Senior Information Governance Specialist II

Senior Information Governance Specialist II

At Kirkland & Ellis, we don’t just meet the standard for legal excellence — we set it. Our culture is built on teamwork, ingenuity and an unwavering commitment to continuous growth. We tackle the most sophisticated legal challenges with bold ideas and innovative solutions, powered by the exceptional experience and ambition of our 7,000+ people, including 4,000+ attorneys, across 23 offices worldwide.

Our dedicated professionals share our lawyers’ commitment to excellence and show up each day to do meaningful work that helps drive global business, investment and innovation forward.

What You’ll Do

Do you thrive at the intersection of data, risk, and compliance—and enjoy being the go-to expert for complex, high impact decisions?

As a Senior Information Governance Specialist II, you’ll lead and execute critical Information Governance Compliance services that protect firm and client data throughout its lifecycle. You’ll serve as a subject matter expert and escalation point, partnering closely with attorneys, Information Technology (IT), and senior Risk Management leaders to ensure policies, client requirements, and applicable laws are applied consistently and defensibly. This role plays a visible, trusted part in safeguarding information while continuously improving how the work gets done.

• Client File Intake & Control:
  Manage and track incoming client and lateral attorney files, ensuring accurate classification, organization, and compliance with firm standards while identifying and mitigating intake-related risks.
• Secure Client File Release:
  Coordinate and execute secure file releases, collaborating with legal teams to collect, filter, validate, package, and transfer data in line with client instructions and firm policies.
• Client File Transfers:
  Draft attorney acknowledgements and timekeeper records of filing notices; collect, process, analyze, redact, and protect electronic files for release; and automate business processes where possible by leveraging technology.
• Data Preservation Management:
  Draft, issue, track, and update preservation orders, define scope and custodians, monitor compliance, and advise stakeholders on preservation strategy and risk mitigation.
• Data Destruction & Retention:
  Draft, review, and execute destruction orders, coordinate defensible disposition decisions, and resolve retention or exception issues in compliance with firm and client requirements.
• Data Access Oversight:
  Review and audit data access requests to ensure alignment with ethical walls, client requirements, and firm policies, partnering with IT and security teams to address access risks.
• Policy Exception Management:
  Assess and manage requests for exceptions to information governance policies, escalating complex or high risk matters with clear recommendations and maintaining accurate documentation and reporting.
• Risk Analysis & Audits:
  Conduct audits, data analysis, and fact finding to identify risks, improve processes, and support defensible decision making.
• Advisory & Communication:
  Advise firm personnel on Information Governance (IG) policies, procedures, and best practices, and deliver clear written and verbal communications, reports, and presentations.
• Process Improvement & Innovation:
  Lead or contribute to IG Compliance initiatives, continuously identifying opportunities to automate, streamline, or enhance processes—including thoughtful use of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation tools.
• Team Enablement:
  Mentor team members, support onboarding and training, and foster a culture of compliance, proactive risk identification, and continuous improvement.

What You’ll Bring

• Education:
  
  A four year degree in information technology, law, compliance, business administration, information management, or a related field.
• Relevant
  
  Experience:
  
  5+ years of experience in information governance, records management, legal operations, or risk management; law firm experience preferred.
• Information Governance Expertise:
  Strong understanding of data lifecycle management, legal hold processes, data disposition practices, and electronic discovery (eDiscovery) processes and tools.
• Risk Based Judgment:
  De…