Director of Research and Knowledge Services

Thompson Coburn, a large full-service law firm with offices in eight (8) cities across the U.S., is in search of a full-time exempt Director of Research and Knowledge Services to join its St. Louis office. With over 450 attorneys and experience in 50 areas of law, Thompson Coburn is regularly recognized for providing clients with outstanding value and service. Driven by our core values of integrity, innovation and diversity, we collaborate and work in a welcoming, fast-paced, and inclusive environment.

Under the leadership of the Chief Information Officer, the Director of Research and Knowledge Services will set the strategy for legal and business research, knowledge management, current awareness, competitive intelligence, and AI-enabled research workflows that support the firm’s lawyers, business professionals, clients, and practice groups. This role will also be responsible for modernizing service delivery, developing practice-specific knowledge services, and expanding the use of AI-enabled tools to deliver billable, client-facing work product. After an initial period of training, this position is eligible for a hybrid-remote work schedule.

Key Responsibilities

• Defines and executes a multi-year strategic vision for transforming the Firm’s library function into a modern research & knowledge services team that delivers high-value, billable, research, intelligence, knowledge management, and workflow to the Firm’s practice groups.
• Partners with practice group leaders to identify research, knowledge, data, current awareness, precedent, experience, and workflow needs specific to each practice.
• Leads, develops, and manages a diverse team of research, knowledge, and information professionals.
• Oversees the selection, deployment, and optimization of all research resources informed by usage analytics, practice-group demand, and emerging product capabilities.
• Leads the evaluation, pilot, governance, adoption, and scaling of AI-enabled research and workflow tools, including Harvey and AI capabilities within platforms such as Westlaw, LexisNexis, Bloomberg Law, and Wolters Kluwer Vital Law.
• Develops responsible AI research protocols partnering with Information Services, Risk Management & Compliance, and practice leaders to identify AI-enabled use cases that improve research quality, reduce friction, support lawyer workflows, and enhance client service.
• Develops a firmwide approach to capturing the value of research and knowledge services, including cost recovery, matter-based research support, billable service models where appropriate, and alignment with client billing guidelines.
• Manages budget planning, cost control, and financial performance using ROI analytics and practice-aligned investment priorities.
• Monitors developments in legal AI, legal research, knowledge management, and information services, and recommends appropriate adoption, governance, and investment strategies.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required

• Deep understanding of legal research, business research, competitive intelligence, current awareness, legal analytics, docket/legislative/regulatory tracking, and practice-specific knowledge needs.
• Strong knowledge of major legal and business research platforms, including Westlaw, LexisNexis, Bloomberg Law, Wolters Kluwer Vital Law, including their AI-enhanced features and API/integration capabilities.
• Demonstrated success leading organizational change including cultural transformation, team restructuring, and adoption of new service models with strong change-management and communication skills.
• Practical understanding of AI-assisted legal research, generative AI, prompt design, retrieval-augmented research, source validation, hallucination risk, confidentiality, and human-in-the-loop review.
• Understanding of knowledge management methods, including taxonomy, metadata, experience capture, precedent management, practice portals, enterprise search, and knowledge curation.
• Ability to lead projects, develop strategic plans, establish priorities, and achieve measurable outcomes.
• Strong communication and stakeholder-engagement skills, with the ability to present complex information clearly and effectively.
• Must have the ability to read, write and communicate in fluent English; ability to compose documents in the appropriate business style using correct grammar and spelling; ability to communicate clearly using proper grammar and diction including online video meetings and audio communications including telephone calls, in person discussions, and online audio calls.
• Must possess a high level of professionalism and interpersonal skills so as to be able to work well with employees at all levels within the organization and maintain all information in the strictest confidence. Required to use tact and diplomacy when dealing with others.

Experience and Education Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Library Science, Information Science, Knowledge Management, Legal Technology, Data/Information Management, or equivalent required.
• JD, MBA, advanced degree, or equivalent professional experience in a law firm, in-house legal department, professional services, or research-intensive environment may be considered.
• Minimum of 8 years of progressively responsible experience in legal research, law library leadership, knowledge management, information services, or legal technology with at least 5 years in a leadership role at an Am Law 200 firm or equivalent professional services environment required.
• Proven success repositioning or building a research/knowledge function, including service redesign, increasing stakeholder engagement and service utilization, while demonstrating ROI to firm leadership preferred.
• Hands-on experience evaluating, deploying, and governing AI-powered legal research and workflow tools in a production environment preferred.
• Track record of designing innovative, technology-enabled workflows that measurably improved efficiency, client service, or revenue contribution preferred.
• Experience developing metrics, dashboards, service benchmarks, cost recovery models, or billable service approaches preferred.
• Familiarity with law firm economics, billing practices, and partnership structures preferred.

Thompson Coburn LLP is a large, full service, multi-state firm with offices in Birmingham, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, St. Louis, Southern Illinois, and Washington D.C. At Thompson Coburn, our behavior and the expectations we have of ourselves are guided by the values that we hold in the highest regard: integrity, a passion for excellence, a focus on serving the client, a value of diversity, innovation, creativity, trust, and loyalty. Within the Firm, we value each other as people and colleagues. In addition to the exceptional working environment and a competitive salary, Thompson Coburn provides the following benefit options to qualifying employees:

• Medical Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Life Insurance & ADD policies
• Short & Long Term Disability Insurance
• Paid Parental Leave
• 401(k) Profit Sharing plans
• Parking/Transportation Stipend
• Section 125 Plan (Pre-tax premiums and medical reimbursement)
• Paid Holidays
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Annual Discretionary Bonus
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Employee Wellness Program
• Tuition Reimbursement
• College Savings Plan Deductions (529 Plans)
• Long Term Care

Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V