Director of Information Governance & Risk Strategy

pillsburylaw; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Pillsbury Law is seeking a Director of Information Governance in Los Angeles to lead the firm’s IG program and ensure compliant information handling across the lifecycle. You will partner with Operations, IT, Risk Management, Privacy, and eDiscovery to shape governance frameworks and controls for data creation, classification, retention, and defensible disposition.

You will direct policy development, oversee records management for physical and electronic records, and advise firm leadership on

Qualifications

• Experience developing and implementing information governance programs.
• Ability to partner with senior leadership and cross-functional teams.
• Familiarity with privacy laws, data classification, and records management.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive IG program aligned with the firm's strategic objectives.
• Establish policies, standards, procedures, and controls governing management of physical and electronic information.
• Lead enterprise-wide initiatives related to information lifecycle management, records management, data retention, disposition, and information risk reduction.
• Advise firm leadership on governance trends, legal requirements, and industry best practices.
• Participate in cross-functional governance committees and working groups.
• Oversee firm-wide records management and retention programs for both physical and electronic records.
• Maintain and administer records retention schedules consistent with legal, regulatory, ethical, and client requirements.
• Implement defensible disposition programs to reduce information risk and storage costs.
• Establish information classification and metadata standards to improve information retrieval and management.
• Ensure appropriate controls for information archiving, preservation, and destruction.
• Monitor evolving laws, regulations, and industry standards affecting information governance, privacy, records management, and data protection.
• Partner with General Counsel, Risk Management, Compliance, and Privacy teams to ensure adherence to legal and regulatory obligations.
• Support responses to client audits, outside counsel guidelines, security assessments, and information governance questionnaires.
• Ensure governance practices align with applicable privacy laws and professional responsibility requirements.
• Develop and maintain legal hold governance policies and procedures.
• Collaborate with Litigation Support and eDiscovery teams regarding legal holds, data preservation, collections, and defensible processes.
• Collaborate on the development of policies governing data usage, retention, confidentiality, and ethical considerations associated with AI systems.
• Assess information governance implications of new technologies, cloud platforms, and collaboration tools.
• Ensure governance controls support responsible innovation while protecting client confidentiality and firm data.
• Lead and develop Information Governance, Records Management, and related personnel.
• Establish program metrics, reporting, and key performance indicators.
• Manage vendor relationships, technology solutions, and service providers supporting information governance initiatives.
• Prepare and manage departmental budgets and strategic plans.
• Conduct training and awareness programs to promote compliance with governance policies.

Skills

IG program leadership

Policy development

Cross-functional collaboration

Regulatory compliance

Data lifecycle governance

Education

Advanced degree (JD/MLS/MBA/MS)

Job description

Pillsbury Law is seeking a Director of Information Governance in Los Angeles to lead the firm’s IG program and ensure compliant information handling across the lifecycle. You will partner with Operations, IT, Risk Management, Privacy, and eDiscovery to shape governance frameworks and controls for data creation, classification, retention, and defensible disposition.

You will direct policy development, oversee records management for physical and electronic records, and advise firm leadership on