Practice Innovation Counsel

Position Summary

Ogletree Deakins is seeking a dynamic and forward-thinking Practice Innovation Counsel to join our growing Practice Innovation team. This unique role is ideal for an experienced attorney—preferably with a background in employment litigation—who is passionate about transforming legal service delivery through generative AI, legal analytics, and technology-driven solutions.

As a key member of our innovation strategy, you will collaborate with attorneys, developers, and firm leadership to identify, pilot, develop, and implement cutting‑edge tools that enhance client outcomes and operational efficiency. This is a rare opportunity to blend legal expertise with technical curiosity to drive meaningful change at a large law firm. The position reports to the Sr. Manager of Practice Innovation Counsel and may be based in any of our national Ogletree offices.

We will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in the manner consistent with the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring. Qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records will be considered for the position in accordance with the Fair Chance Ordinance.

• Work closely with attorneys, practice groups, and other departments to identify, evaluate, and implement generative AI solutions to improve legal workflows and client service.
• Identify and evaluate external AI and legal tech solutions; lead the full lifecycle from pilot and vendor coordination through licensing, deployment, and firm‑wide adoption.
• Collaborate with external developers to design, build, and refine custom AI‑driven legal technology solutions, guiding projects from concept through deployment and adoption.
• Curate legal content and workflows for AI training and optimization.
• Educate attorneys and staff on AI tools and best practices, delivering tailored training sessions and resource guides.
• Exhibit and promote responsible AI and data governance; embed standards for confidentiality, data handling, and QA into all workflows and training materials produced by the team.
• Contribute to AI portfolio governance; help set KPIs, track adoption and ROI, and report on impact, risks, and issues to firm leadership.
• Lead multidisciplinary project teams through the full lifecycle—from ideation and scoping to execution and rollout, ensuring they meet deadlines, budget constraints, and quality standards.
• Monitor trends in legal tech and generative AI to identify strategic investment and adoption opportunities.
• Measure and report on the impact and ROI of innovation initiatives.
• Act as a visible advocate for innovation, promoting adoption through internal roadshows and training, as well as external engagement via conferences, presentations, articles, podcasts, and other thought‑leadership channels.

• J.D. from an accredited law school.
• 5+ years of legal practice experience, ideally in labor and employment litigation.
• Demonstrated interest and hands‑on experience in generative AI, legal technology, and legal innovation initiatives.
• Proficiency with generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Harvey, and document automation platforms.
• Proven ability to evaluate, pilot, and implement AI solutions within a legal or professional services environment.
• Experience collaborating on the design and development of legal tech or AI‑enabled software products.
• Familiarity with prompt engineering techniques, machine learning concepts, and generative AI model development.
• Prior involvement in Agile/Scrum project environments and using Jira or similar tools is a plus.
• Strong communication skills and comfort engaging with attorneys and cross‑functional teams.
• Proven ability to lead projects and influence change in a complex organization.
• Knowledge of change management principles and an understanding of user adoption dynamics.
• Highly self‑motivated, detail‑oriented, and adaptable in a fast‑paced environment.
• Comfortable interacting with attorneys and taking on a prominent role related to AI and data.
• Keen interest in technology and innovation, and ability to quickly learn new platforms.

In accordance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, the expected salary range for…