Director, Practice Applications

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the operational framework for the Practice Applications function, including product ownership structure, intake and prioritization processes, release management, performance metrics, and delivery standards.
• Recruit, lead, mentor, and develop a team of AI Product Managers, fostering strong product management practices across product discovery, roadmap development, implementation, release management, and performance measurement.
• Establish and promote a collaborative, business-focused, and results-oriented team culture centered on delivering effective legal technology and AI solutions that support attorney and client needs.
• Oversee team resource allocation and portfolio management across practice groups, business functions, and strategic initiatives based on operational priorities, complexity, and business impact.
• Product Ownership of AI and Legal Tech Portfolio
• Oversee the firm’s portfolio of legal technology and AI-enabled applications, including product strategy, roadmap development, configuration, integrations, release management, and lifecycle governance.
• Partner with Data Science & AI Engineering leadership to evaluate and recommend build-versus-buy technology strategies based on business needs, operational efficiency, scalability, and strategic value.
• Establish and monitor key product performance metrics, including user adoption, engagement, satisfaction, efficiency gains, quality improvements, and business impact.
• Lead and maintain strong product management practices, including stakeholder discovery, backlog prioritization, roadmap planning, release coordination, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Horizon Scanning & Market Intelligence

• Monitor emerging trends, technologies, vendors, pricing models, and market developments within the legal AI and legal technology landscape, including insights from peer firms, alternative legal service providers, and industry organizations.
• Lead structured technology evaluation and innovation initiatives, including vendor assessments, proof-of-concept programs, pilot processes, and strategic market analysis to support firmwide technology planning and investment decisions.
• Provide data-driven recommendations and strategic guidance to firm leadership and practice groups regarding emerging legal technologies, market opportunities, and technology adoption priorities.
• Develop and maintain strong external relationships with technology vendors, industry peers, professional organizations, and the broader legal innovation and AI community to support strategic partnerships and industry engagement.

Adoption & Training

• Lead product adoption and change management initiatives by establishing adoption goals, monitoring utilization metrics, reporting on performance, and implementing strategies to improve user engagement and product effectiveness.
• Partner with Talent Development and IT training teams to develop and deliver onboarding programs, role-based training, continuing education resources, certification pathways, and ongoing learning initiatives aligned with evolving technologies and business needs.
• Foster a network of internal product champions and key stakeholders to support user engagement, encourage knowledge sharing, gather feedback, and promote effective utilization of firm technologies.
• Collaborate with the Knowledge Management & Innovation team to ensure technology adoption strategies are effectively integrated into practice group workflows and day-to-day operations.

User Experience & Continuous Improvement

• Oversee the end-user experience across the firm’s legal technology and AI application portfolio, ensuring solutions are intuitive, effective, and aligned with attorney and business user needs.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives through user research, utilization analytics, support trend analysis, and stakeholder feedback to identify opportunities for product enhancements, configuration improvements, training updates, and strategic roadmap adjustments.
• Manage vendor performance and accountability by monitoring product quality, user experience standards, service delivery expectations, and ongoing platform improvements.

Vendor Relationships & Commercial Stewardship

• Manage the firm’s strategic vendor relationships across the legal technology and AI portfolio, including vendor evaluation, onboarding, operational oversight, renewals, and lifecycle management.
• Lead vendor selection and procurement initiatives, including RFPs, proof-of-concept evaluations, business case development, security and risk assessments, and contract negotiations aligned with firm objectives and user needs.
• Oversee contract management, pricing negotiations, and renewal processes in partnership with Procurement, Finance, Risk, and Legal teams, with a focus on confidentiality, data governance, intellectual property protections, regulatory compliance, and overall cost management.
• Develop and maintain strong executive-level relationships with key technology vendors to support strategic alignment, product influence, service quality, and ongoing platform enhancements.

Collaboration Across the Firm

• Collaborate closely with the Director of Data Science & AI Engineering on technology strategy, build-versus-buy decisions, platform integrations, shared solutions, and coordinated product roadmaps.
• Partner with the Director of Knowledge Management & Innovation to ensure legal technology and AI solutions align with practice group priorities, operational workflows, and broader innovation initiatives.
• Work with CIO/IT leadership and technology teams to support infrastructure, security, identity management, system integrations, and operational support for the firm’s legal technology portfolio.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to practice and business leaders by communicating technology options, strategic recommendations, and operational considerations in a clear, practical, and business-focused manner.