Director, Practice Innovation

Information TechnologyAll Practice AreasAustin, TX, Boston, MA, Charleston, SC, Charlotte, NC, Chicago, IL, Dallas, TX, Durham, NC, Fort Worth, TX, Harrisburg, PA, Houston, TX, Irvine, CA, Kansas City, KS, Los Angeles, CA, Miami, FL, Nashville, TN, New York, NY, Newark, NJ, Palo Alto, CA, Pittsburgh, PA, Portland, OR, Raleigh, NC, San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, Washington, DC, Wilmington, DE
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Job Description

At K&L Gates, we are looking for smart, imaginative and hard-working people with diverse backgrounds, experiences and ideas to join us.  Perhaps our search for talented visionaries and your search for important and impactful work lead to the same place.

We are seeking a Director of Practice Innovation to join the firm.  The Director of Practice Innovation & Knowledge Management (Director) is a senior firmwide leader responsible for transforming how the Firm delivers legal services through innovation, knowledge, and technology. Reporting to the Chief Technology Officer, the Director sets and executes the Firm’s practice innovation and knowledge management strategy, with a mandate to improve attorney productivity, client value, and firm competitiveness.
This role leads three tightly integrated priorities: (1) practice innovation and AI-enabled service delivery; (2) modern knowledge management and intellectual capital strategy; and (3) client- and practice-facing innovation that drives measurable business impact. The Director is a trusted partner to practice leadership, a bridge between lawyers and technology, and a hands-on change leader who ensures initiatives move from concept to scaled adoption. The role has firmwide remit and inherits existing Practice Support Lawyers (PSLs) and Knowledge Management professionals.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS
Reports directly to a Chief Officer and is an active member of the IDEA Group (the firm's global innovation committee).

IDEA Group; Chief Officers; PALs and Practice Group Coordinators (PGCs); Practice Operations, Geographic and Functional Directors and their team members.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES
• Set and execute the firmwide practice innovation and knowledge management strategy aligned to the Firm’s strategic, commercial, and competitive objectives.
• Develop and manage a multi-year innovation roadmap covering AI-enabled service delivery, legal process improvement, knowledge reuse, and differentiated client solutions.
• Establish governance, intake, prioritization, and portfolio management processes to ensure focus, transparency, scalability, and return on investment across innovation and KM initiatives.
• Partner with practice leadership, PSLs, and attorneys to identify high-value innovation and AI use cases and translate them into scalable solutions embedded in legal workflows.
• Lead the design, piloting, and firmwide rollout of AI-enabled and practice-facing technology solutions, ensuring responsible, secure, and ethical deployment in collaboration firmwide IT.
• Drive adoption and measurable impact of innovation and KM initiatives through training, enablement, engagement strategies, and ongoing tracking of usage, outcomes, and ROI.
• Lead and modernize the Firm’s knowledge management function, including defining the KM operating model, governance, standards, and integration with innovation and AI efforts.
• Build and maintain the Firm’s knowledge architecture and core intellectual capital assets, including taxonomies, metadata, precedents, playbooks, clause banks, practice guides, and experience content.
• Lead legal design, process improvement, and automation initiatives to improve attorney efficiency, client experience, and day-to-day workflow effectiveness.
• Act as a firmwide change leader, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and knowledge sharing across practices and offices.
• Identify and support client-facing innovation opportunities and advise partners and clients on evolving legal service delivery models and market trends.
• Lead, develop, and align PSLs and Knowledge Management professionals, setting clear priorities, expectations, and performance measures while partnering closely with cross-functional teams.

EXPERIENCE SKILLS REQUIRED
• 10+ years of experience in practice innovation, knowledge management, legal operations, technology, or related leadership roles within a law firm or professional services environment.
• Demonstrated success delivering firmwide initiatives with measurable impact.
• Deep understanding of law firm practice workflows and economics.
• Proven ability to lead change and influence senior stakeholders.
• Strong people leadership and communication skills.

ADDITIONAL ABILITIES REQUIRED
• Juris Doctor (JD) and prior legal practice experience strongly preferred.
• Experience with AI-enabled legal tools and workflow automation.
• Expertise in modern KM concepts including knowledge architecture and reuse.
• Experience designing or scaling client-facing innovation initiatives.

Compensation Salary $170,000 - $300,000

The compensation salary for this position will be determined during the interview process and will vary based on multiple factors, including but not limited to prior experience, relevant expertise, current business needs, and market factors.

ABOUT THE FIRM

K&L Gates is a fully integrated global law firm with lawyers located across five continents in more than 40 offices. We have experienced dramatic growth in the past decade and now rank among the largest U.S. based law firms in the world.  We take pride in constantly striving for innovation, imagination and an entrepreneurial spirit. We come up with big ideas and then roll up our sleeves to get the job done, guiding our clients through their most complex issues in a variety of industry sectors and across multiple regions of the world. 

The industry recognition the firm has garnered emanates from the foundation of a global community aligned on behalf of our clients. The people at K&L Gates are committed to working together to create a legacy for each other, the firm, our clients, and the communities in which we serve. We thrive in an inclusive and socially conscious environment that embraces diversity and takes a holistic approach to the career evolution of all our professionals.

For more information or to view other job opportunities, please click here to go back to our careers page.

Notice: We participate in E-Verify in certain Firm locations for purposes of verifying employment eligibility.

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

BENEFITS

K&L Gates offers our personnel a comprehensive suite of benefits to help meet your needs now and in the future. Depending on your eligibility, options for full-time personnel include:

  • Medical/Prescription Drug Coverage (including a Health Savings Account feature)
  • Back-up Child/Elder Care and access to a caregiving concierge
  • Dental Insurance
  • Wellness Program
  • Vision Insurance
  • Pre-tax Commuting Benefits
  • 401(k) Retirement Plan and Profit Sharing
  • Business Travel Accident Insurance
  • Short- and Long-term Disability Protection
  • Pet Insurance
  • Life Insurance (including Basic, Supplemental, Spouse, Child, and Accidental Death and Dismemberment)
  • Health Advocacy Services
  • Paid Time Off (25-30 days per year)
  • Identity Protection/Restoration and Fraud Insurance
  • Parental Leave (18 weeks of which 6 are paid; short-term disability may provide additional paid time off)
  • Student loan refinancing options and access to a student loan concierge service
  • Paid Holidays (12)
  • Addiction Resources
  • Family Building Benefits
  • Breast Milk Delivery and Lactation Support Services
  • Flexible Spending Accounts
  • Employees also may be eligible to receive bonuses and certain expense reimbursements
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Professional Development and CLE Credit Opportunities
  • 529 Deductions
  • Relocation
  • Accident Insurance
  • Employee Referral Program
  • Critical Illness Insurance
  • Hybrid/Remote Work Opportunities
  • Hospital Indemnity Insurance
  • Perks including: Technology, Entertainment, and Travel Discount Programs
  • Bereavement Leave
  • All other benefits (such as leaves of absence) required by law

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The Firm is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the Firm that employment decisions shall be based on merit, qualifications and competence. Employment practices will not be influenced or affected by virtue of a person’s race (including traits associated with race, including hair texture and protective hairstyles such as afros, braids, locks, and twists), religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, gender, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, familial status, domestic violence victim status, military and veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. This policy governs all aspects of employment including, without limitation, recruiting, hiring, compensation, benefits, promotion, assignment, and dismissal. In addition, it is the Firm’s policy to provide an environment that is free of prohibited harassment of any kind including, without limitation, that which is based on sex, race, age, disability, ethnic background, or any other category protected by law (including the categories listed above). The Firm complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please contact askHR@klgates.com.