Practice Innovation Attorney - Intellectual Property
About the role
The Practice Innovation Attorney (Intellectual Property) will serve as a strategic partner driving innovation, operational improvement, and technology-enabled transformation across core workflows, with a focus on artificial intelligence and emerging legal technologies. This role will work closely with attorneys, practice leadership, knowledge management, practice innovation, IT, and other business teams to identify high-value opportunities to improve legal service delivery, enhance efficiency, and support exceptional client service. The ideal candidate will combine legal experience, knowledge management, product and process thinking, and project leadership to lead the development and implementation of practical, responsible, and scalable solutions leveraging AI, document automation, workflow redesign, and knowledge tools.
Responsibilities
- Practice-Focused Innovation Leadership
- Lead innovation and knowledge management efforts for the Intellectual Property practice.
- Partner with practice leadership and key stakeholders to identify and advance opportunities to improve legal service delivery, workflows, and client experience.
- Workflow Design and Process Improvement
- Evaluate and redesign Intellectual Property workflows to improve efficiency, consistency, and scalability.
- Develop standardized tools and materials such as playbooks, templates, checklists, clause libraries, and decision trees.
- Collaborate with Practice Analytics and Pricing, Practice Support, and Knowledge teams to enhance matter planning and delivery.
- Legal Technology, AI, and Product Development
- Help identify and implement legal technology solutions that support the Intellectual Property practice, including automation, AI, patent and trademark management, prosecution tracking, workflow tools, and dashboards.
- Develop practical AI use cases, workflows, prompts, and guidance for legal service delivery in Intellectual Property.
- Prototype and refine solutions based on user feedback to support adoption and impact.
- Partner with firm technology, innovation, and KM teams to ensure alignment with platforms, governance, and security standards.
- Track emerging legal technology and market trends to inform practice transformation.
- Change Management, Training, and Adoption
- Drive adoption of new tools, workflows, and ways of working across the Intellectual Property practice.
- Design and deliver training, workshops, and practical enablement materials.
- Act as a visible champion for innovation and continuous improvement.
- Support pilots, user feedback, and iterative development to strengthen engagement and adoption.
- Project Management and Strategic Execution
- Lead innovation initiatives from concept through implementation.
- Define priorities, goals, success metrics, timelines, risks, and resource needs.
- Track and communicate project progress, outcomes, adoption, and ROI to firm and practice leadership.
- Contribute to broader firm innovation efforts and promote cross-functional best practices.
- Client and Business Development Support
- Articulate the firm’s innovation capabilities and technology-enabled delivery model within Intellectual Property.
- Develop case studies and materials that demonstrate impact.
- Help lawyers present technology-enabled solutions to clients in a practical manner.
- Support client-facing innovation efforts, including collaborating on pitches, RFPs, presentations, and showcases.
Qualifications
- JD required.
- Minimum of three (3) years of experience as a practicing attorney in an Am Law 200 firm or three (3) years of relevant legal innovation, knowledge management, or legal technology experience, or a combination of three (3) years of practicing and legal innovation experience.
- Must have experience managing projects and coordinating across cross-functional teams.
- Proven ability to build credibility with partners, lawyers, and business professionals and to influence change in a professional services setting.
Pay
The following salary ranges represent the full compensation range for this position. The actual offered amount will be between the range minimum and midpoint based on factors such as education, experience, geographic market, and internal pay equity at Foley.
- Detroit, Jacksonville, Madison, Miami, Milwaukee, Orlando, Salt Lake City, and Tampa: $130,900 to $196,400
- Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, and San Diego: $144,000 to $216,000
- Los Angeles: $150,500 to $225,900
- Boston, New York City, and Washington D.C.: $157,100 to $235,700
- Silicon Valley, San Francisco: $163,600 to $245,500
Benefits
- Paid Time Off
- Paid Holidays
- Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
- 401(k) Retirement plan
- Disability and Life insurance
- Adoption Assistance
- Backup Care for Dependents
About Foley & Lardner
Foley is an Am Law 50 law firm consistently ranked among top-tier practices. With over 1,100 lawyers in 26 offices across the United States, Mexico, Europe, and Asia, our market-leading platform includes Corporate, Intellectual Property, and Litigation. We focus on four primary sectors: Energy, Health Care & Life Sciences, Innovative Technology, and Manufacturing. We look beyond the law to focus on the constantly evolving demands facing our clients and act as trusted business advisors to deliver creative, practical, and effective solutions. For nearly two centuries, Foley has maintained its commitment to the highest level of innovative legal services and to the stewardship of our people, firm, clients, and the communities we serve.