How conflict checks work
Cedent screens for potential conflicts of interest by comparing the people on a new or existing matter against everyone you already work with. It is a screening aid that surfaces overlaps for your judgment — not a substitute for your firm’s own conflicts process.
When a check runs
Section titled “When a check runs”- At intake. When you start a new matter, Cedent checks the prospective client and opposing party before you open the matter, so a conflict surfaces up front.
- On a matter’s parties. A matter’s Parties can be checked at any time, and are checked as the matter is created, comparing each party against the people on your other matters.
What it compares
Section titled “What it compares”- The same email address appearing on another matter — the strongest signal.
- A matching name on another matter, allowing for small differences in spelling.
- The other side. At intake, Cedent also checks whether you already represent the party who would be on the opposing side here — the adverse-representation case that is easy to miss.
What the result looks like
Section titled “What the result looks like”- Clear — no overlap found with the people on your other matters.
- Flagged — one or more potential overlaps, listed with the matter and the reason (a matching email or name). On a matter’s parties, each party carries its own status — Clear, Flagged, or still Checking — and a banner summarizes how many have been checked.
A person’s entry in the people directory also rolls up their status across every matter they appear on: clear if all checked and clean, flagged if any matter flagged them, mixed if it varies, or unchecked if a check has not been run.
A screening aid, not a verdict
Section titled “A screening aid, not a verdict”A flag means worth a look, not disqualified — names and emails overlap for innocent reasons, and real conflicts can hide behind a name that does not match exactly. Cedent surfaces the candidates; the conflict judgment is yours. See Reviewing and resolving a conflict flag.
Common questions
Section titled “Common questions”Does a clear result mean there’s definitely no conflict? It means Cedent found no matching name or email among your other matters. It is a screen against what Cedent can see, not a guarantee — your own conflicts judgment still applies.
Why was someone flagged who isn’t actually a conflict? A common name or a shared email can match innocently. Open the flag to see the matter and reason, and judge whether it is a real conflict.