Innovation Counsel
About this role
Key relationships:
- Disputes Practice Leader / Innovation Partner Champions across Disputes
- Knowledge Counsel
- Practice Group Head of Strategy & Operations and wider Disputes Operations Team including LOPM and BD leads
- Practice Group-aligned Legal Tech / Product Manager (and automation / data specialists as needed)
- Central Innovation and Knowledge teams (firmwide)
- Disputes leadership, lawyers, and client teams
Core responsibilities
Innovation and Technology
Evaluate and shape the application of AI tools (such as Copilot and Harvey) to Disputes workflows, including document analysis, drafting, and workflow automation, in line with practice group and firmwide strategic priorities. Design strategically aligned innovation and process solutions for the Disputes teams and, where appropriate, for Disputes clients. Identify areas for improvement and provide legal input into new innovation ideas (i.e. new products and services). Serve as the "subject matter expert bridge" between fee-earning teams and central innovation and operations functions. Stay abreast of the latest advancements in legal technology, disputes practice, and knowledge management to identify opportunities and drive collaboration. Support data capture and the development of data-driven insights, including Power BI dashboards for financial, operational and client-facing metrics.
Service Delivery
In collaboration with the Legal Operations and Project Management (LOPM) Business Partner, act as the key legal subject matter expert to design and document Practice Group-specific “ways of working” for priority worktypes - covering the end-to-end process, templates, knowledge assets, tools, resources and supporting guidance. Expand process automation across Disputes workflows, templates and client workstreams.
Work closely with PG Head of Strategy & Operations, LOPM Business Partner and PG-aligned Legal Tech resources, to ensure alignment with firmwide strategy and drive implementation of PG strategy and business plans.
Work closely with the LOPM Business Partner and Legal Tech team to embed the right tools into standardised ways of working. Continuously improve these as each Practice Group’s model evolves and maintain the uniquely CMS approach to those.
Work with Knowledge Counsel, develop and maintain new knowledge assets such as use cases, case studies, prompts, playbooks to support these ways of working, as well as any PG-specific AI related knowledge content.
Share lessons learned and successes, and spot opportunities to support further developments across the practice.
Knowledge, Training and Clients
Train, upskill and support lawyers and teams to adopt new ways of working and legal technology consistently.
Be an active member of the Innovation Pillar of the Disputes Strategy, acting as an Innovation Rep and working to foster a culture of continuous innovation. Collaborate with key internal relationships (above) to design and deliver strategically aligned, creative and innovative solutions internally for the Disputes team and externally for Disputes clients.
Support client-facing activity: contribute to pitches, co-design client solutions, and identify opportunities to deliver tech-enabled support to clients that strengthens our relationships.
What’s in it for you?
We want to reward you today and help you plan for tomorrow. We appreciate that everyone is different, therefore we have designed a benefits system that offers choice and flexibility based on individual needs and lifestyles. To name a few, these include:
Competitive basic salary (reviewed annually)
Flexible, hybrid working policy
Generous bonus scheme
Up to 25 days holiday (rising to 28 days with service)
Holiday exchange scheme
Private medical insurance
Enhanced parental leave
Reasonable adjustments and accommodation for disabled talent in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.
If you would like to read more information regarding our range of benefits, please visit our Rewards & Benefits page on our website.
Please note that we have a preferred agency panel in place. Only applications submitted via the portal at the point of instruction will be accepted.
Company at a glance
Are you a MENA-based business seeking investments abroad, or a multinational looking to enter, establish or grow your business interests in the dynamic markets of MENA? With our lawyers based throughout the key regional commercial centres, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iraq, Lebanon, Morocco, Algeria and Turkey, CMS MENA has the resources and expertise to support all aspects of your business.
If you’re looking for new markets, investment opportunities, implementation of new strategies or have a dispute to resolve, we have specialist teams of over 125 lawyers on the ground to help across some of the region’s most exciting economies. Our local knowledge and business savvy approach means we give you both commercial and legal insight to make the most of the opportunities in the region. Our sector focus gives us a comprehensive understanding of our clients’ businesses and markets and allows us to constantly deliver sound and commercially relevant advice from any of our offices We focus on relationships, not deals, and we are considered more approachable and accessible than many of our competitors. Our clients tell us that they like working with us and that we’re often seen as the human face of the law.
International law firm CMS has over 5,000 lawyers in 79 locations worldwide to help organisations thrive in changing times. Through our technical rigour, strategic expertise and deep focus on building long-term partnerships, we are committed to putting our clients and their business success first.
Top Benefits
- Competitive Basic Salary
- Flexible Hybrid Working Policy
- Generous Bonus Scheme
- Up To 25 Days Holiday
- Holiday Exchange Scheme
- Private Medical Insurance
- Enhanced Parental Leave
- Reasonable Adjustments And Accommodation For Disabled Talent
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