReview the matches
LawAOS lists exact and near matches across contacts, companies, matter parties and matter names, with redacted hits for departments you cannot open.
See the moduleRecord the result
Record Clear, Potential or Flagged. A check that could not run stays recorded as could not check.
See the moduleDocument a waiver
Where the firm proceeds on a flagged match, record the waiver with its written justification.
See the moduleAccept the client
With guided accept on, the conflict check runs before the AML screen and engagement letter, and the matter opens only after those steps.
See the module
Stated plainly, so you can decide before you sign up rather than after.
- LawAOS searches the firm's own records only; it does not search external corporate registries or public databases.
- Whether a match is a conflict under your professional rules is a judgement for the firm; the software records the search and the decision.
- Conflict searches are only as complete as the contacts, companies and matter parties recorded in LawAOS.
- Ethical walls are applied by an authorized administrator; there is no self-service screen for raising or lifting a wall.
Anything the list leaves open, our team answers directly.