Director of Research & Intelligence - Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP
Chicago, IL 60654
About the Job
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP, a global Am Law 50 firm, is currently seeking a Director of Research & Intelligence.
This position can be based in any of our U.S. offices listed. The offices we are considering are Century City, Downtown Los Angeles, Orange County, Downtown San Diego, Del Mar, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Chicago, New York, Dallas, Houston and Washington DC. There is only one opening.
This position can be based in any of our U.S. offices listed. The offices we are considering are Century City, Downtown Los Angeles, Orange County, Downtown San Diego, Del Mar, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Chicago, New York, Dallas, Houston and Washington DC. There is only one opening.
The Director of Research & Intelligence leads the Firm’s research and intelligence function and manages the portfolio of research resources. The Director oversees a team of research professionals and operations specialists who provide legal and business research services to support practices and administrative functions. They establish processes and procedures to ensure information needs are addressed efficiently and effectively. They manage the Firm’s portfolio of research and intelligence resources, critically evaluating existing tools and potential additions to ensure the collection aligns with the Firm’s evolving needs and maximizes the return on the Firm’s investment. The Director manages vendor relationships, negotiating competitive business terms, managing subscription contracts and overseeing budgeting and invoicing. They collaborate closely with practice leaders, Talent Management, Practice Management, Marketing, IT and others to promote adoption of and sustained engagement with the Firm’s research resources.
This role requires extensive knowledge of research best practices and legal and business research resources; a proven track record of building and managing high-performing, geographically distributed teams; ability to communicate effectively with all levels of the organization; and a collaborative, solution-focused approach.
The Director is expected to perform all duties with a commitment to superior service, quality work product and an atmosphere of teamwork and continuous improvement. They are responsible for ensuring the Research & Intelligence team delivers results in a manner which is consistent with the Firm’s visions and values.
This role requires extensive knowledge of research best practices and legal and business research resources; a proven track record of building and managing high-performing, geographically distributed teams; ability to communicate effectively with all levels of the organization; and a collaborative, solution-focused approach.
The Director is expected to perform all duties with a commitment to superior service, quality work product and an atmosphere of teamwork and continuous improvement. They are responsible for ensuring the Research & Intelligence team delivers results in a manner which is consistent with the Firm’s visions and values.
Responsibilities:
- Guides research professionals in providing legal and business research services, ensuring scope and requirements are well defined, desired results are understood and deliverables address the need
- Establishes priorities and oversees work assignments to ensure requesters receive the support they need
- Establishes best practices, procedures and templates and facilitates training within the team to ensure consistency and increase efficiency
- Leads identification, evaluation and selection, and implementation of research solutions to address the firm’s information needs
- Builds collaborative relationships with practice leaders, practitioners and business professionals across the firm
- Collaborates with Talent Management, Practice Management, Marketing and others to establish on-going training and encourage adoption of research resources
- Oversees special projects to support the on-going operations of the Research & Intelligence team and Knowledge & Innovation department
- Recruits, develops and manages the Research & Intelligence team to meet the evolving demand for legal and business research services
- Promotes a culture of knowledge sharing and creative problem solving, as well as strategies for increasing engagement with the firm’s research resources
Essential Functions of Job:
- Oversees work product to ensure information is delivered in concise, easily consumed formats that align with the legal and business need
- Manages the budget, subscription terms and invoicing for all research resources which includes monitoring expenses, evaluating usage and relevance and coordinating the renewal, deprecation and/or retirement of resources
- Manges vendor relationships to ensure business terms align with the firm’s needs and required support is readily available
- Oversees on-boarding, on-going training and off-boarding of lawyers and business professionals
Supervisory Responsibilities:
Direct supervision and professional development of firm employees and indirect supervision of contracted staff
Qualifications and Experience
Required Qualifications:
- Minimum 10 years’ experience as a research professional in a law firm or similar environment
- Minimum seven years’ experience managing research professionals, preferably in a law firm or similar environment
- Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills with ability to connect with lawyers and professionals at all levels
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex workstreams with competing deadlines and priorities and direct the activities of others
- Customer service orientation with high attention to detail and strong organizational and process management skills
- Demonstrated ability to think strategically to define business goals, set priorities, manage resources, and deliver results with minimal direct supervision
- High degree of emotional intelligence and professionalism consistent with the firm’s vision and values
Preferred Qualifications:
Deep knowledge of the firm’s practices and the core information needs relevant to each area
Education
Required: Bachelor Degree in research-related discipline
Preferred: Masters of Library Science or similar advanced degree preferred
Computer/Software Knowledge
Required:
Deep knowledge of the firm’s practices and the core information needs relevant to each area
Education
Required: Bachelor Degree in research-related discipline
Preferred: Masters of Library Science or similar advanced degree preferred
Computer/Software Knowledge
Required:
- Deep knowledge of the legal and business research tools leveraged across the firm
- Substantial knowledge of MS Office products, MS Teams, OneNote and similar communication and collaboration tools
Preferred:
Familiarity with AI-related technologies including Large Language Models (LLMs), Generative AI and legal-specific platforms
Work Environment
Familiarity with AI-related technologies including Large Language Models (LLMs), Generative AI and legal-specific platforms
Work Environment
- The current Firm policy is hybrid–working in the office a minimum of 3 days per week and working from home the rest of the week (subject to change)
- Evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand
California: The salary range for this position is $160,000 to $200,000 per year.
New York: The pay range for this position is: $160,000 - $200,000 per year. Please note that the foregoing compensation information is a good-faith assessment associated with this position only and is provided pursuant to the New York City Salary Transparency Law.
New York: The pay range for this position is: $160,000 - $200,000 per year. Please note that the foregoing compensation information is a good-faith assessment associated with this position only and is provided pursuant to the New York City Salary Transparency Law.
#LI-CW1 #LI-Hybrid #LI-Fulltime #LI-Director
We will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance and the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance.
Sheppard Mullin is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital status, protected medical condition, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected by law.
Source : Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP