Job Details

Business Intake Specialist

The Business Intake Specialist provides crucial operational and analytical support to billing attorneys and the Business Intake team in the Office of General Counsel by executing sophisticated intake processes and departmental operations. Under general oversight with developing independence, this role acts as a liaison providing the firm's billing attorneys with a reliable, efficient, and seamless new business intake experience by effectively eliciting, researching, analyzing, and capturing the required key information received from the billing attorney while expertly navigating the requirements of the intake process to ensure clients are onboarded and matters are opened, maintained throughout their lifecycle, and closed efficiently while maintaining compliance with firm policies and procedures. As a central hub for departmental operations, thisrole requires a comprehensive working knowledge of all internal department functions and advanced knowledge of the electronic intake system processes to answer inquiries, provide guidance on departmental processes and intake procedures, appropriately escalate inquiries to appropriate teams when needed, and ensure seamless cross-functional collaboration. As a critical component of the firm's risk management infrastructure, the Business Intake Specialist ensures accurate data capture and procedure compliance that directly impacts matter opening efficiency, client satisfaction, revenue protection, compliance with the Rules of Professional Conduct and applicable federal law related to "know your client" obligations, and mitigation of malpractice exposure and disqualification risks.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities:

• Responsible for assisting the Business Intake Manager, Ethics & Conflicts Managers, Managing EBI Counsel and Director of Ethics, Ethics & Conflicts Counsel, and Business Intake and Training and Lateral Intake Supervisors with departmental operations including financial coordination, professional correspondence, meeting logistics, communication management, training event coordination, and other reasonable administrative department-related responsibilities to ensure seamless department functionality and support strategic initiatives.
• Under general oversight with developing independence, accurately elicits, captures, and analyzes key data received from billing attorneys to open new matters and maintain existing matters from start to finish in an efficient manner. Provides the billing attorney with an exceptional intake experience by leveraging knowledge of timekeeper practice and preferences, client requirements, advanced knowledge of department platforms and the electronic intake system processes, departmental team functions and cross-departmental workflows and ensuring the firm complies with matter set up obligations. This entails:
• effectively communicates the intake requirements of the firm to billing attorneys, through a consultative approach, demonstrating exceptional professional interpersonal skills and persistence to elicit complete and accurate information to ensure complete data capture and conflict identification,
• conducts sophisticated entity research and analysis utilizing the internet, and advanced research platforms (Lexis Diligence, Capital IQ, and various government websites) to determine the complete names of entities, correct relationships and affiliations of each party, and determining the corporate structure of entities involved to ensure accurate recording of information while applying analytical judgment to identify and proactively resolve information gaps to uncover relevant information helpful for conflict report generation and conflict clearances, identifying potential risks and complications before they impact matter opening, and evaluate conflict report results and determine whether to proceed with matter opening or escalate for Conflicts Counsel clearance,
• drafts engagement letters and scope of work communications applying sophisticated knowledge of firm compliance requirements, timekeeper preferences, and client-specific terms and processes to ensure the proper clauses are incorporated based on each unique matter and that the firm's standard terms of engagement are in place with the client. Sends approved engagement letters to clients for execution via DocuSign or sends to billing attorney or legal assistant to send to the client in accordance with billing attorney preferences,
• maintains current knowledge of firm policies, proactively monitoring for updates and resolves dormant requests, implements changes promptly, and expertly navigates the electronic business intake system to ensure all submissions meet firm standards, and
• maintains the billing attorneys' document management folders, and files approved and executed engagement letters in the appropriate locations with meticulous attention to organization.
• Develops and maintains expertise in departmental communications and electronic intake systems to learn to independently manage routine inquiries, correspondence, and troubleshooting while responding to staff and billing attorney requests and providing guidance as needed. Builds advanced knowledge of electronic intake system processes across all state-specific workflows, departmental team functions, and cross-departmental processes to accurately direct and route communications, identify cross-functional coordination needs, and support the department and firm in the use of the system. Requires adapting quickly to system updates and workflow modifications and communicating relevant updates to optimize departmental efficiency
• Under general oversight with developing independence, reviews signed engagement letters to ensure any changes requiring additional review have been approved, changes that require necessary system updates have been completed, and letters are properly executed ensuring compliance with firm standards.
• Under general oversight, completes active intake requests in the electronic business intake system when billing attorneys leave the firm. Proactively follows up with relevant parties to obtain additional information required to complete these updates.
• Builds proficiency in late shift operations, including email management and intake initiation to support the firm's comprehensive service delivery.
• Provides support and assistance on important team projects and initiatives, as requested.
• Collaborates with Ethics & Business Intake staff as assigned.
• Handles and safeguards sensitive and confidential information daily and maintains client and employee confidence by complying with appropriate policies and procedures.
• Performs additional duties and tasks as assigned, demonstrating flexibility and a commitment to supporting the firm's overall objectives.

