Manager, Research Services

Goodwin Procter Boston; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 104,000 - 156,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Life and disability insurance

Retirement & Savings Plan

Paid vacation, sick time, and holidays

Professional development opportunities

Employee wellness programs

Employee discounts and perks

Job summary

Goodwin Procter Boston is seeking a Senior Research Services Manager to oversee daily research delivery across legal, business, and regulatory data, supporting attorneys and business professionals at a leading law firm.

You will mentor the Research Analyst team, establish workflow standards, synthesize findings into concise deliverables, and partner with management to align tools, subscriptions, and processes for high‑quality, cost‑effective service delivery.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; MLIS/MLS strongly preferred.
• 7+ years of progressive legal research experience.
• 2+ years of people management experience or proven leadership.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily research services delivery across legal, business, and regulatory data.
• Provide supervision, guidance, and quality review to the Research Analyst team.
• Establish service standards, intake workflows, and escalation protocols.
• Synthesize findings into concise deliverables (emails, memos, alerts, briefs).
• Coordinate with management on subscriptions, licensing, and cost optimization.
• Develop research guides and promote self-service while preserving white-glove support.
• Monitor trends and report metrics to inform resourcing and strategy.
• Support continuity planning and incident response for research services.

Skills

Research platforms

Communication skills

Analytical thinking

Client service mindset

Education

MLIS/MLS or advanced degree

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Westlaw

Lexis

Bloomberg Law

PACER

D&B/Capital IQ

Factiva

Job description

Join Goodwin’s Global Operations Team, and make a real impact on a global scale. At Goodwin, we work with some of the world’s most successful and innovative investors, entrepreneurs and disruptors in the life sciences, private equity, real estate, technology and financial industries, and where they converge. As part of the Global Operations Team – all business professionals at the firm – you’ll collaborate with colleagues from varied backgrounds and experiences, fostering an environment where cross-functional learning, networking, and collaboration are at the core of what we do. Here, we’re not just supporting a law firm; we’re partnering with attorneys and clients to deliver cutting‑edge solutions in high‑stakes litigation and dispute resolution, world‑class regulatory compliance and advisory services, and complex transactions. Our commitment to integrity, ingenuity, agility, and ambition drives us, and we’re proud to have been recognised as the “Best Business Team” by The American Lawyer. This is your opportunity to grow professionally in a dynamic, global environment, surrounded by forward‑thinking peers.

What You Will Do:

• Oversee daily research services delivery (legal, business, industry, news, docket/case, legislative/regulatory, litigation analytics, and public records research) in support of attorneys and business professionals.
• Provide daily supervision, guidance, and support to the Research Analyst team, including workload coordination, prioritization, coaching, and quality review.
• Establish service standards, intake/triage workflows, and escalation protocols to ensure responsiveness, quality, and consistency.
• Consult with attorneys to clarify research objectives, scope, and deadlines; synthesize findings into concise deliverables (emails, briefings, research memos, alerts, and presentations).
• Partner with Knowledge Management, Practice Management, Business Development/Marketing, and IT to align tools and content with practice needs.
• Coordinate with the Sr. Manager of Contracts and Licensing and the Director of Research Services on subscription needs assessments, trials, licensing, contract negotiation support, renewals, cost optimisation, and usage tracking.
• Develop and maintain research guides, templates, and internal documentation; promote self‑service where appropriate while preserving white‑glove support for complex requests.
• Monitor trends in legal and competitive intelligence and recommend new tools, data sources, and process improvements.
• Create and report metrics and insights (volume, turnaround time, satisfaction, complexity, and cost) to inform resourcing and strategy.
• Support incident response and continuity planning for research services (coverage models, vendor outages, and after‑hours needs as required).

Who You Are:

• Bachelor’s degree required;
• Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS/MLS) or equivalent advanced degree strongly preferred.
• 7+ years of progressively responsible legal research experience, including experience in a large law firm, corporate legal department, or professional services environment.
• 2+ years of people management experience (or demonstrated ability to lead teams, projects, and service delivery).
• Demonstrated expertise with key legal and business research platforms (e.g., Westlaw, Lexis, Bloomberg Law, PACER, SEC/EDGAR, D&B/Capital IQ, Factiva/News platforms), and comfort learning new tools.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex findings into clear, practical guidance.
• Excellent analytical skills, attention to detail, and sound judgment regarding source reliability and completeness.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a deadline‑driven environment while maintaining high‑quality output.
• High degree of discretion and professionalism; ability to handle confidential and sensitive information.
• Client service mindset and responsiveness.
• Research strategy and source evaluation.

Benefits and More At Goodwin, you will discover your next career opportunity with a rewarding compensation package and comprehensive benefits, including:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Life and disability insurance
• Retirement & Savings Plan
• Emergency back‑up child and adult care
• Paid vacation, sick time off, and holidays
• Professional development and career advancement opportunities
• Employee recognition and reward programs
• Employee wellness and assistance programs
• Employee discounts and perks

The target salary range for this position varies by location and is commensurate with relevant experience:

Boston $103,700 - $155,600 | Los Angeles $111,500 - $167,300 | New York $111,500 - $167,300 | Orange County $111,500 - $167,300 | Philadelphia $101,600 - $152,500 | San Diego $111,500 - $167,300 | San Francisco $119,300 - $178,900 | Santa Monica $111,500 - $167,300

This position is eligible for overtime: No

Professional career paths at Goodwin offer you more – and less – than you might expect. You’ll find less hierarchy and more meritocracy. You’ll have more chances to work across departments and offices, and fewer roadblocks to getting the job done. We believe people are happiest when they’re not limited by a ‘that’s how we’ve always done it’ approach, so we encourage a more imaginative and collaborative working environment.

Our Global Operations Team – what we call our GO Team – brings a level of professionalism, enthusiasm and commitment to work each and every day. Goodwin embraces responsible and ethical use of AI in the Hiring Process.