About this role
Role Description
The Legal Operations Specialist will serve as the operational backbone of the Legal & Compliance Department, driving efficiency, cost discipline, and innovation across the function. This role is the bridge between legal strategy and business execution—owning the systems, processes, technology, and vendor relationships that enable lawyers to focus on high-value legal work. A core part of the job is championing artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies within the legal function, ensuring lawyers and staff are equipped to leverage these tools to enhance productivity, quality, and speed.
Key Responsibilities
Legal Operations Strategy & Continuous Improvement Design and implement a scalable legal operations framework aligned with Annaly's business-first legal model. Translate Legal leadership priorities into practical processes, tools, and workflows that improve execution. Partner with Legal and Compliance professionals to codify playbooks, templates, and decision frameworks. Technology, AI & Process Optimization Own the legal technology stack—evaluate, implement, optimize, and maintain platforms such as e-billing, matter management, contract lifecycle management (CLM) and knowledge management systems. Serve as the department's AI champion: identify, pilot, and deploy AI-powered tools (e.g., generative AI for drafting, contract review, legal research, document analysis, and presentations) to augment lawyer workflows and reduce manual effort. Develop training programs, prompt-engineering guides, and best-practice playbooks to help attorneys, legal staff, and governance professionals adopt AI tools effectively, responsibly, and in compliance with ethical and data-governance standards. Develop practical methods to measure and communicate the value delivered by AI tools and related process improvements. Outside Counsel Management & Cost Discipline Design and oversee a comprehensive outside counsel management program, including panel selection, engagement guidelines, and performance tracking. Enhance billing discipline, alternative fee arrangements, and rate negotiations to optimize spend. Develop, manage, and report on the annual legal department budget, including spend forecasting and variance analysis.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree; relevant professional certification (e.g., CLOC) preferred. At least 5 years of experience in legal operations, corporate governance support or a related operational role within a corporate legal department, corporate secretary's office, or law firm; equivalent experience translating between business needs and technology in another function, such as consulting, product, or business operations will also be considered. Demonstrated experience building or scaling legal operations functions, including systems, workflows, and metrics. Proficiency across the legal technology landscape, including hands-on experience implementing or managing several of the following: CLM, e-billing, matter management, and knowledge management systems, as well as hands-on experience with AI tools in a legal or professional services context (e.g., prompt engineering, workflow automation, responsible AI governance). Strong understanding of outside counsel management, legal spend optimization, and budgeting frameworks. Analytical mindset with proficiency in data analysis, reporting, and dashboarding tools. Strong project management skills with the ability to execute across multiple initiatives and departments simultaneously. Excellent communication skills, and the ability to translate between stakeholders who might have different work styles, communication styles, and levels of technological expertise. Self-motivated, proactive, intellectually curious, creative, and resourceful; takes initiative and ownership of responsibilities; enjoys helping others; embraces cross-functional, enterprise-wide goals.
Requirements
Based in New York, NY preferred; exceptional remote candidates authorized to work in the United States will be considered. Must have unrestricted work authorization to work in the United States. Must be willing to submit to a background investigation. Must be willing to work additional hours as needed to complete deadline driven projects.
Benefits
Comprehensive and competitive total rewards package. Salary range expected to be between $160,000 and $250,000/year; base salary offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors. Total compensation package may include other elements, such as a sign-on bonus, restricted stock units, and/or discretionary awards. Robust health and wellness benefits. Retirement savings. Paid time off. Tuition and learning reimbursement. Back up childcare. Paid parental leave. Additional details about total compensation and benefits will be provided during the hiring process.