Senior Information Governance Specialist

About Kirkland & Ellis

At Kirkland & Ellis, we are united in our ambition and drive to move forward. We share core values that help us achieve excellence: collaboration, talent empowerment, service, inclusion, respect and gratitude. Our people are our greatest asset, and we invest in the brightest talent and encourage a diversity of perspectives and strengths to create dynamic teams that operate at the pinnacle of their field. Our talented professionals show up every day knowing they will engage in meaningful work, continuous learning and professional development.

As one of the world’s leading law firms, we serve a broad range of clients with market-leading practices in private equity, M&A and other complex corporate transactions; investment fund formation and management; restructurings; high-stakes litigation and trials; and government, regulatory and internal investigations. We handle the most complicated and sophisticated legal matters because we don’t just meet industry standards, we create them. We bring innovation and entrepreneurialism to every engagement and, as a result, have long-standing client relationships with leading global corporations and financial sponsors. With 6,500 employees (including 3,000+ lawyers) operating from 18 offices across the United States, Europe and Asia, we are one of the largest law firms in the world and a top financial performer.

Essential Job Functions

The Senior Information Governance (IG) Specialist plans, coordinates, executes and/or supports one or more IG projects and services relating to departing personnel, file transfers, file intake, data protection, records retention review, or electronic recordkeeping. Also provides backup support for data protection initiatives by monitoring users’ system activity, consulting with users impacted by data protection controls, performing fact finding, and documenting results. Serves as a lead on projects involving legacy and unstructured data in order to identify and refile or disposition documents and data by client matter.

Serves as the lead IG Operations resource for the firm’s Bay Area offices, and supports multiple firmwide functions and initiatives. This role leads classification, access control, and disposition projects relating to client and firm administrative data and records, and the work performed by the individual in this position results in the measurable reduction of costs and/or minimizes risks relating to risk management and information classification, access and disposition. Also advises attorneys, paralegals and other legal staff and administrative personnel on information governance related policies and procedures.

This individual plans, develops and delivers educational material to firm personnel about their responsibilities to manage information and records in accordance with firm policies, procedures and guidelines.

Essential Job Functions:

Information Governance Operations

• Assists with initiatives to drive changes in working practices and law firm culture to accelerate the adoption of electronic recordkeeping practices.
• Analyzes and makes recommendations regarding the classification, access and disposition of files stored in firm approved records repositories.
• Coordinates the conversion of paper files to electronic images.
• Provides guidance to firm personnel at all levels on the firm’s information governance policies, processes and procedures.  
• Provides operational support for legacy data projects relating to client and firm data, and serves as a liaison with external parties involved in client file transfers.
• Plans, tracks and reports progress made towards file space management goals and the onsite storage of files.
• Conducts analysis of data on high volume distributed file systems (DFS), identifies unstructured data by client matter, and migrates data to standard DFS client matter directories.
• Consults with partners, senior management, and other administrative and legal personnel regarding records retention review and the reduction of paper file storage for legal and administrative records.
• Delivers new hire orientation on Information Governance to staff and attorneys.

File Release and Intake

• Working under the direction of an IG functional lead, coordinates file collection, review and secure transfer with attorneys, information technology staff, and/or external parties.

Departing Personnel

• Consults with departing personnel about their IG-related departure responsibilities.
• Ensures departing personnel complete required IG documentation prior to leaving the firm.
• Maintains complete and accurate records of all communications and other documents relating to the IG responsibilities of departing personnel.

Data Protection

• Executes periodic user data protection monitoring and reviews across multiple data repositories and departments.
• Determines the classification of sensitive information flagged by data protection tools and alerts.
• Assists with investigations and incident response relating to data protection.
• Assists management with responses to partner requests and other internal and external requests relating to data protection.

Data and Records Lifecycle Management

• Researches and assists with the implementation of new and existing records retention periods.
• Proposes new and improved workflows for client and administrative records retention review, file releases, and active file management.
• Ensures proper information security controls are in place for client and firm data.

Qualifications & Requirements

Information Governance is a burgeoning field drawing experienced individuals from a variety of educational backgrounds and professional experience. Qualified candidates must have a four-year degree or equivalent experience relating to records management, information governance, information technology, law, compliance, business administration, and a minimum of five years of legal practice support or paralegal experience.

This position requires a self-motivated, creative, and detail-oriented individual. Must be capable of working independently to achieve results with limited oversight.  Strong interpersonal, communication, and critical thinking skills required. Must be an effective communicator of technical and business information in a variety of formats, and possess the ability to explain complex and/or technical topics relating to information governance to those who have no prior knowledge of the firm’s systems and policies.

Advanced proficiency in Microsoft’s software suite is required. Prior experience using and/or administering iManage WorkSite, MS SharePoint, and/or LegalKEY Recordkeeping is a plus.

How to Apply

Thank you for your interest in Kirkland & Ellis LLP.  To complete an application and submit your resume, please click "Apply Now."

Equal Employment Opportunity

All employment decisions, including the recruiting, hiring, placement, training availability, promotion, compensation, evaluation, disciplinary actions, and termination of employment (if necessary) are made without regard to the employee’s race, color, creed, religion, sex, pregnancy or childbirth, personal appearance, family responsibilities, sexual orientation or preference, gender identity, political affiliation, source of income, place of residence, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military veteran status, unfavorable discharge from military service, physical or mental disability, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

Closing Statement

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