Director of Artificial Intelligence (San Diego)

Director of Artificial Intelligence

Pay:  $250-325K plus bonus
MUST HAVE: Juris Doctor (JD), active license, with law firm experience

The Director of Artificial Intelligence is responsible for leading the firm’s strategic, practical, and responsible adoption of AI technologies to improve attorney productivity, quality of work, and operational efficiency. This role focuses on high-impact, cost-effective solutions that integrate seamlessly into existing workflows while maintaining strict standards for confidentiality, ethics, and client trust.
This hands-on position serves as the central point of coordination for AI use across the firm—partnering closely with attorneys, IT, risk, and administrative leadership—without requiring a large, dedicated AI staff.

Key Responsibilities

AI Strategy & Prioritization

• Develop and maintain a realistic, firm-appropriate AI roadmap focused on near- and medium-term value.
• Identify practical AI use cases for partners, associates and staff (e.g., research, drafting, review, intake, knowledge management).
• Advise firm leadership on where AI should—and should not—be used.

Governance, Risk & Professional Responsibility

• Create and maintain firmwide AI policies covering acceptable use, confidentiality, data handling, and attorney supervision.
• Ensure AI tools and workflows comply with professional responsibility rules, client guidelines, privacy laws, and security requirements.
• Partner with General Counsel, Risk, and IT Security to assess new tools and mitigate exposure.

Tool Selection & Implementation

• Evaluate, pilot, and deploy commercially available AI and legal-tech solutions with a strong emphasis on ROI and vendor stability.
• Provide scalable, supportable solutions.
• Oversee contracts, renewals, and vendor performance for AI-enabled tools.

Attorney Enablement & Change Management

• Translate AI capabilities into clear, attorney-friendly guidance and workflows.
• Design and deliver training tailored to partners, associates, and staff.
• Address skepticism by setting realistic expectations and emphasizing judgment, not replacement.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Practice Group Leaders to embed AI into daily legal work.
• Coordinate with IT, case teams, and the firm’s Innovation Group.
• Support client conversations related to firm AI policies and responsible use.

Measurement & Continuous Improvement

• Track adoption, efficiency gains, and risk indicators for AI tools.
• Make data-driven recommendations on expanding, modifying, or sunsetting solutions.
• Stay informed on legal-industry AI trends and competitors, without chasing hype.

Required Experience & Education

• 7–10 years of experience in legal technology, innovation, IT leadership, or a closely related field.
• Hands-on experience deploying AI or advanced legal-tech tools in a professional services or regulated environment.
• Proven ability to balance innovation with risk management and budget constraints.
• Knowledge of U.S. and international legal industry workflows, confidentiality requirements, regulatory obligations, and attorney culture.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree (JD, MS, MBA, or equivalent) is preferred.
• Candidate must reside in one of the following cities:  San Diego, Colchester, Wilmington, NYC, Cleveland, Omaha, Austin, Richmond

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing internal technology governance or usage policies.
• Familiarity with generative AI tools used for legal research, drafting, and document analysis.
• Demonstrated success driving adoption among attorneys with varying levels of technical comfort.

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