Research Specialist

About the role

The Research Specialist provides timely, cost-effective legal, business, and general research services to attorneys, paralegals, administrative departments, and firm leadership. This role supports practice, client development, and strategic initiatives by delivering accurate research, actionable analysis, current awareness, and guidance on the effective use of research resources.

Responsibilities

• Conduct legal, business, legislative, docket, public records, and general reference research using appropriate electronic and print resources.
• Respond to routine and complex research requests from attorneys, paralegals, administrative staff, and firm leadership with timely, accurate, and cost-conscious results.
• Support business development and client-service initiatives by preparing company profiles, market and industry research, litigation history, transaction research, and competitive intelligence reports.
• Create and maintain current awareness alerts and tracking services for legal, business, regulatory, litigation, client, and market developments.
• Train attorneys and staff on research strategy, source selection, tool functionality, best practices, and emerging technologies.
• Assess new legal research, business intelligence, data analytics, and generative AI tools, and recommend practical improvements to workflows and deliverables.
• Track, document, and close research requests using request-management and timekeeping systems.
• Regular computer-based work using online research platforms and communication by phone, email, and video.
• Pre-approved overtime may occasionally be required.
• Serve on-call on a rotating basis to support research requests after normal business hours and on weekends and holidays.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; a combination of relevant education and professional experience may be considered.
• Law degree, Master of Library/Information Science degree, or equivalent advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of two years of legal, business, corporate, academic, special library, or professional services research experience preferred; law firm experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated proficiency with major legal, business, news, docket, public records, and financial research resources, including platforms such as Westlaw, Lexis, Bloomberg Law, VitalLaw, PACER, CourtLink, Capital IQ, FactSet, and Intelligize.
• Excellent analytical, writing, editing, communication, and client service skills, with the ability to convert complex information into practical insights.
• Sound professional judgment, discretion, attention to detail, and ability to manage competing deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with research colleagues, attorneys, practice groups, administrative departments, and other stakeholders.
• Technical proficiency with Microsoft Office, collaboration tools, workflow systems, and approved emerging technologies, including responsible use and validation of generative AI tools.
• Commitment to staying current with legal industry trends, research best practices, and information-resource developments.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health and wellness plan.
• Life and disability insurance.
• Flexible spending accounts and a health savings account.
• 401(k) plan and profit sharing plan.
• Substantial Paid Time Off (PTO) program.

Pay

Pay Transparency Range:

• Chicago, Denver and Sacramento: $82,987 - $103,734
• New York, San Francisco and Silicon Valley: $90,530 - $113,163
• Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles: $86,758 - $108,448

The salary offer will be contingent upon various factors, including but not limited to, relevant experience, internal equity, market data, job location, and other job-related factors permitted by law.