AI Specialist - Lafayette, LA

Laborde Earles•Lafayette, LA

About The Position

Grow with us! We are featured in Inc. Magazine's prestigious 2023 Inc. 5,000 Fastest-Growing Private Companies List and are the 25th fastest-growing private company in the entire state of Louisiana! Do you find satisfaction in helping people and making a difference in their lives and the lives of their communities? Laborde Earles is committed to providing quality representation to our clients and being fully attentive to their needs, which starts by providing the same favorable environment for our team members. Join us in standing up for our clients, with our community, by our work, and beside each other! The Opportunity We are looking for a highly driven, forward-thinking AI Specialist to set a new standard for our firm’s artificial intelligence strategy and innovation. This is an ideal position for a strategic, self-starter with a strong understanding of business operations and emerging AI solutions. The AI Specialist will play a critical role in advancing firmwide success by thoughtfully leveraging technology to support our growing, high performing team. This role requires exceptional listening, communication and leadership skills to translate the firm’s vision into practical, effective AI solutions. A successful candidate will excel at cross-departmental collaboration and be passionate about guiding and empowering team members as they adapt to and embrace the evolving world of AI. Objective Lead the firm’s AI initiative, leveraging technology to optimize processes, enhance client services and support our legal teams in delivering exceptional results to our clients. Desired Outcomes Accountable for AI strategic planning, project implementation and optimization. Collaborate with firm leadership to evaluate the firm’s AI needs and identify opportunities to optimize processes, the client experience, attorney/paralegal efficiency and operational scalability. Analyze process bottlenecks and recommend AI-enhanced solutions to improve productivity and reduce manual tasks. Develop long-term AI strategy, roadmaps and adoption plans. Stay current on emerging AI technologies, regulatory changes and industry best practices. Oversee AI projects from inception to rollout, including timelines and budgets, ensuring seamless workflows, data integrity, security, confidentiality, retention and access controls. Monitor AI tools, prompts, and workflows to ensure accuracy, reliability, and relevance to ongoing legal operations. Ensure data quality, structure and ongoing integrity within AI systems. Conduct periodic audits to assess risk, compliance and performance of AI applications. Serve at the internal subject-matter expert for AI tools, troubleshooting issues and ensuring proper usage. Accountable for AI vendors and monthly reporting. Select, negotiate and manage relationships with AI vendors. Research/vet AI vendors and collaborate with VP of Legal Operations on vendor selection. Maintain Vendors log. Serve as point person for all AI vendor matters. Monthly tracking/reporting to VP of Legal Operations: Departmental budget: Project Tracker (timelines, budgets); Requests (In/Out); Contracts (pending, signed, calendared renewals); Expenses. Accountable to develop and maintain AI policy/procedure and training to support AI adoption across the firm. Develop new and update existing policies and procedures as needed. Develop training programs to ensure new hires are confident and competent with AI technology. Develop continuing education for existing teams on best practices for using AI tools safely and effectively. Identify and track all user issues, providing technical support when necessary.

Requirements

Strategic planning and analytical mindset with focus on process improvement
Knowledge of data analytics, security standards and ethical considerations in AI
Cross departmental collaboration/consulting and communication excellence
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
Curiosity and enthusiasm for innovation and emerging technology
Willingness to perform any/all tasks as assigned by supervisor and/or firm leadership in support of the firm’s growth and success
Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, Business, Legal Studies or related filed; or three years’ experience supporting operations in relative field
Project management and process improvement
CRM (Salesforce, Litify, File Vine) and advanced Microsoft Office
Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage vendors
History of new system implementation, reduction of tech-related issues, improved data security and compliance and/or clear metrics demonstrating ROI on technology investments.
Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of legal technology platforms preferred

Responsibilities

AI strategic planning, project implementation and optimization.
Collaborate with firm leadership to evaluate the firm’s AI needs and identify opportunities to optimize processes, the client experience, attorney/paralegal efficiency and operational scalability.
Analyze process bottlenecks and recommend AI-enhanced solutions to improve productivity and reduce manual tasks.
Develop long-term AI strategy, roadmaps and adoption plans.
Stay current on emerging AI technologies, regulatory changes and industry best practices.
Oversee AI projects from inception to rollout, including timelines and budgets, ensuring seamless workflows, data integrity, security, confidentiality, retention and access controls.
Monitor AI tools, prompts, and workflows to ensure accuracy, reliability, and relevance to ongoing legal operations.
Ensure data quality, structure and ongoing integrity within AI systems.
Conduct periodic audits to assess risk, compliance and performance of AI applications.
Serve at the internal subject-matter expert for AI tools, troubleshooting issues and ensuring proper usage.
Accountable for AI vendors and monthly reporting.
Select, negotiate and manage relationships with AI vendors.
Research/vet AI vendors and collaborate with VP of Legal Operations on vendor selection.
Maintain Vendors log.
Serve as point person for all AI vendor matters.
Monthly tracking/reporting to VP of Legal Operations: Departmental budget: Project Tracker (timelines, budgets); Requests (In/Out); Contracts (pending, signed, calendared renewals); Expenses.
Accountable to develop and maintain AI policy/procedure and training to support AI adoption across the firm.
Develop new and update existing policies and procedures as needed.
Develop training programs to ensure new hires are confident and competent with AI technology.
Develop continuing education for existing teams on best practices for using AI tools safely and effectively.
Identify and track all user issues, providing technical support when necessary.

Benefits

Optional companywide events allowing you to play as hard as you work, such as Crawfish Boils, Christmas parties, Retreats, and more!
Work-life balance is encouraged as we consider 36.5 hours your full-time requirement and we rarely exceed a 40-hour workweek. We prefer you work to live, not live to work.
We celebrate life's little (& big) moments with you from birthdays & work anniversaries to marriages and births, as well as, support you when the going gets tough from procedures/hospitalizations to loss of a loved one.
Collaboration and team member rapport is cheered and emboldened.
Company-paid Short-term disability & Life/AD&D
Health, vision, dental, long-term disability, critical illness, and additional life insurance policies upon eligibility waiting periods
401(k) upon eligibility waiting periods
PTO, paid holidays (10), and paid maternity leave
Health Savings Account (HSA), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), including dependent care
Employee Assistance Program (EAP).