Senior Research Analyst

hklaw; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

hklaw is seeking a Senior Research Analyst to support its Dallas or Tampa operations, delivering complex legal, corporate, and industry research for firm lawyers and clients.

The role requires leadership in research strategy, source evaluation, and training, with a focus on knowledge management, AI-enabled workflows, and timely, high-quality outputs.

Qualifications

• Advanced legal, corporate, and industry research skills.
• Ability to scope, lead, and execute complex research requests.
• Strong critical thinking and professional judgment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Ability to train and promote research services.
• Experience mentoring junior researchers.
• Knowledge of research methods and efficiency strategies.
• Ability to collaborate with KM and AI teams.
• Maintains confidentiality and information security.

Responsibilities

• Scope, research, and respond to complex research requests.
• Lead research strategy for sophisticated queries.
• Evaluate sources and organize information for lawyers/clients.
• Prioritize billable workflow and meet deadlines.
• Promote awareness of research tools and services.
• Train attorneys and staff on research resources.
• Collaborate with KM and AI teams to support department goals.
• Maintain knowledge of user information needs to improve access.

Skills

Legal research

Corporate research

Industry research

Source evaluation

Project leadership

Training & mentoring

Communication skills

Knowledge management

Tools

Legal databases

AI research tools

Job description

We are a Firm where people truly believe in what they do and stride to achieve the highest standards of performance and success.

T h is position can be based in our global operations center in Tampa, FL, or at our Dallas office.

General Description:

The Senior Research Analyst responds to complex legal, corporate, and industry research requests, meeting the daily information needs of firm lawyers, business professionals and clients using industry-standard databases and tools. This role conducts research at an advanced level, evaluates sources, organizes findings into high-quality work product, manages workflow priorities and deadlines with sound judgment and accountability, and takes a proactive role in promoting Research Services tools, offerings, and services throughout the firm.

Key Responsibilities and Essential Job Functions:

• Appropriately scope, research, and respond to complex legal, corporate, industry, and client-related research requests.
• Lead research strategy for all sophisticated queries.
• Evaluate sources and organize information into high-quality work product sent directly to firm lawyers, business professionals or clients.
• Exercise judgment and accountability in prioritizing billable workflow and either meeting or communicating effectively around deadlines.
• Provide and implement current awareness and litigation alerting, particularly as part of firm's industry sector and business development initiatives.
• Lead group and individual instruction on research techniques, methodologies, and strategies.
• Train firm lawyers and business professionals on the functionality and usefulness of information resources, including industry standard legal and corporate databases.
• Proactively promote research tools, offerings and services through participation in practice group, section, industry, and team meetings as assigned research liaison.
• Develop and maintain a keen understanding of the information needs, workflow, and preferences of users and stakeholders in order to support and improve ease of access to information.
• Complete required knowledge management and record keeping, including time entry for all billable and lawyer-facing research, metadata entry for all time billed, metadata entry for all research requests, and compilation of all research communication and components in firm research intake platform.
• Assess and report on resource or technology needs, as well as collection strengths and weaknesses, through conversations with firm lawyers and other key stakeholders.
• Advance improvements in research workflow efficiency and output through the use of technology including AI tools, standardized research templates, knowledge creation, and other solutions that enhance quality, consistency, and speed.
• Attend research training, legal vendor training, knowledge sharing sessions, and other continuing education toward maintaining highest quality service output.
• Lead research team committees focused on clear project outputs such as intranet and ERM maintenance, hiring, subscription audit and review, etc.
• Support the firm's information resource stewardship, complying with all information security, privacy, confidentiality and licensing requirements while educating all users on the same.
• Collaborate with members of the Knowledge Management and Artificial Intelligence teams to support the goals of the Knowledge & Innovation Department.
• Expected to maintain a regular and predictable work schedule and full attention to and engagement in work activities on behalf of the firm during business hours unless otherwise approved or required by applicable law.

Special projects and duties as assigned.

Required Skills:

• Advanced legal, corporate, and industry research skills, including the ability to identify relevant authority and information sources, evaluate credibility and currency, and clearly explain research scope, methodology, and findings.
• Demonstrated ability to scope, lead, and execute complex, multi-step research requests; conduct effective reference interviews; organize information logically; and deliver high-quality work product.
• Strong critical thinking, sound professional judgment, attention to detail, discretion, accountability, and independent problem-solving skills, including the ability to anticipate attorney research needs and recommend practical information solutions.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, including active listening, clear writing, professional speaking, and the ability to engage stakeholders effectively.
• Demonstrated ability to teach, train, and promote research services, tools, and best practices to firm lawyers, business professionals, practice groups, and industry sector groups.
• Demonstrated team and project leadership, including mentoring junior researchers, supporting team upskilling, sharing knowledge, and collaboration.
• Advanced understanding of legal systems, legal industry trends, research methods, and efficient, cost-effective strategies acros