Client Guidelines Attorney

About the role

Arnold & Porter is seeking a Client Guidelines Attorney to support the implementation of policies and procedures that document and manage the firm’s relationships with clients across its domestic and global offices. Reporting to the Director of Professional Responsibility, the attorney will work closely with the Office of General Counsel, Relationship Partners, and the Director of Client Service & Compliance.

Key responsibilities

• Collaborate with the Director of Professional Responsibility to implement policies governing client‑retention relationships.
• Advise Relationship Partners and client teams in drafting, negotiating, interpreting, and implementing outside counsel guidelines (OCGs), client‑generated retention documents, RFPs, and firm‑generated engagement documents.
• Communicate with internal stakeholders and clients to ensure retention expectations are understood, aligned, documented, and operationalized.
• Conduct contextual analysis of client OCGs, non‑standard retention documentation, and RFPs, and follow up to resolve outstanding matters.
• Monitor global compliance with negotiated OCG terms, including conflicts checks, waivers, client notices, ethics screens, and updates to the firm’s conflicts and client‑intake databases.
• Solicit, coordinate, and incorporate input and approvals from firm subject‑matter experts regarding client guidelines and other retention documentation.
• Partner with practice groups to address practice‑specific compliance requirements.

Required profile

• Experience evaluating, negotiating, interpreting, and implementing client retention documentation such as OCGs, RFPs, and engagement agreements.
• Ability to reconcile client requirements with the firm’s ethical obligations, business objectives, and risk tolerance.
• Strong analytical skills for contextual analysis and critical assessment of client‑generated documents.
• Capability to work collaboratively with internal legal and compliance stakeholders.

Required skills