The power of the Conflict Inquiry feature lies in the method used to search. Although users can use quotations to search for exact phrases, that method is only effective in certain circumstances. The savvy user knows how to group search criteria and use boolean operators to narrow down potential matches to exclude information that is known to be irrelevant.
Eliminating Irrelevant Matches
Let's suppose that your firm has a very large client person or entity who has engaged the professional services of the firm., a consulting firm by the name of Smith, Hayes and Bradshaw. You know that your database contains hundreds, perhaps thousands of matters for this client. Now suppose that you need to perform a conflict inquiry on the name John Smith. The name John Smith is common and likely to return many matches, and this problem is compounded by the fact that the name Smith alone will return thousands of matches from your client Smith, Hayes and Bradshaw. How can a thorough conflict search be performed without requiring you to sift through so many irrelevant matches? Use nested boolean operators.
A search entered as:
(John and Smith) and not (Hayes and Bradshaw)
Would return a conflict match only if the following conditions exist:
Both the names John and Smith would have to exist within the file record.
Both the names Hayes and Bradshaw must not exist within the file record.
Potential matches for this search are:
Smith, John R.
John and Anna Smith
John Hayes Smith
John Smith Bradshaw
Notice that the name Hayes is present in the 3rd item and Bradshaw is present in the 4th item. This is acceptable, since BOTH names Hayes and Bradshaw are not present within the same file record, yet both names John and Smith are present, as required, in both records.
Performing more accurate searches
When boolean operators are Preferred:
Although using quotes in a search has a very useful purpose, some firms rely too heavily on using quotes in a search when using boolean operators is much more accurate. For example, a firm may require that individual names are always entered in the format (last, first middle initial) so that searches can be performed as follows:
"Public, John Q."
The search above would only return a match if the person entering the data enters it exactly as shown. What happens if the information is entered as: Public, John Quincy or John and Jane Public? No match would be returned if searched as "Public, John Q." and many relevant matches would be missed.
Relying heavily on the proper entry of data is risky and unnecessary - especially when Boolean operators are so much more effective. a simple search for
John and Public
would return matches on any file record that contains the name John and the name Public. That would return matches on all of the following items:
Public, John Q
Public, John Quincy
John and Jane Public
John Public
John Q. and Jane R. Public
When Quotes (exact string search) is Preferred:
Using quotes in a search is valuable when an exact match on a specific phrase is necessary. For example, you need to look for instances that may reference a magazine called Main Street. Since the topic is so specific, a simple quotes search for the phrase Main Street is an appropriate search in this instance. A search for:
"Main Street"
would return results on the following matches:
Main Street
Main Street Magazine
Main Street, Inc.
A Boolean search for Main and Street would be very ineffective. The Boolean Search would return matches on any item that contained the words Main and Street, which could potentially be included in hundreds of addresses in the database.