Director of Knowledge Management

Wilson Elser is a leading defense litigation law firm with more than 1,250 attorneys in 44 offices throughout the United States. Founded in 1978, we rank among the top 200 law firms identified by The American Lawyer and 43rd in the National Law Journal’s survey of the nation’s largest law firms. We’re also Mansfield Certified Plus and a Women in the Law Forum Gold Standard Law Firm.

Wilson Elser is seeking a Director of Knowledge Management who will lead the firm’s overall Knowledge Management and Information Governance functions and will be responsible for executing strategies at Wilson Elser to improve the experience of our attorneys across all practices and business domains. Under the direction of the Chief Information Officer, this position will require a collaborative leader who works well with not only all client service and practice teams but also technically driven operational teams while maintaining alignment with top-line business goals. This leader must be able to contribute a clear, multi-faceted program to execute the vision collectively designed by executive stakeholders throughout the firm.

This position can be based in any of our U.S. office locations.

Key Responsibilities:

• Designing and leading the Knowledge Management program.
• Building knowledge sharing systems that provide contextual information to fee-earners and clients when and where needed.
• Expanding and maintaining our knowledge library, including client guidelines, precedent documents, legal memos, and other materials.
• Designing and supporting the firm’s knowledge and business processes.
• Building out the firm’s experience management capabilities.
• Leveraging modern data architecture and taxonomy, large-language modeled programs, including Generative AI platforms, and Microsoft-based automation tools to build a robust matter experience/profile data model.
• Developing KPIs that generate the possibilities for firm leadership to make data-driven business decisions and provide a competitive edge.
• Providing content expertise in searching matter “experience” databases for specific transactions using specific matter attributes.
• Providing technological expertise and guidance to firm leadership while overseeing the development of guidelines for practice teams.
• Collaborating with department managers to develop and deliver user-centric solutions to improve practice group and attorney experiences.
• Understanding, advocating, and executing information governance policies, SOPs, and programs that mitigate risk throughout the firm’s knowledge and client/matter information systems.
• Driving cultural change, at scale, by encouraging a vision of collective sharing, learning, innovation, and service-minded client satisfaction.
• Remaining current with knowledge trends, legal technology trends, law firm business trends, and legal developments, while promoting this information across the firm and with the senior management team.
• Overseeing information research/library, eDiscovery, document management, attorney work product, and implementing non-invasive data governance best practices.

Qualifications

Reporting to the Chief Information Officer, the ideal candidate will have at least 3 years of explicit knowledge management, operations management, process improvement, marketing operations, legal practice, or legal operations experience in a law firm or legal operations setting preferred. Bachelor’s Degree is required. An advanced degree in a relevant field (MLIS, MBA, JD) is preferred.

• Strong operational experience with a deep understanding of technology and business process improvement methodologies in law firms.
• Aptitude for building relationships and fostering a collaborative approach to working with internal clients across practice groups and departments.
• Experience scaling innovation through process in a professional services firm
• Ability to empathize and engage with attorneys to look at processes and service delivery through a business lens.
• Ability to leverage and grow team members experience around project management, innovation, and process.
• Excellent project management and critical thinking skills with a focus on innovation and change management.
• Exceptional communication, collaboration, and team leadership skills.
• Excellent computer skills, including Microsoft Office and SharePoint.
• Advanced knowledge of relevant technology systems and applications used in law firms and/or legal departments, in this arena, such as: LexisNexis, Westlaw, Sharepoint Online, Microsoft 365, Azure SQL, Power BI, Fabric, IManage Cloud, eDiscovery Platforms (Reveal, Relativity, iPro), Litera Foundation.

Why Should You Apply? 

• Benefits: Outstanding benefits package, including 401k match and generous PTO plan
• Career Growth: Ample opportunities for professional development and advancement
• Employee Perks: Access to corporate discount plans and other benefits

Wilson Elser welcomes submissions of candidates for our open positions exclusively from recruitment agencies with an active, signed fee agreement who have been granted access to a position through our dedicated Recruitment Agency Portal. We are unable to consider submissions from recruitment agencies without a current (dated as of 7/1/2024) agreement in place. We appreciate your understanding. For collaboration inquiries or to establish an agreement, please contact us at talentacquisition@wilsonelser.com.

We believe in creating a work environment free of barriers and bias, where individual outlooks and talents are respected and valued. Our firm's policy is to ensure an equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment based on race, color, national origin, religion, age, sex, disability, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by the law.