Director of OD Labs

OD Labs is Ogletree Deakins’ applied AI and innovation unit, built to develop the next generation of legal service models, technology products, and client-facing capabilities at one of the country’s leading labor and employment firms. The firm has made a sustained institutional commitment to AI. OD Labs is the next phase where we turn that investment into a product.
The Director of OD Labs will build and lead this function from the ground up, with a mandate to launch the AI Incubator, develop a client-facing product roadmap, and scale OD Labs into a revenue-contributing business unit. This role has direct executive sponsorship from firm executive leadership and reports to the Chief Data and AI Officer.
We are looking for a senior leader who has built production AI systems inside law firms or legal services organizations, knows how to earn trust with attorneys and clients, and is ready to run an innovation function.

• Develop OD Labs as a standalone function within the firm, with full accountability for strategy, prioritization, performance, and results
• Build and own the OD Labs product roadmap, incorporating input from clients, attorneys, and firm leadership to identify and sequence opportunities
• Design and launch client-facing services and products, managing the full lifecycle from concept and validation through commercialization and scaled deployment
• Run controlled pilots with clear success metrics; make disciplined scale and stop decisions based on evidence
• Partner directly with attorneys, leadership, and key clients to surface use cases, co-design solutions, and build sustained engagement with the innovation program
• Engage the firm’s Client Services team to position OD Labs services as part of client pitches, RFP responses, and relationship development
• Present initiative results, roadmap updates, and resource requests to the OD Labs governance group and firm leadership
• Recruit, develop, and manage the OD Labs team; build the case for headcount expansion as the function matures
• Represent the firm externally as a thought leader in legal AI and innovation through conferences, client engagements, and industry publications
• Ensure AI governance and responsible data handling principles are integrated into all OD Labs initiatives, coordinating with the firm's cybersecurity, data privacy, and AI governance functions to meet client expectations and regulatory requirements

• 10+ years of experience building and deploying technology solutions for law firms or legal services organizations
• 5+ years of experience with AI, machine learning, or advanced automation systems, including recent production-grade work with large language models and agentic frameworks
• Deep expertise with one or more enterprise AI platforms at the production level, including hands-on experience across models, APIs, and agentic frameworks; familiarity with the Anthropic Claude platform is a significant advantage
• Demonstrated experience building AI systems in client-sensitive environments, with working knowledge of data governance frameworks, AI risk management, and enterprise security requirements
• Experience building and leading high-performing, cross-functional teams spanning engineering, data science, and design
• Demonstrated ability to work directly with law firm leadership, practice group chairs, and major clients in a client-facing capacity
• Experience designing and delivering AI-powered products across core legal workflows, including document review, generative drafting, contract analysis, and client intelligence
• Strong executive presence and communication skills, with the ability to translate between legal, business, and technical audiences at senior levels
• Track record of running large-scale AI training and adoption programs, including hackathons, practice-area playbooks, and sustained attorney engagement
• Experience with legal operations, billing analytics, and/or data products is a significant advantage
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree a plus
• J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school preferred but not required

This position offers a hybrid work option and can be based in California, Colorado, or Washington. Pursuant to California, Colorado, and Washington regulation, the salary range is $240,000 to $300,000 annually, contingent on relevant experience and education. The application deadline for this position is December 31, 2026. 

Ogletree Deakins offers a robust suite of benefits for our Staff including: Paid Time Off, Paid Sick Leave, a 401(k) matching program, Profit Sharing, Paid Holidays, Paid Parental Leave, affordable Health and Life Insurance including Dental & Vision coverage, Health Savings Account /Flexible Spending Accounts to help offset the cost of dependent care and/or health care expenses, Tuition Reimbursement and an Employee Assistance Program.

If you have questions, please e-mail Megan Becker at megan.becker@ogletree.com with “Director of OD Labs" in the subject line. Please note, applications submitted via e-mail will not be considered.

Ogletree Deakins is one of the largest labor and employment law firms representing management in all types of employment-related legal matters. Best Law Firms® has named Ogletree Deakins a “Law Firm of the Year” for 14 consecutive years. In the 2025 edition, the publication named Ogletree Deakins its “Law Firm of the Year” in the Litigation – Labor and Employment category. Ogletree Deakins has more than 1,100 attorneys located in 60 offices across the United States and in Europe, Canada, and Mexico. The firm represents a diverse range of clients, including many of the Fortune 50 companies in the U.S.

We are fully committed to the importance of diversity within the legal profession, as well as all workplace environments.

Equal Opportunity Employer.