Senior Research Analyst

About the role

We are a Firm where people truly believe in what they do and strive to achieve the highest standards of performance and success. This position can be based in our global operations center in Tampa, FL, or at one of the Firm's offices: Atlanta, Austin, Birmingham, Charlotte, Chattanooga, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Jacksonville, Miami, Nashville, Orlando, Philadelphia, Richmond, Stamford, Tallahassee, Tysons, Washington, D.C., or West Palm Beach.

Responsibilities

• Respond to complex legal, corporate, and industry research requests, meeting the daily information needs of firm lawyers, business professionals and clients using industry-standard databases and tools.
• Conduct research at an advanced level, evaluating sources, organizing findings into high-quality work product, managing workflow priorities and deadlines with sound judgment and accountability, and taking a proactive role in promoting Research Services tools, offerings, and services throughout the firm.
• Lead research strategy for all sophisticated queries.
• Evaluate sources and organize information into high-quality work product sent directly to firm lawyers, business professionals or clients.
• Exercise judgment and accountability in prioritizing billable workflow and either meeting or communicating effectively around deadlines.
• Provide and implement current awareness and litigation alerting, particularly as part of firm’s industry sector and business development initiatives.
• Lead group and individual instruction on research techniques, methodologies, and strategies.
• Train firm lawyers and business professionals on the functionality and usefulness of information resources, including industry standard legal and corporate databases.
• Proactively promote research tools, offerings and services through participation in practice group, section, industry, and team meetings as assigned research liaison.
• Develop and maintain a keen understanding of the information needs, workflow, and preferences of users and stakeholders in order to support and improve ease of access to information.
• Complete required knowledge management and record keeping, including time entry for all billable and lawyer-facing research, metadata entry for all time billed, metadata entry for all research requests, and compilation of all research communication and components in firm research intake platform.
• Assess and report on resource or technology needs, as well as collection strengths and weaknesses, through conversations with firm lawyers and other key stakeholders.
• Advance improvements in research workflow efficiency and output through the use of technology including AI tools, standardized research templates, knowledge creation, and other solutions that enhance quality, consistency, and speed.
• Attend research training, legal vendor training, knowledge sharing sessions, and other continuing education toward maintaining highest quality service output.
• Lead research team committees focused on clear project outputs such as intranet and ERM maintenance, hiring, subscription audit and review, etc.
• Support the firm's information resource stewardship, complying with all information security, privacy, confidentiality and licensing requirements while educating all users on the same.
• Collaborate with members of the Knowledge Management and Artificial Intelligence teams to support the goals of the Knowledge & Innovation Department.
• Expected to maintain a regular and predictable work schedule and full attention to and engagement in work activities on behalf of the firm during business hours unless otherwise approved or required by applicable law.
• Special projects and duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Advanced legal, corporate, and industry research skills, including the ability to identify relevant authority and information sources, evaluate credibility and currency, and clearly explain research scope, methodology, and findings.
• Demonstrated ability to scope, lead, and execute complex, multi-step research requests; conduct effective reference interviews; organize information logically; and deliver high-quality work product.
• Strong critical thinking, sound professional judgment, attention to detail, discretion, accountability, and independent problem-solving skills, including the ability to anticipate attorney research needs and recommend practical information solutions.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, including active listening, clear writing, professional speaking, and the ability to engage stakeholders effectively.
• Demonstrated ability to teach, train, and promote research services, tools, and best practices to firm lawyers, business professionals, practice groups, and industry sector groups.
• Demonstrated team and project leadership, including mentoring junior researchers, supporting team upskilling, sharing knowledge, and collaboration.
• Advanced understanding of legal systems, legal industry trends, research methods, and efficient, cost-effective strategies across legal and non-legal information sources, including generative AI.
• Proficiency with MS Office Suite, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Copilot; ability to adapt to new technologies and workflows; and basic troubleshooting skills for common access issues involving databases and online content.
• Independently motivated, team-minded, and committed to continuing education, including proactive professional development, self-awareness of knowledge gaps, effective prioritization, and stress management.

Skills

• Advanced legal, corporate, and industry research skills.
• Ability to identify relevant authority and information sources, evaluate credibility and currency.
• Clear explanation of research scope, methodology, and findings.
• Scoping, leading, and executing complex, multi-step research requests.
• Effective reference interviews.
• Organizing information logically.
• Teaching, training, and promoting research services, tools, and best practices.
• Leading and mentoring junior researchers.
• Adapting to new technologies and workflows.
• Basic troubleshooting skills for common access issues involving databases and online content.
• Proactive professional development.

Benefits

Our goal is to promote a work environment in which individuals have access to the resources they need to be their best both professionally and personally, which includes resources that encourage individuals to focus on their health and well-being.

• Comprehensive medical (PPO and HDHPs), dental and vision plans including coverage for domestic partners;
• Life and AD&D insurance;
• Short and long term disability insurance;
• Tax-advantaged accounts for health care expenses, including FSAs and HSAs;
• FSAs for dependent care;
• Health advocacy services;
• Behavioral health and counseling resources for all family members;
• 401(k);
• Profit sharing;
• Backup dependent care;
• Senior care planning support;
• Resources for individuals with development disabilities and their caregivers;
• Paid holidays and other paid time off, including paid leave for new parents.

Pay

The pay range(s) for this position are listed below. These ranges may not be applicable to other locations. An individual's actual compensation will depend on the individual's qualifications and experience.

• District of Columbia: $103,000.00 - $155,000.00 per year
• Tysons: $95,000.00 - $142,000.00 per year
• Richmond: $86,000.00 - $129,000.00 per year