Manager of Practice Innovation

Haynes and Boone, LLP•Houston, TX

6d•Onsite

About The Position

At Haynes and Boone, our people are the driving force behind our success. Because we value the role every individual plays in how we deliver exceptional legal services, we hire people who will contribute to our professional reputation, enhance client relationships and share in our success. Haynes and Boone has been doing business in Houston for more than 30 years – consistently providing value to our clients in the local community, the U.S., and internationally. Our lawyers help major corporate clients grow and thrive in this energetic city, which has major connections to Latin America, Europe and Asia. Our Houston office focuses on energy, private equity, technology, real estate, intellectual property, environmental, business litigation, appeals, bankruptcy and restructuring, labor and employment, employee benefits and executive compensation, finance, tax, securities, mergers and acquisitions, and public and international law. We believe our people are the driving force behind our success in Houston. Because we value the role every individual plays in delivering exceptional legal services, we hire people who will contribute to our professional reputation, enhance client relationships and share in our success. We are committed to having an inclusive workforce that reflects our communities, and we seek highly motivated lawyers and staff who value our culture of respect and teamwork. This role manages the day-to-day coordination and execution of innovation pilots. The Innovation Operations Manager is responsible for operational execution of approved initiatives and ensuring pilots progress effectively within the strategic framework established by the Director of Practice Innovation. This role also supports foundational enablement efforts by helping coordinate training, reinforce adoption, and ensure attorneys and professional staff are positioned to use new tools effectively. A significant portion of the Firm’s innovation work involves generative AI and AI-enabled legal technology. This role requires strong familiarity with generative AI tools and workflows, along with the ability to understand their strengths, limitations, and practical applications within legal and business processes.

Requirements

Minimum of 5 years of experience in program management, project management, legal technology, innovation program execution, or a related operational role.
Strong program management and organizational skills, with the ability to coordinate multiple concurrent initiatives.
Ability to manage operational complexity and keep initiatives moving forward through effective coordination and communication.
Working knowledge of generative AI technologies, including their capabilities, limitations, and appropriate use cases within professional environments.
Strong analytical mindset with the ability to evaluate pilot outcomes and identify opportunities for improvement.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to build collaborative relationships across attorneys, IT teams, vendors, and business professionals.
Strong problem-solving ability and attention to detail.
Self-starter with a proactive and structured approach to operational execution.
Bachelor’s degree in business, technology, or a related field preferred.
Equivalent experience in a legal technology or innovation-related role will be considered.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience working in a law firm, professional services organization, or technology-driven environment strongly preferred.
Demonstrated experience coordinating cross-functional initiatives involving attorneys, IT professionals, and business stakeholders.
Experience evaluating, implementing, or working with generative AI technologies, automation platforms, and advanced productivity tools.
Familiarity with legal technology ecosystems and innovation programs within professional services organizations is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Performs secretarial functions associated with firm administrative tasks, including processing new client/matter requests, client bills, time reports and expense reports.
Performs word processing of drafts, revisions and final documents for client-related matters, including correspondence, memoranda, bills, timesheets and project work, as needed. This includes proofreading and redlining work for accuracy, format, etc.
Handles court filings, including e-filing, under supervision of the attorneys.
Calendars deadlines associated with federal and state rules of procedure.
Maintains physical and electronic files, contacts, and maintains dockets of cases for attorneys.
Communicates verbally and in writing with clients and/or opposing counsel as instructed by supervising attorneys.
Copies, distributes, sends (electronically and/or via mail, courier or express service), files and otherwise handles completed work.
Coordinates travel arrangements.
Coordinates meetings and appointments, and properly receives clients/guests, as requested.
Keeps appointment calendar for attorneys (including hearings, court appearances and other commitments).
Answers attorneys’ phones and takes messages.
Composes correspondence for client-related matters.
Handles incoming and outgoing mail.
Coordinate the operational execution of innovation pilot programs from initial scoping through evaluation and transition into full-scale solutions.
Manage the logistics and day-to-day coordination of innovation initiatives, including scheduling, documentation, stakeholder communication, and milestone tracking.
Maintain the innovation pipeline and pilot backlog, ensuring initiatives are documented, prioritized, and progressing according to established timelines.
Track success metrics, gather feedback, and document lessons learned to support data-driven decision-making for innovation investments.
Facilitate collaboration between attorneys, IT, Product Owners, engineering resources, vendors, and business professionals during pilot execution.
Support adoption of new technologies by coordinating foundational training, rollout communications, and other enablement activities in collaboration with the innovation team, vendors, and other internal stakeholders.
Coordinate vendor engagements associated with technology evaluations, pilots, and implementations.
Support the evaluation and testing of emerging technologies, including generative AI platforms, automation tools, and legal technology solutions.
Identify opportunities to improve workflows, automate processes, and introduce AI-enabled solutions that increase efficiency and productivity.
Assist in translating strategic innovation priorities into structured pilot initiatives and operational plans.
Maintain documentation and best practices for innovation pilots, including pilot charters, progress updates, and outcome reporting.
Provide structured updates and reporting to the Director of Practice Innovation and other stakeholders regarding pilot status and outcomes.
Monitor developments in generative AI and related technologies, maintaining awareness of evolving capabilities, limitations, and practical applications within the legal industry.
Advocate for thoughtful and responsible use of generative AI technologies within the Firm, helping stakeholders understand both the opportunities and constraints of these tools.
Perform other duties as assigned.