Innovation Counsel

Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP; New York (NY); On-site; USD 220,000 - 270,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive starting pay

Generous paid time off

401(k) Profit Sharing Plan

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance

Fitness/Gym dues reimbursement

Hybrid remote work schedules available

Job summary

Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP is looking for an Innovation Counsel to drive the strategic adoption of legal technology, artificial intelligence, and generative AI across the firm. This role involves collaborating closely with legal teams and leadership to enhance service delivery and streamline workflows.

The ideal candidate should have a J.D. degree, solid legal practice experience, and a comprehensive understanding of emerging technologies, particularly in the context of litigation. This is a full-time position based in New York, offering competitive pay and benefits including generous PTO and hybrid work options.

Qualifications

• Experience in antitrust and intellectual property litigation is preferred.
• Ability to translate technical concepts into practical legal applications.
• Strong presentation skills and experience with senior leadership.

Responsibilities

• Identify and implement innovative legal technologies to improve productivity.
• Conduct stakeholder interviews and workflow analysis.
• Advise attorneys on practical uses of AI within legal matters.

Skills

Legal practice experience

Understanding of generative AI tools

Workflow automation

Strong communication skills

Relationship management

Education

J.D. degree from an accredited law school

Tools

Legal technology platforms

Workflow automation tools

Job description

Incisive. Inclusive. Invested. We’re Axinn.

Experienced, tenacious, and always trial-ready, we are committed to understanding complex legal challenges that impact the future of our clients' businesses, globally.

Focusing on antitrust, intellectual property, and high-stakes litigation, our extensive teams in the U.S. possess deep knowledge and client-side experience across a range of sectors, including technology, healthcare, life sciences, and consumer products.

At Axinn, inclusivity is central to who we are. We have a purpose that goes beyond profit, which includes fostering a fair, welcoming workplace and supporting the communities where we live and work. We actively recognize talent and promote opportunities for all team members. By embracing the unique experiences and perspectives of our people, we fuel creativity and deliver results for our clients.

We are seeking an entrepreneurial and technology-forward Innovation Counsel to help drive the strategic adoption and implementation of legal technology, artificial intelligence, and generative AI solutions across the firm. This role will work closely with lawyers, firm leadership, IT, practice support, eDiscovery, and operations teams to identify opportunities to improve legal service delivery, streamline internal workflows, and enhance client value through innovation.

The ideal candidate combines legal practice experience with a sophisticated understanding of emerging technologies, particularly generative AI tools, workflow automation, and agent-based systems. This individual should be equally comfortable advising lawyers on legal workflows, conducting requirements gathering and design workshopping sessions with stakeholders, and translating complex technology concepts into practical solutions for a litigation-focused law firm.

This role requires strong communication and relationship management skills, including the ability to present recommendations, strategy, and technology solutions to senior leadership and key stakeholders across the firm.

Responsibilities and Duties

Legal Innovation & Strategy

• Identify, evaluate, and implement innovative legal technologies and AI-driven solutions to improve attorney productivity and client service.
• Contribute to and execute the firm’s innovation strategy in collaboration with firm leadership.
• Conduct stakeholder interviews, requirements gathering, and workflow analysis to identify opportunities for process improvement and technology adoption.
• Facilitate design workshops and collaborative working sessions to develop practical, user-centered solutions.
• Monitor developments in legal technology, generative AI, automation, and emerging legal service models.
• Advise attorneys and practice groups on practical applications of AI and legal technology within antitrust, intellectual property litigation, and commercial litigation matters.

Generative AI & Workflow Development

• Design, build, and optimize generative AI workflows for legal and business operations.
• Develop AI-enabled solutions using prompting frameworks, agent-based systems, automation tools, and workflow orchestration platforms.
• Experiment with and evaluate large language models, AI research tools, drafting platforms, and legal-specific AI products.
• Create repeatable prompting methodologies and best practices for attorneys and staff.
• Partner with internal stakeholders to pilot and scale AI-driven initiatives.

Attorney Enablement

• Serve as a trusted advisor and internal resource for attorneys adopting AI and legal technology tools.
• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, continuous learning, and continuous improvement throughout the firm.
• Manage the evaluation of legal technology vendors and AI products for functionality, security, and business value.
• Manage relationships with technology vendors and external consultants.
• Collaborate with IT and security teams to assess implementation risks and compliance considerations.

Knowledge Management & Process Improvement

• Improve knowledge-sharing systems and internal legal workflows through automation and AI integration.
• Identify opportunities to reduce administrative burden and increase efficiency in litigation and client service processes.
• Assist with development of internal AI resources, playbooks, templates, and knowledge repositories.
• Track adoption metrics, user feedback, and project outcomes to support continuous improvement.

Education, Experience, and Skills

Required

• J.D. degree from an accredited law school.
• Prior experience practicing law, preferably in antitrust, intellectual property litigation, commercial litigation, or related complex litigation areas.
• Knowledge of legal technology, artificial intelligence, and generative AI platforms.
• Demonstrated ability to translate technical concepts into practical legal applications.
• Experience conducting requirements gathering, process analysis, and solution design sessions with cross-functional stakeholders.
• Strong presentation and communication skills, including experience presenting to senior leadership and influencing decision-making.
• Strong collaboration, relationship management, and change management skills.
• Demonstrated growth mindset, intellectual curiosity, adaptability, and willingness to continuously learn and experiment with emerging technologies.
• Curiosity, creativity, and a hands‑on approach to problem‑solving and innovation.

Preferred

• Experience building and implementing generative AI workflows, agents, and prompting strategies.
• Experience working within a law firm innovation, legal operations, knowledge management, or legal technology role.
• Experience managing, mentoring, or supervising team members, consultants, or cross‑functional project teams.
• Familiarity with workflow automation tools, API integrations, low‑code/no‑code platforms, and AI orchestration frameworks.
• Experience evaluating AI governance, ethical considerations, and confidentiality risks in legal environments.
• Knowledge of eDiscovery, litigation support, or knowledge management systems.
• Experience training attorneys and professional staff on technology adoption.

Benefits

• Competitive starting pay and annual discretionary bonus and raise eligibility
• Generous paid time off benefits (vacation, personal days, holidays, and sick leave)
• Firm paid short and long‑term disability, plus life and accident insurance
• 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Cash Balance Retirement Plan with generous employer contributions (please ask for further details re: eligibility requirements)
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance options
• Flexible spending and health savings accounts (medical plan dependent)
• Firm paid comprehensive Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Fitness/Gym dues reimbursement program
• Hybrid remote work schedules are available for most employees (per current policy, in‑office presence is required at least 3‑days per week and fully remote roles are not available)

This is a full‑time, benefits‑eligible, exempt level position. Final rate of pay will be commensurate with the incumbent’s experience, with a targeted hiring range of $220,000 – $270,000+ annually (the upper range reserved for highly qualified applicants). This position is currently available in our DC and NY office locations.

Axinn is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to creating an environment that draws upon the strength of the diversity of its workforce to achieve excellence in the Firm's field and beyond.