King & Spalding

Legal Business Data Architect

King & Spalding • $90K — $130K *
Atlanta, GA 30349In-Person
Legal & Accounting
5 - 7 years of experience
Today
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Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Science, or related field; JD, MBA, or Master's in Library Science (MLS) preferred.
  • 5+ years of experience in business data architecture and data engineering, ideally within a law firm or professional services environment.
  • Hands-on experience with various business systems including marketing, financial, and legal practice management systems.
  • Familiarity with enterprise architecture frameworks like TOGAF.
  • Strong proficiency in data modeling, design tools, and engineering practices.

Responsibilities

  • Develop and maintain business architecture models to support strategic objectives.
  • Define and implement a data strategy that aligns with firm-wide goals.
  • Design and manage data flows ensuring integrity and availability.
  • Implement data engineering practices for robust data pipelines.
  • Collaborate with stakeholders to translate requirements into effective data solutions.
  • Establish and enforce data architecture standards and best practices.
  • Develop and maintain analytics platforms for data-driven decision-making.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health and wellness plans.
  • Life and disability insurance.
  • Flexible spending accounts and health savings account.
  • 401(k) and profit-sharing plans.
  • Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) program.
Full Job Description
We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Data Architect to join our dynamic legal organization. This role uniquely blends business architecture and data engineering, with a primary focus on supporting internal operations while also enabling transformational technology solutions for our legal practice groups. The ideal candidate will bridge technical expertise with legal domain knowledge, ensuring our data architecture aligns with both business operations and strategic client service objectives.

This role offers a unique opportunity to build and optimize the data architecture that powers critical business functions across marketing, finance, professional development, and legal practice, while also enabling advanced analytics and AI capabilities.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Business Architecture & Data Strategy
  • Develop and Maintain Business Architecture: Create and maintain business architecture models that support the organization's strategic objectives, with specific emphasis on legal operations and business functions.
  • Data Strategy & Governance: Define and implement a comprehensive data strategy that aligns with firm-wide business goals and facilitates effective data governance across all internal departments.
  • Data Flow Management: Design and manage data flows across the organization, ensuring data integrity, availability, and seamless integration between practice management, financial, HR, marketing, professional development, and operational systems.
  • Data Engineering: Implement data engineering practices to build robust data pipelines, ensuring efficient processing and transformation of structured and unstructured legal and business data.
  • Cross-Departmental Collaboration: Work closely with stakeholders across IT, legal operations, finance, HR, marketing, business development, and professional development to understand requirements and translate them into effective data solutions.
  • Standards and Best Practices: Establish and enforce data architecture standards and best practices, ensuring consistency and quality across enterprise systems.
  • Analytics Infrastructure: Develop and maintain analytics platforms that enable data-driven decision-making for business operations, resource planning, and strategic initiatives.


Legal Practice Group Support & AI Integration
  • Attorney Enablement: Liaise with attorneys and practice groups to understand their data and technology needs, translating requirements into practical data architecture and AI-driven solutions.
  • Legal Technology Integration: Active in the assessment, benchmarking, and deployment of legal technologies (AI, document automation, contract analysis, e-discovery, and research tools) that leverage the firm's data architecture.
  • Technology Assessment: May conduct research on legal technology trends and emerging platforms and provide support to pilot programs for practice-specific applications and client-facing technology solutions.
  • Training & Documentation: Assist the enablement and training teams with instructions and deliverables to attorneys and staff. Maintain thorough documentation of prototypes, experiments, design specifications, and methodologies.


Enterprise-Wide Responsibilities
  • Risk Management: Identify and mitigate data-related risks, ensuring compliance with legal industry regulations, privacy standards (attorney-client privilege, confidentiality), and security requirements.
  • Tools and Technology Evaluation: Evaluate and recommend tools and technologies that support the data architecture framework, with consideration for legal-specific platforms and vendor relations.
  • Performance Measurement: Measure impact and ROI for data and technology projects; establish metrics for adoption and effectiveness.


QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Science, or related field. JD, MBA, or Master's in Library Science (MLS) strongly preferred.
  • 5+ years of proven experience in business data architecture and data engineering, with demonstrated experience in a law firm or professional services environment.
  • Hands-on experience architecting and integrating data from multiple business systems including:
    • Marketing systems (CRM, marketing automation, business development platforms)
    • Financial systems (billing, accounting, financial reporting)
    • Professional development and learning management systems
    • Legal practice management systems (matter management, document management, time tracking)
    • HR and talent management systems
  • Familiarity with enterprise architecture frameworks (such as TOGAF)
  • Strong proficiency in data modeling, design tools, and data engineering practices
  • Knowledge of data governance and regulatory compliance in legal contexts
  • Familiarity with legal research platforms (Westlaw, LexisNexis), practice management systems, and legal-specific data requirements.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
  • Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with proven ability to translate complex technical concepts to non-technical legal professionals
  • Strong project management acumen and cross-functional leadership capability
  • Enterprise architecture certifications are a plus.
  • Experience with legal document automation, e-discovery platforms (Relativity), and related tools preferred
  • Demonstrated experience leading or supporting AI/ML or analytics projects from concept to completion preferred
  • Experience managing pilot programs, technology assessments, and vendor relations in legal or professional services preferred
    • Deep familiarity with compliance, privacy, and security standards specific to legal technology
    • Experience with data integration across diverse business systems and creating unified data models
    • Experience with data science and analytics tools (Python, R, SQL)
  • Experience with machine learning, natural language processing, and AI applications for legal content and workflows preferred


The firm offers a generous total compensation package with bonuses and raises awarded in recognition of individual merit-based performance. All full-time Business Services employees may participate in King & Spalding's comprehensive benefit program including health and wellness plan, life and disability insurance, flexible spending accounts and a health savings account, a 401(k) plan, profit sharing plan, and a substantial Paid Time Off (PTO) program.

We are proud of our remarkably cohesive culture, which now encompasses more than 2,500 lawyers and business professionals worldwide. We seek to attract and develop the very best talent to work with us.

About King & Spalding

Celebrating more than 125 years of service, King & Spalding is an international law firm that represents a broad array of clients, including half of the Fortune Global 100, with 800 lawyers in 17 offices in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The firm also represents hundreds of clients with new ventures and mid-sized companies in emerging industries.

King & Spalding Careers

There has never been a better time to explore the job opportunities at King & Spalding, a premier legal institution with a global footprint. This company stands out not only for its legal expertise but also for its commitment to growth, leadership, and innovation in the legal field.

Work You’ll Do

Join King & Spalding’s distinguished team to assist some of the most influential businesses and organizations worldwide. At King & Spalding, professionals are at the forefront of legal services, driving change across industries through a combination of deep legal expertise and broad industry knowledge. Transform the legal landscape with King & Spalding, where the culture of leadership and professional growth fosters an environment ripe for innovation and significant career advancement. Engage with a team of experts who are leaders in their fields, providing insights and solutions that redefine how legal challenges are addressed.

King & Spalding Employment Opportunities

King & Spalding is building a robust team of legal professionals to guide and support clients through complex legal challenges. The team is dedicated to delivering targeted solutions with a depth of knowledge that is unmatched in the legal sector.

Innovative Work

At King & Spalding, every position offers the chance to work on groundbreaking cases at the intersection of law, industry expertise, and digital innovation. The firm’s commitment to innovation is evident in its approach to solving complex legal challenges for its clients.

Be Part of a Great Team

Join a team that values diversity, inclusion, and professional development. King & Spalding is known for its collaborative environment, where skills are honed, and knowledge is shared. The firm’s global scale and leadership in legal services make it a powerhouse in the industry.

Future-Proof Your Career

King & Spalding offers a pathway to significant professional advancement, supported by comprehensive training, development programs, and diversity training. The firm’s commitment to career growth ensures that every team member has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Explore

Discover how King & Spalding leads the way in client services and innovation: - Implementing cutting-edge legal strategies that set industry standards. - Offering tailored solutions that address the unique challenges of each client.

The King & Spalding Difference

With a commitment to excellence and a focus on sustainable growth, King & Spalding helps clients navigate the complexities of the legal world. The firm’s global presence and collaborative approach enable it to deliver exceptional service and results.

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Learn more about King & Spalding
Industry
Business Services
Founded
1885
* Ladders Estimates

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