Legal Knowledge & Research Manager

Chapter 13 Trustee Middle District of Alabama; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Harbor is seeking a Legal Knowledge & Research Manager to lead and evolve its Library and Research department. This fully remote role centers on managing client relationships, directing research quality, and guiding strategic initiatives for a large law client.

You will mentor a high-performing team, implement best practices, and leverage AI-powered legal research tools to improve speed, accuracy, and insight generation across digital resources.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Library and Information Science (MLIS) or equivalent, required.
• Minimum of 5 years of legal research experience in a law firm, professional services, or corporate environment.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience leading or managing a research team.
• Familiarity with Westlaw, LexisNexis, Bloomberg Law, and related analytics tools.

Responsibilities

• Build strong relationships with attorneys and client stakeholders to anticipate research needs and deliver value.
• Lead research outreach initiatives tailored to Client practice groups or departments.
• Supervise department staff and conduct performance evaluations.
• Foster collaborative, client-centered research culture emphasizing analytical rigor and responsiveness.
• Oversee digital resources governance and vendor relationships.
• Champion AI-powered legal research tools and stay informed on trends in legal tech.
• Manage library system operations, budgeting, and contract renewals.
• Develop project plans, timelines, and success metrics; communicate progress to stakeholders.

Skills

Legal research

Client engagement

Team leadership

Knowledge management

Analytical mindset

Education

MLIS or equivalent

Tools

Westlaw

LexisNexis

Bloomberg Law

Analytics tools

Job description

Harbor is seeking a Legal Knowledge & Research Manager for its Library and Research department. This role will manage a full-service client relationship for a large law client as the primary responsibility, including management of research quality, stakeholder communications, short-term and long-term goal planning and support, and library operations/financial management,

This full-time, fully remote role offers the opportunity to lead client-facing library services while guiding a high-performing team to deliver the exceptional service using innovative legal technology solutions. The primary schedule is Monday - Friday. This is a remote position that can be worked from anywhere in the United States.

Responsibilities

Client Engagement & Outreach

• Build strong relationships with attorneys and Client stakeholders to anticipate research needs and proactively deliver value.
• Lead research outreach initiatives tailored to specific Client practice groups or departments.
• Occasionally deliver direct research findings, competitive intelligence, or market insights to Clients and Client leadership.

Team Leadership

• Supervise and provide guidance to department staff, including training, and conducting performance evaluations.
• Foster a collaborative and inclusive work environment, promoting teamwork and professional development.
• Delegate tasks effectively, ensuring efficient workflow and timely completion of projects

Research Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, mentor, and supervise a team of research professionals, providing direction, coaching, and performance feedback.
• Foster a collaborative, client-centered research culture that emphasizes analytical rigor, responsiveness, and continuous professional growth.
• Promote the adoption of best practices in legal research methodology, knowledge synthesis, and information delivery.
• Oversee and guide complex legal, regulatory, and business research and intelligence activities in support of Client attorneys and practice groups.
• Ensure research deliverables are timely, accurate, practice relevant, and aligned with Client priorities and risk tolerance.

Digital Research & Knowledge Enablement

• Guide the organization, access, and governance of digital research resources to support efficient information retrieval and reuse.
• Collaborate with knowledge management, practice innovation, and IT teams to align research tools with attorney workflows.
• Ensure compliance with copyright, licensing, and ethical research standards across all research and intelligence activities.
• Evaluate and recommend new technologies, tools, resources, and platforms to enhance access and usability of digital resources.
  

Emerging Technology & Innovation

• Champion the evaluation, rollout, and adoption of AIpowered legal research, analytics, and intelligence tools.
• Partner with IT and business services to assess emerging legal technologies that enhance research quality, speed, and insight generation.
• Stay informed on trends in legal technology, generative and agentic AI, data analytics, and information services, advising Clients on implications and opportunities.
  

Operations Management

• Provide strategic oversight of the Client’s integrated library system (ILS), related digital platforms, and department technology operations to ensure reliable, efficient service delivery.
• Supervise library resource acquisition and processing functions, including physical and electronic resources, with particular attention to effective electronic-resource management.
• Oversee relationships with vendors and coordinate with IT and other stakeholders to address system needs, resolve escalated issues, and support the ongoing performance and improvement of department systems.
  

Budgeting and Reporting

• Manage resource costs within budget and prepare annual budgets aligned with Client expectations.
• Assist with the negotiation of renewals and new contracts, leveraging attorney usage and feedback to drive cost discussions.
  

Project & Initiative Management

• Lead and contribute to research centric initiatives, such as research workflow optimization, tool implementations, analytics projects, and service enhancements.
• Develop project plans, timelines, and success metrics to ensure alignment with Client goals.
• Communicate project progress, risks, and outcomes clearly to stakeholders.

• Master’s degree in Library and Information Science (MLIS) or equivalent, required.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience providing legal research, competitive intelligence, or knowledge services in a law firm, professional services, or corporate environment.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience managing or leading a research team or function.
• Deep familiarity with legal research platforms such as Westlaw, LexisNexis, Bloomberg Law, and related analytics tools.
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex research into practical, attorney focused insights.
• Experience managing vendor relationships, research budgets, and data driven decision-making.
• Familiarity with emerging legal technologies and trends, including generative or agentic AI applications in legal research (experience using or training on these tools preferred).
• Strong project management, organizational, and prioritization skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage credibly with attorneys, clients, and senior stakeholders.
• Analytical mindset with strong problem solving skills and attention to detail.