Practice Innovation Lawyer (Houston)

Job DescriptionAt 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.POSITION SUMMARYThe Practice Innovation Lawyer focuses on implementing innovation, technology, and AI solutions to enhance legal workflows and client service. This role collaborates with lawyers to identify AI opportunities, configure tools, test systems, and ensure successful technology adoption. Responsibilities include developing AI use cases, supporting partners and clients, and managing change enablement for improved efficiency and service delivery. The position requires hands-on problem-solving and practical application of technology in legal practice. By integrating legal, business, and technical expertise, the Lawyer ensures effective, compliant tool implementation to maintain competitiveness and deliver measurable results.We are seeking four Practice Innovation Lawyers to support each of the following practice areas: Finance, Intellectual Property, Litigation, and Policy & Regulatory.REPORTING TODirector of Practice Innovation & Knowledge ManagementKEY RELATIONSHIPSDirector of Practice Innovation & Knowledge Management, Practice Innovation Attorneys, Practice Area Leads, Practice Group Coordinators, Directors of Practice Operations, members of the global technology, research and AI solutions teams.Base Compensation $180,969.00 - $316,695.00/yearESSENTIAL DUTIES• Collaborating with legal professionals to discover opportunities for enhancing workflows and client service through AI-driven advancements.• Translating legal professional needs into practical artificial intelligence use cases, focusing on simplicity and feasibility for immediate application.• Collaborating with the AI Solutions Lead to refine and develop intricate use cases requiring advanced technical expertise and specialized input.• Utilizing existing AI tools like Copilot, Legora, CoCounsel, Vincent, and similar platforms to design and implement solutions for identified use cases.• Coordinating with AI developers to design tailored solutions for complex scenarios when existing tools prove inadequate, utilizing platforms such as AI Foundry.• Conducting testing and validating AI solutions to ensure accuracy, compliance, and usability within legal workflows.• Providing training and guidance to legal professionals and staff on implemented AI tools and workflows to ensure effective adoption and utilization.• Documenting use cases, requirements, and implementation steps to support repeatable processes and knowledge sharing across practice groups.• Monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of deployed AI solutions, using key metrics to measure impact, identify improvements, and support planning discussions.• Staying informed and connected to professional networks on emerging AI technologies and legal tech trends to share insights and recommend innovative tools.• .25 FTE annual billing requirementADDITIONAL DUTIESEXPERIENCE SKILLS REQUIRED• Hold Juris Doctor (JD) or equivalent law degree; admission to state bar strongly preferred• Demonstrate understanding of regulatory, privacy, data protection, and professional conduct obligations in legal practice• Understand product development and solution design principles, including user requirements, testing, and iteration• Demonstrate the ability to design, develop, and deploy AI use cases tailored to legal workflows and client requirements.• Possess project and program management skills, with the ability to manage and run multiple initiatives and handle competing priorities successfully.• Be proficient with Microsoft 365 and related platforms, including Copilot, Power Platform, PowerPoint, Excel, and Power Automate• Experience with CoPilot Studio or other Citizen Developer tools strongly preferred.• Demonstrate the ability to define, measure, and evaluate key performance indicators using data-focused methods and analytical approaches.• Demonstrate exceptional communication and stakeholder engagement skills, ensuring technical concepts are effectively translated for non-technical audiences.• Adopt a growth mindset while demonstrating sound judgment, discretion, and the ability to navigate complex law firm operations and dynamics.• Have 4+ years’ experience as a practicing lawyer, legal operations professional, or in a comparable law firm role. Practice experience strongly preferred.• Possess practical experience with generative AI, legal research platforms, document review drafting and automation, and workflow orchestration tools.• Show experience deploying legal technology, AI tools, or workflow automation within professional services settings.ADDITIONAL ABILITIES REQUIREDABOUT THE FIRMK&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.Please be advised that this position requires successful completion of a background check. In accordance with the Washington State Fair Chance Act, Los Angeles Fair Chance Ordinance, San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, the California Fair Chance Act, and applicable law qualified California and Washington State applicants with criminal history records will be considered. A criminal history will not categorically exclude a candidate from employment, and the Firm will consider relevant factors before making employment decisions based on criminal history information.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.BENEFITSK&L Gates offers our Associates a comprehensive suite of benefits to help meet your needs now and in the future. Depending on your eligibility, options for full-time Associates include:Medical/Prescription Drug Coverage (including a Health Savings Account feature)Pre-tax Commuting BenefitsDental InsuranceBusiness Travel Accident InsuranceVision InsurancePet Insurance401(k) Retirement planHealth Advocacy ServicesShort- and Long-term Disability ProtectionIdentity Protection/Restoration and Fraud InsuranceLife Insurance (including Basic, Supplemental, Spouse, Child, and Accidental Death and Dismemberment)Student loan refinancing options and access to a student loan concierge servicePaid Time Off (Generally, paid time off is undefined with 3-4 weeks usually acceptable)Addiction ResourcesParental Leave (24 weeks of which 12 are paid; short-term disability may provide additional paid time off)Breast Milk Delivery and Lactation Support ServicesPaid Holidays (12)Employees also may be eligible to receive bonuses and certain expense reimbursementsFamily Building BenefitsPro Bono OpportunitiesFlexible Spending AccountsProfessional Development and CLE Credit OpportunitiesEmployee Assistance ProgramBar Expense Reimbursement529 DeductionsRelocationAccident InsuranceBalanced Hours ProgramCritical Illness InsuranceRamp-Up/Ramp-Down ProgramHospital Indemnity InsuranceEmployee Referral ProgramBereavement LeaveHybrid/Remote Work OpportunitiesBack-up Child/Elder Care and access to a caregiving conciergePerks including: Technology, Entertainment, and Travel Discount ProgramWellness ProgramAll other benefits (such as leaves of absence) required by lawEQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITYThe 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 requ