Legal Technology Business Partner

Birmingham, England, United Kingdom

12/1/2024

Application Deadline: 5 January 2025

Department: Litigation Services and Dispute Resolution - Managed Legal Services - MLS Leadership - MLS Leadership - 3899

Location: Flexible

Description

The successful candidate will be a driving force behind the ongoing management and growth of the IT & Legal Tech solutions offered via our Managed Legal Services business. The candidate will have a key client facing role with our "Regulatory", "General Counsel" and our "External" client base. Providing assistance to the central IT team when requested.

This role includes market engagement with technology providers, scoping projects directly with clients and working with other internal stakeholders to find cost efficient and compliant technological solutions that are relevant to support our clients with their legal operational projects. The individual will be expected to manage and implement client facing technological solutions in conjunction with our legal experts and our CIO team, optimising use of the tools already procured by the practice. They will also be responsible for liaising with our CIO and InfoSec teams to ensure good governance of all Managed Legal Services work from a technological perspective.


What you will be doing:

Market Engagement: representing the Managed Legal Services team across the Ampa Professional Services Group and more widely in the external market - in respect of all technological and communication aspects of our client work. This will involve attending client briefings, events and conferences, providing presentations and developing thought leadership and other content.

Horizon Scanning: the individual will work with our Knowledge Management and CIO team (as requested by them) to conduct horizon scanning and will be expected to map the market, following key trends, desktop research, meeting with Legal Tech companies and learning about their businesses, understanding relevance to the Managed Legal Services offering and updating these contacts and relationships in our CRM.

Working closely with our CIO function and MLS business leaders to gather Request for Change from the Managed Legal Services team and adhere to the change management committee process.

Oversight of the delivery of the Managed Legal Services offering in respect of all IT & Legal Tech concerns:

• To include consulting with and receiving direction from our regulator clients regarding securing, accessing and where appropriate exporting all client data, re-direction of telecoms, access to key portals such as HMCTS, Land Registry, Immigration Service, Probate Register, Legal Aid Board and Legal Tech/infrastructure suppliers etc. as a consequence of intervention.


• Supporting with data management, internal efficiencies, forensic copies, review of data sets for either intervention, subject access requests, due diligence, large scale documents reviews, repapering, dawn raid services and file audits.


• Translate complex technical concepts into accessible, everyday terms for the board and non-technical stakeholders. This involves preparing and delivering clear, concise presentations and reports.


• Facilitate effective communication between the Managed Legal Services team and IT, Info sec and other teams within the firm where required


• Assessing the impact of Managed Legal Services initiatives on legal process and operations from a technological perspective, ensuring various scenarios have been thought through.


• Contribute to the development of Managed Legal Services policies, procedures, and standards from a technological perspective. Ensure these are aligned to central policies, communicated effectively and adhered to.

What you will need:

• Proven experience in an IT consultancy, Legal Tech market or IT leadership role, ideally within a legal or professional services environment.


• Able to operate independently in a lean, fast-paced environment


• Outstanding organisational skills; you handle multiple projects simultaneously and effectively efficiently and continually move projects forward.


• Strong understanding of IT project management methodologies and experience in overseeing complex IT projects.


• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to articulate technical concepts in easily understandable terms.


• Experience of dealing with people at all levels of the firm.


• Experience of working directly with clients.


• A passionate and positive attitude, naturally collaborative, willing to be proactive and take on responsibility outside of your role to get the job done. Be a self-starter and able to take ownership of existing process and procedures.


• Demonstrated ability to think strategically, with a keen eye for identifying emerging technology trends and their application within a business context.


• Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills, coupled with the ability to provide practical and innovative solutions.


• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build and maintain relationships across all levels of the organisation.


• In-depth knowledge of and experience with using client portals, data rooms, AI contract review and automation tools, well connected to CMS and PMS suppliers


• Forensic copies

Key competencies:

• Strong facilitation skills


• Excellent personal organisation and the ability to prioritise and carry out multiple tasks


• The ability to influence and drive projects to meet key milestones and overcome challenges


• A desire to remain technically capable and an expert in current technologies

Benefits, Agile Working and Additional information

We embrace agile working and offer a blended approach to where and how we work.

We appreciate that people have different needs and preferences and we're keen to be flexible, after all, we value what you do, not where you do it.

We have hubs in Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Leicester, London, Milton Keynes, Nottingham, Solihull, Southampton, Stratford-upon-Avon, Lincoln and Sheffield.

This role is a hybrid opportunity based from any of our UK hubs as a main base with the requirement to travel to client sites (UK wide) as and when required and often at short notice (2/3 times per month). There will also be the requirement to attend Senior Management meetings held at our Birmingham hub.

Want to find out more about our amazing benefits?

Additional information:
Please be aware, for some vacancies, where we receive high numbers of applications we may need to bring the close date forward.

Due to the nature of the work undertaken, confirmation of employment will be subject to a variety of checks which will be carried out once an offer of employment is accepted. Details of the checks can be found here.

Equal opportunities
Shakespeare Martineau is a committed equal opportunities employer. We seek to attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures. We value and respect individuality and encourage a culture within our business where people can be themselves and be valued for their strengths and experiences. Everyone who either applies to or works for the firm is treated equally, regardless of their gender, age, ethnic origin, nationality, marital status, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.