Custom conflict of interest checking software

Conflict of interest checking software, also known as conflict checking or conflict-of-interest software, automatically checks for every new client or case whether conflicting interests exist with your existing relationships, parties and previous cases. At its core is a searchable database of clients and opposing parties, name and entity matching that also recognises variants and aliases, and a record of the check performed together with its approval. Custom software lets you set this up according to your own acceptance policy and rules of conduct, rather than adapting your way of working to an off-the-shelf package.

In practice, parties rarely appear in your systems in exactly the same way. A company may be listed under a trading name, a registered name and an abbreviation, and individuals differ in spelling, initials or name format. The software therefore matches not only on exact names but also recognises variants, aliases, former names and related entities such as parent and subsidiary companies. Results are scored and presented for review, so a person makes the final judgement and the firm never misses a relevant match.

An ethical wall, also known as an information barrier or Chinese wall, shields a matter or file from certain staff members, so that confidential information does not reach people with a potentially conflicting interest. In the software, you set this up as authorisation rules at file level: only the assigned team can see the file, everyone else is blocked, and that restriction is logged. This lets you accept a matter that would otherwise have to be declined because of a conflict, and demonstrate that the separation was actually enforced.

We build custom. Acceptance and conflict policies differ per firm and per profession: a law firm tests against different rules of conduct than an accountancy firm or a notary, and whether a check is blocking or advisory also varies. Custom software fits your actual acceptance process and can grow as your policy, professional rules or organisation change. After an intake conversation, we decide together which functionality matters most and in what order to develop it, without promising a fixed lead time or price that we cannot yet substantiate.

Every conflict check that is run is recorded with the search query, the matches found, the assessment of each match and the final decision on whether or not to accept the matter. This comes with an approval step, for example by a partner or compliance officer, before a file is opened. Everything is captured in a complete audit trail, so you can later demonstrate that the check was carried out, who assessed what, and on what grounds the matter was accepted or declined.

A conflicts database contains sensitive data about clients, opposing parties and ongoing matters, and is often subject to professional secrecy or a duty of confidentiality. We build privacy by design and data minimisation into the architecture from the start: role-based access, file shielding through ethical walls, encryption in transit and at rest, and complete logging of access and changes. This lets you demonstrably comply with the GDPR and maintain the confidentiality your professional rules require.

Yes. Conflict checking is most valuable when it draws on your current client and matter data. We therefore connect to your existing practice management, case management or CRM system via API or web services, and can enrich entity data with public sources such as the KvK Business Register. This keeps the database up to date without duplicate data entry, and every new relationship is automatically included in future checks.

We build for organisations that need to check for conflicting interests before accepting an engagement: law firms, accountancy and audit firms, notaries and consultancy organisations. The software supports both the practitioner who wants to take on a matter and the partner or compliance officer who oversees acceptance, with attention to the rules of conduct and confidentiality that apply to each profession.