Competencies:

• Communication – Understands the importance of and demonstrates verbal, written, and non-verbal communications.
• Customer/Client Experience – Creates a consistent and exceptional experience for others, whether directly to external clients/customers or indirectly through internal support, that elevates the overall perception of the firm.
• Job Knowledge and Technical Skill – Demonstrates an understanding of objectives, duties, responsibilities, and expectations of the job with exceptional quality work.
• Team Player – Works within team and cross-functionally to meet required results.

Job Qualifications (Education, Experience and Certification):

1. Bachelor's degree or four (4) years of comparable experience in a law firm environment in a role related to the duties described such as legal assistant, conflicts researcher, business intake professional, or related law firm operational position required.
2. Prior experience as a legal assistant, conflicts researcher, business intake professional, or related law firm operational roles (such as finance, records management, billing operations, or corporate governance) at a large or medium firm preferred.
3. High level of proficiency using personal computers, database software, Adobe, Windows applications, and online research tools. Data integrity focus with demonstrated attention to accuracy in complex information management. Experience with Aderant Expert, Intapp products, Lexis Diligence, Capital IQ, and Emburse Enterprise a plus. Familiarity with artificial intelligence tools and willingness to learn firm-approved AI platforms; ability to apply AI-generated insights with critical analytical judgment. Understanding of data security and confidentiality protocols when utilizing technology platforms and AI tools.
4. Excellent spelling, writing, editing, formatting, and proofreading skills. Above average typing required, and ten-key skills preferred.
5. Requires initiative, an inquisitive nature, positivity, and the adoption of solution-based approach in all aspects of work.
6. Strong attention to detail, critical thinking, analytical skills, and problem-solving capability. Demonstrates commitment to accuracy, efficiency, and continuous improvement in intake procedures while maintaining high standards for data integrity and compliance. Proven ability to work effectively and maintain high accuracy when data inputs are incomplete, conflicting, or non-standard. Demonstrates comfort with ambiguity and relies on institutional knowledge and professional consultation to reach compliant resolutions.
7. Demonstrates strong self-direction in staying ahead of organizational updates, software releases, procedural modifications, and evolving systems and procedural requirements. Proactively identifies workflow inefficiencies and recommends solutions. Takes ownership of continuous improvement initiatives and adapts quickly to system changes and new requirements.
8. Requires good time management, organizational and planning skills to prioritize and handle detailed and repetitive work, and to assess, recommend and implement improved work procedures. Process improvement mindset with interest in legal operations and compliance procedures.
9. Ability to work under pressure and maintain composure with minimal supervision. Requires ability to manage multiple competing priorities, exercise sound professional judgment in managing sensitive client and firm information, and ability to work with a high degree of independence.
10. Requires excellent interpersonal communication skills with a positive customer service-oriented attitude, ability to anticipate needs, high level of professional integrity, and ability to maintain confidentiality and build trust to work effectively with personnel at all levels within the firm.
11. Willingness to work flexible hours when necessary to meet departmental deadlines.

Physical Requirements:

While performing the duties of this position, the employee must have the ability to sit, stand and/or walk for extended periods of time; manipulate (lift, carry, move) weights of at least ten (10) pounds; have repetitive wrist/hand/finger movement to work on a computer and/or related office equipment; speak clearly and concisely so listeners can understand; and regularly understand the speech of another person.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by this position to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform