Director of Information Technology

Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP•Atlanta, GA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Information Technology leads the Firm’s day-to-day end-user technology operations and is accountable for delivering a secure, reliable, service-focused technology experience to attorneys, business professionals, and clients. Reporting to the Chief Information Officer, the Director oversees end-user computing, the Service Desk, onsite and remote technical support, conference room audio visual technology, document management, IT project management, legal and business application integration, and endpoint asset and vendor management. The Director partners with Information Security, Innovation, Technology Engineering & Operations, and practice leadership to evaluate and adopt technologies, including AI, that improve client service and Firm efficiency. This is an in-office leadership role. The Director is expected to be visibly present in the office, lead the IT team in person, and set the standard for excellence, responsiveness, and accountability across the department. The Director partners with the Chief Information Officer and senior IT leadership to develop and execute the Firm’s IT strategy, technology roadmap, and budgets; leads and develops IT teams; establishes and reports service performance measures; and advances IT governance and service management. The role oversees service delivery, endpoint and mobile device management, conference and courtroom technology, onboarding and offboarding, and end-user training. The Director also oversees legal and business application support and lifecycle management; partners with Innovation and other groups on technology adoption, including secure generative AI deployment; works with Information Security on security controls, audits, compliance, and incident response; and manages IT budgets, vendors, contracts, assets, documentation, and communications.

Requirements

10+ years of progressive IT experience, including 5+ years in an IT leadership role managing managers and technical teams.
Hands-on experience with Microsoft 365, Azure, Intune, and enterprise networking.
Experience supporting legal applications such as document management, financial and practice management, and conflicts and intake systems.
Proven track record leading enterprise technology projects, such as cloud migration, endpoint modernization, or application upgrades.
Experience managing IT budgets, vendor contracts, and IT asset management.
Experience supporting client security audits and security and compliance frameworks.
Executive presence and ability to build trusted relationships with partners and Firm leadership.
Strong service orientation and commitment to excellence.
Working knowledge of generative AI tools, their risks, and practical uses in a law firm.
Sound understanding of cybersecurity principles and controls.
Excellent project management, organizational, and prioritization skills.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including explaining technical topics to non-technical audiences.
Strong negotiation, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to manage conflict and maintain a positive, high-performance team environment.
Ability to work under pressure, meet tight deadlines, and handle competing priorities.
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field; equivalent experience considered.

Nice To Haves

Law firm or professional services experience strongly preferred; Am Law 200 experience preferred.
Preferred certifications include ITIL 4 Foundation, Microsoft 365 or Azure certifications (such as Enterprise Administrator or Azure Administrator), and PMP.

Responsibilities

Partner with the Chief Information Officer and senior IT leadership to develop and execute IT strategy, a multi-year technology roadmap, and annual operating and capital budgets aligned with Firm priorities.
Lead, hire, develop, and retain IT teams spanning Service Desk, onsite technical and AV support, Desktop Engineering, Project Management, and Applications; set goals, conduct performance reviews, and build succession and career paths.
Establish and report key performance indicators and service levels to the CIO and Firm leadership.
Build a culture of high-touch client service, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Partner with IT leadership on governance, project intake and prioritization, change management, and ITIL-aligned service management.
Oversee the Service Desk and onsite support across offices, including high-touch support for partners and executives and after-hours and on-call coverage.
Direct endpoint and mobile device management, including device standards, imaging, patching, encryption, and hardware refresh cycles.
Ensure reliable conference room, hybrid meeting, trial, and courtroom technology support.
Oversee technology onboarding and offboarding for new hires and lateral partners, and ensure effective end-user training and documentation.
Oversee support, integration, and optimization of core legal platforms, including document management, financial and practice management, time entry, conflicts and intake, CRM, e-billing, and litigation support tools.
Manage the application lifecycle, including requirements, evaluation, testing, deployment, upgrades, integration, and retirement.
Partner with Innovation, Finance, and practice groups to identify and deliver technology that improves attorney efficiency and client service.
Partner with Innovation, Information Security, the Office of the General Counsel, and Risk Management to support secure deployment, adoption, and support of generative AI and legal technology tools.
Support AI governance, including acceptable-use standards, data protection practices, vendor reviews, and measurement of adoption and value.
Identify opportunities for automation and process improvement across the Firm.
Partner with Information Security to implement and maintain security controls, including multi-factor authentication, endpoint detection and response, vulnerability and patch management, privileged access management, and data loss prevention.
Support client security audits and questionnaires, outside counsel guideline requirements, cyber insurance requirements, and alignment with frameworks such as ISO 27001, SOC 2, and NIST.
Participate in incident response and ensure IT practices comply with Firm policies, privacy and data protection requirements, records retention, and legal hold obligations.
Manage IT budgets and forecasts with fiscal discipline.
Partner with the Senior IT Business Manager to negotiate and manage technology vendor and service-provider contracts, licensing, service levels, and vendor risk assessments.
Maintain accurate hardware and software asset inventories, license compliance, and lifecycle management.
Maintain documentation, runbooks, and knowledge base content, and communicate technology changes to attorneys and staff.
Perform other duties as assigned.