K&L Gates is a global community of entrepreneurs and self-starters. We are focused on innovation, collaboration, and are constantly striving for excellence in our client service and culture. We know that our firm is only as strong as the collective efforts of our people. By experiencing K&L Gates, you will thrive in a dynamic legal landscape where we invest in your career path and talent development. With a global presence and lawyers with top-tier skills in a multitude of practice areas, K&L Gates is truly a one-of-a-kind firm at which to grow your career.
We have a new exciting opportunity for a Practice Innovation Counsel.
Job Summary:
The Regional Practice Innovation Counsel is an execution-focused role dedicated to implementing and delivering innovation, technology and AI solutions that improve legal workflows and client service. This position works directly with lawyers in our practice groups to identify practical opportunities for AI implementation, configure and test tools, and ensure successful deployment and adoption of new technologies.
The Counsel will work with lawyers and practice groups to evaluate, develop, implement, and scale AI-enabled workflows, tools, and use cases that support legal service delivery. This is a role for a doer—someone who thrives on rolling up their sleeves, solving problems, and making technology work in real-world legal practice.
By bridging legal, business, and technical expertise, the Practice Innovation Counsel ensures safe, effective, and compliant implementation of tools that help the firm stay competitive and deliver tangible results.
Essential duties:
- Work closely with lawyers to identify opportunities for AI-driven improvements in workflows and client service.
- Translate lawyer needs into clear, practical AI use cases, focusing on simplicity and feasibility for immediate implementation.
- Support and collaborate with the AI Solution Group Chairs, Global AI and Innovation Partner, AI in Action Chair, the Director of Practice Innovation and Knowledge Management, Practice Innovation Lawyers, Digital Technology, lawyers and other professionals or stakeholders to identify, develop, test, and implement practical AI use cases.
- Coordinate with leadership, Technology, and AI teams on complex matters or solutions requiring advanced technical input, governance review, or bespoke development.
- Utilize existing AI tools such as Microsoft Copilot, Legora, CoCounsel, Vincent AI, and similar platforms to design and implement solutions for identified use cases.For complex scenarios where existing tools are insufficient, coordinate with technology and AI teams to evaluate, develop, and deploy bespoke solutions that meet business requirements.
- Conduct testing and validation of AI solutions to ensure accuracy, compliance, security, and usability within legal workflows.
- Provide training, coaching, and guidance to lawyers and business professionals on implemented AI tools and workflows to ensure successful adoption.
- Lead change management and adoption activities associated with technology and AI implementations.
- Document use cases, requirements, lessons learned, and implementation methodologies to support repeatable processes, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement across practice groups.
- Ensure regional implementation insights are incorporated into broader innovation and knowledge management initiatives.
- Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of deployed AI solutions, using KPIs and ROI metrics to measure impact, identify opportunities for improvement, and support matter planning and pricing discussions.
- Stay informed and connected to professional networks on emerging AI technologies, legal technology trends, and innovation best practices, sharing insights and recommendations that align with firm objectives.
- Undertake ongoing professional and technical development to maintain expertise in AI, legal technology, innovation, and knowledge management disciplines.
Experience and skills required:
- Juris Doctor (JD), LLB, or equivalent law degree required; qualified lawyer admitted in a European jurisdiction strongly preferred.
- Minimum of ten years of experience practicing as a lawyer within a law firm, corporate legal department, or professional services environment required.
- Experience or credentials in AI, legal technology, knowledge management, practice innovation, legal operations, project management, change management, technical training, coding, or software development are highly desirable.
- Proven ability to lead technology, AI, workflow automation, or innovation implementations from concept through adoption, including scoping, requirements gathering, testing, rollout, training, and continuous improvement.
- Strong ability to understand, map, and translate legal workflows into practical technology-enabled processes, requirements, use cases, prompts, agents, automations, and implementation plans.
- Working knowledge of legal, regulatory, professional responsibility, privacy, data protection, information governance, and enterprise security requirements relevant to the safe use of AI and legal technology.
- Hands-on proficiency with the firm's core productivity, AI, and legal technology tools, including Microsoft 365, Microsoft Copilot, Power Platform, Power Automate, Legora, CoCounsel, Vincent AI, and similar platforms.
- Demonstrated ability to influence change, build trust with partners and lawyers, communicate complex technical concepts clearly, and drive adoption through practical facilitation, training, and stakeholder engagement.
- Strong project and program management capability, including the ability to manage competing priorities, coordinate cross-functional teams, track dependencies, and deliver practical outcomes across multiple concurrent initiatives.
- Ability to define and measure KPIs, develop ROI analyses, and use data-driven evaluation techniques to support process improvement and decision-making.
- Mature appreciation of law firm operations, governance structures, economics, and cultural dynamics, with sound judgment, discretion, and awareness of when issues require escalation.
- Experience working across multiple jurisdictions, cultures, and time zones within an international organization; additional European language capabilities are advantageous.
Full job spec attached.
