The operating problem
Start with a new party or related entity added to a matter. A successful handoff produces an updated conflict-review task linked to the change. Define the accountable owner before connecting systems. A prior clearance does not automatically cover new parties or changed facts. A source event is a request to evaluate the current state; it is not permission to make an irreversible change.
Use your own working copy
The free workbook for this process opens in a browser and works offline after download. It includes editable checks and notes, a text export, and a print view. It is a planning resource: it does not send messages, read account data, or run actions in business systems. No vendor account is needed to use the workbook.
Map the process
1. Capture the party change
Record the matter ID, new or corrected party information, source, and effective event.
2. Identify review scope
Show what changed since the last conflict decision and which searches may be affected.
3. Run permitted searches
Collect current candidate matches across the approved sources, accounting for pagination and unavailable systems.
4. Request authorized review
Present previous decisions alongside new evidence to the responsible conflict reviewer.
5. Record the next instruction
Update the review status and notify the matter owner of any hold or approved continuation.
Information to check
These reference fields describe the process. Use invented values while planning. Keep real records in an appropriate private system; the public website does not need them.
| Reference field | Working record | Check before progressing |
|---|---|---|
| matter_id | matter_id | Resolve the stable source reference in the correct client, entity, and engagement. |
| party_change_id | party_change_id | Resolve the stable source reference in the correct client, entity, and engagement. |
| prior_decision_ref | prior_decision_ref | Use the authorized owner or reviewed decision; unknown values stop the handoff. |
| new_review_ref | new_review_ref | Use the authorized owner or reviewed decision; unknown values stop the handoff. |
Acceptance checks
- A new opposing party triggers review.
- A failed search source blocks a complete refresh.
- A repeated source event creates only one current review task.
- A changed source version invalidates an earlier approval.
Walk through a successful example, a duplicate, a missing item, an incorrect match, and an interrupted handoff with synthetic records. Record the expected result, observed result, owner, and recovery action. Checklists record your work; checking a box does not establish that an external action happened.
Ownership and review
Name the person responsible for the process and the person who can resolve an exception. Define which decisions require qualified professional review. Use stable references, limit access to private records, and document when work must stop. Educational material does not establish legal, accounting, tax, security, or regulatory compliance.
Run a measured pilot
Choose a small, reversible sample. Measure handling time, waiting time, review, rework, and errors before changing the process. Include the effort of maintaining the new method. Expand only when the observed result meets your acceptance criteria; a longer checklist is not proof of improved performance.
Use the free workflow planner to define your next step, or compare the assumptions in the opportunity calculator.