After a robust search, the Am Law 200 firm zeroed in on a perfect lateral partner candidate—a respected litigator with a substantial client base. Over the next several weeks, interviews commenced, questionnaires were completed, and both the firm and the partner were confident that they had found the right fit. But as they approached the finish line, a problem emerged: a conflict with one of the incoming partner's key clients. What had seemed like a done deal suddenly became complicated.

This sort of scenario is common in law firms today. In my experience as a legal recruiter, client conflict issues, often discovered at the "eleventh hour" of a search, too often complicate, if not completely derail, the hiring process of a lateral partner. There is obviously no way to avoid these issues altogether, but law firms can and should take proactive steps, such as tackling conflicts earlier and more thoroughly during the recruiting process, to address these challenges and realize the potential of their promising new hire.