Technology Attorney

King & Spalding is at the forefront of the use of technology and artificial intelligence to enhance legal services and the experience of the firm’s lawyers and professionals. As one of the first top-tier law firms to be entirely operated in the cloud, K&S engages with a variety of technology providers to maintain and enhance a leadership position in the legal industry.

The Technology Attorney oversees all types of firm technology contracts and the related risk management considerations, particularly those related to client and firm confidentiality. As a tech-savvy lawyer and extended member of the IT leadership team, the Technology Attorney works with the General Counsel, CIO, and Technology & Innovation Committee to manage technology governance, contracting strategies, privacy and data protection, procurement, and vendor management.

• Develops and operates the technology procurement systems, processes and controls for the firm;
• Serves as the lead for legal review and negotiation for all firm contracts with technology aspects, with advice from the firm’s General Counsel;
• Leads communications and direct negotiations with counterparties and internal stakeholders;
• Develops, maintains, and enhances a contract lifecycle management tool for firm technology agreements, including managing inventory of executed contracts with scheduled reviews and renewals;
• Establishes standard playbooks and templates with preferred and acceptable contractual terms and conditions across categories of technology-related supplier agreements (e.g., software, cloud services, technology consulting, and managed services);
• Develops standard requirements for firm suppliers in the form of “Outside Provider Guidelines” covering areas prospective and current suppliers;
• Maintains awareness of major industry changes affecting technology agreements and developments in generative artificial intelligence;
• Scales appropriately the procurement and contracting processes and rigor of review in accordance with the risk profile and tolerance of various services;
• Collaborates across the Office of General Counsel, Information Technology (including Security), Procurement, and other firm Business Services departments (HR, Marketing, Finance, etc.) to apply consistent standards and processes to all firm technology procurement;
• Seeks opportunities to extend methods beyond business services to situations where the firm contracts on behalf of a client, developing standard approaches and risk management techniques to properly manage risks; and
• Leads in the adoption of technology and AI to streamline the contracting processes and other areas of responsibility.

• Supports the Technology & Innovation Committee, the firm’s central governance body for technological innovation, investment, and risk management; working with the Chair and members, contributes to agendas and develops materials to support Committee objectives.
• Assists the CIO in managing the risks of duplicative services and/or acquisition of technology that may not strategically fit the enterprise.

• Juris Doctorate (J.D.) from an ABA approved school or equivalent
• Active license in good standing with a state bar
• Comprehensive technology contract experience, including:

• A minimum of three years of contract review and negotiation experience, preferably at a large law firm, professional services firm, or within a corporate procurement or legal team with similar responsibilities
• Familiarity with generative artificial intelligence products and capabilities
• Experience with records systems and Microsoft products, including Word and Teams
• Data privacy laws and regulations, including GDPR; and written and oral negotiation with counterparties

• Exceptional critical-thinking, problem-solving, communication, and writing skills for a variety of audiences
• Interest and experience in enterprise technology, including evolving and innovative use of technology for the benefit of the firm’s clients, lawyers, and business professionals
• Ability to organize and synthesize a wide array of information from internal and external sources
• Flexibility, innovation, and prioritization skills to establish and meet business needs in an organized and timely manner
• Comfort working among business departments and time zones, including international business partners
• Strong personal and professional ethical values, respectful demeanor, impeccable integrity, and the energy level and stamina required to meet the demands of the position.