Director of OD Labs
Position Summary
OD Labs is Ogletree Deakins' applied AI and innovation unit, built to develop the next generation of legal service models, technology products, and client-facing capabilities at one of the country’s leading labor and employment firms. The firm has made a sustained institutional commitment to AI. OD Labs is the next phase where we turn that investment into a product. The Director of OD Labs will build and lead this function from the ground up, with a mandate to launch the AI Incubator, develop a client-facing product roadmap, and scale OD Labs into a revenue-contributing business unit. This role has direct executive sponsorship from firm executive leadership and reports to the Chief Data and AI Officer.
About the Role
We are looking for a senior leader who has built production AI systems inside law firms or legal services organizations, knows how to earn trust with attorneys and clients, and is ready to run an innovation function.
Essential Functions
Develop OD Labs as a standalone function within the firm, with full accountability for strategy, prioritization, performance, and results
Build and own the OD Labs product roadmap, incorporating input from clients, attorneys, and firm leadership to identify and sequence opportunities
Design and launch client-facing services and products, managing the full lifecycle from concept and validation through commercialization and scaled deployment
Run controlled pilots with clear success metrics; make disciplined scale and stop decisions based on evidence
Partner directly with attorneys, leadership, and key clients to surface use cases, co-design solutions, and build sustained engagement with the innovation program
Engage the firm’s Client Services team to position OD Labs services as part of client pitches, RFP responses, and relationship development
Present initiative results, roadmap updates, and resource requests to the OD Labs governance group and firm leadership
Recruit, develop, and manage the OD Labs team; build the case for headcount expansion as the function matures
Represent the firm externally as a thought leader in legal AI and innovation through conferences, client engagements, and industry publications
Ensure AI governance and responsible data handling principles are integrated into all OD Labs initiatives, coordinating with the firm's cybersecurity, data privacy, and AI governance functions to meet client expectations and regulatory requirements
Requirements
10+ years of experience building and deploying technology solutions for law firms or legal services organizations
5+ years of experience with AI, machine learning, or advanced automation systems, including recent production-grade work with large language models and agentic frameworks
Deep expertise with one or more enterprise AI platforms at the production level, including hands-on experience across models, APIs, and agentic frameworks; familiarity with the Anthropic Claude platform is a significant advantage
Demonstrated experience building AI systems in client-sensitive environments, with working knowledge of data governance frameworks, AI risk management, and enterprise security requirements
Experience building and leading high-performing, cross-functional teams spanning engineering, data science, and design
Demonstrated ability to work directly with law firm leadership, practice group chairs, and major clients in a client-facing capacity
Experience designing and delivering AI-powered products across core legal workflows, including document review, generative drafting, contract analysis, and client intelligence
Strong executive presence and communication skills, with the ability to translate between legal, business, and technical audiences at senior levels
Track record of running large-scale AI training and adoption programs, including hackathons, practice-area playbooks, and sustained attorney engagement
Experience with legal operations, billing analytics, and/or data products is a significant advantage
Benefits
Paid Time Off
Paid Sick Leave
A 401(k) matching program
Profit Sharing
Paid Holidays
Paid Parental Leave
Affordable Health and Life Insurance including Dental & Vision coverage
Health Savings Account / Flexible Spending Accounts to help offset the cost of dependent care and/or health care expenses
Tuition Reimbursement
An Employee Assistance Program
Contact Information
If you have questions, please e-mail Megan Becker at megan.becker@ogletree.com with “Director of OD Labs" in the subject line. Please note, applications submitted via e-mail will not be considered.