Senior Manager - Practice Innovation & Technology

Lathrop GPM, one of the nation's leading law firms, has an immediate opening for a Senior Manager - Practice Innovation & Technology in our Minneapolis, MN, Kansas City, MO or Washington DC location. This position will lead a transformative role focused on driving productivity, innovation, and economic performance across the firm's legal practice areas and business operations. The role will report to the Chief Information Officer and serve as a key connector between the firm's attorneys, operational teams, and technology stakeholders, working to improve how we deliver legal services through smarter workflows, intelligent automation, harnessing the potential of generative AI, and introducing data-driven firm strategies. The manager will also oversee the firm's Knowledge Management function, driving the adoption of technology tools that will improve the delivery of services from KM and to ensure proper monetization of those services.

The manager will collaborate closely with attorneys, technology professionals, knowledge management professionals, and business operations teams to deliver impactful, scalable solutions aligned with the firm's strategic priorities. The manager will be responsible for managing the firm's portfolio of AI vendor tools and the related budget, while ensuring the strategic, responsible, ethical and meaningful rollout of best-in-class technologies.

The position is hybrid and will work two days a week in the office and three days from a home office. Lathrop GPM is a full-service, Am Law 200 law firm with offices in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Overland Park, St. Cloud, St. Louis, San Jose, Redwood Shores and Washington, D.C. Our clients are at the heart of everything we do. We offer a competitive compensation and benefits package, and a professional, challenging, yet comfortable working environment.

Strategic Leadership and Vision

* Collaborate with the Director of Project and Technology Management and other firm leaders to define and lead a firmwide vision for AI that reflects evolving legal practice, client expectations, and emerging technology.

* Understand goals and objectives of the firm's practice groups and business operations and assist in identifying solutions through existing and new technologies, process improvements and unique problem-solving methods, including design thinking, legal workflows and process mapping and automation to achieve stated goals.

* Guide firm leadership in understanding the implications and opportunities of AI and other emerging technologies and ensuring alignment between technology adoption, ethical commitment, and organizational priorities.

* Develop business cases to support innovation initiatives and KPIs to measure ROI and other soft benefits realized from investments.

* Establish culture of innovation within the Firm through approved communications, training and workshops.

Practice Innovation, Productivity, and Efficiency

* Analyze and improve attorney and practice team workflows to enhance productivity and reduce friction points.

* Identify opportunities for automation, delegation, and redesign of legal and administrative processes.

* Drive adoption and integration of AI tools to streamline legal work and knowledge reuse.

* Analyze operational workflows at the practice and administrative levels to identify areas for improvement, and develop strategies to increase effectiveness and efficiency leveraging legal technologies.

* Lead technology initiatives that better connect practice operations with business performance metrics.

Innovation and AI-led Technology Transformation

* Pilot, scale, and evaluate tools that enhance client service delivery, matter management, and internal collaboration.

* Stay abreast of emerging trends in legal technology, AI, and knowledge management; serve as a bridge between legal and technology domains.

* Stay connected with peers in the legal industry to ensure we are moving at the right pace to differentiate ourselves in the market related to our adoption of AI and its impact

* Stay connected to the established AI legal industry vendors to understand their roadmaps, in addition to connecting and driving adoption with more niche practice area specific AI vendors to help us differentiate our services relative to our peers.

* Support and provide input on targeted legal technology adoption initiatives impacting practice groups and/or business operations.

* Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify and prioritize strategic growth opportunities.

* Coordinate pilot and proof of concept programs, including drafting specifications, evaluating software, and testing products and services.

* Work with IT and firm leadership to recommend strategic deployment of efficient processes, technology-related policies, software tools and related training programs.

* Work closely with practice management and internal communications teams to build consistent and effective communication campaigns including developing and maintaining collateral describing firm and client innovation solutions.

* Serve as a bridge between technical teams, legal stakeholders, and impacted firm personnel translating business needs into actionable tech solutions, thus building change management processes for practice groups.

Supervisory Responsibilities

* Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws

* Plans, assigns, and directs work

* Conducts performance evaluations

* Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems

* Bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology, business administration, or a related field; advanced degree or relevant certifications preferred.

* JD, MBA or equivalent business qualification is a plus.

* Minimum of 6 years of relevant experience in project management, legal practice, legal operations, or technology roles, preferably within large law firms or technology/AI domains.

* Experience supporting and driving cross-functional projects involving legal technology, knowledge management, technology teams, and practice group leadership.

* Direct experience with legal technology use and adoption, legal innovation, or practice operations.

* Experience with PMO design and management, multi-phased strategic planning, and leveraging project management tools and frameworks is preferred.

* Experience with alternative legal service/managed service providers and models (e.g., document review teams) is a plus.

* Extensive budgeting experience, including forecasting and managing significant capital and expense budgets preferred.

* Strong understanding of emerging technologies such as AI/ML and their business impact; demonstrated interest in legal tech and innovation.

* Experience with core legal technologies such as iManage, Elite 3E, Intapp, Litera, Thomson Reuters, Lexis, or similar platforms.

* Experience with generative AI solutions used in legal practice is preferred.

* Understanding of IT infrastructure, software development, data management, cybersecurity, and AI best practices.

* Experience leveraging technology usage data and metrics for insights and storytelling.

* Strategic visionary with the ability to translate business goals into actionable technology roadmaps in a legal setting.

* Strong analytical ability and experience in leveraging AI, analytics, and automation to improve business operations

Current anticipated salary range for applicants as required by applicable state laws is $140,000 - $185,000 in Minneapolis. Current anticipated salary range for applicants as required by applicable state laws is $150,000 - $200,000 in Washington DC . Actual salary will vary and may be above or below the range. Full comprehensive benefit plan including health care, retirement plan and paid days off, including PTO, parental leave, and short/long term disability.

The application window is anticipated to close on or after November 15, 2025.

We celebrate and support diversity and the benefits it brings to our workplaces, clients and communities. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. It is the employment policy and practice of Lathrop GPM to recruit and hire employees without discrimination because of race, color, sex, gender, religion, age, national origin, military status, genetic information, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other status protected by applicable law.

Lathrop GPM LLP offers a competitive compensation and benefits package, and a professional, challenging, yet comfortable working environment. Lathrop GPM does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiting agencies. Any resume submitted to any employee of Lathrop GPM without prior approval from an HR Manager will be considered unsolicited and the property of Lathrop GPM.

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