Law firms and companies are hiring more "legal engineers" for AI work

In short: More law firms, legal tech companies, and corporate legal departments are hiring “legal engineers” to help legal teams use A.I. tools.

What's going on

A growing number of employers in the legal world are hiring people who understand both law and technology. These roles are often called “legal engineers.” You may also see titles like “innovation attorney” or “A.I. innovation adviser.”

The basic idea is simple. As A.I. becomes more common in legal work, teams need someone who can translate between lawyers and software, then set up better ways of working. Think of it like having a bilingual guide in a room where two groups speak different languages (law and tech).

The New York Times highlights one example at the legal tech company Legora. Daniel Himmel, the head of legal engineering for North America, said he has hired about 70 people over the past year. He said Legora has built a global team of about 200 legal engineers since 2024, and that competitors and clients are hiring for similar roles.

Pay can be high, although it varies by employer and job title. The Times cites job listings showing Latham & Watkins hiring “legal engineering attorneys” with a salary range of $220,000 to $250,000 in at least five cities. Kirkland & Ellis lists an “A.I. innovation adviser” role at $153,000 to $220,000. Gibson Dunn advertises $250,000 to $300,000 for a “legal technology & AI Attorney.”

What to watch

This job category is still settling, so titles and responsibilities may keep changing. Watch for whether more companies, including in-house teams at large firms like Microsoft and Nvidia, build permanent “legal engineering” groups, and whether law schools and training programs start treating it as a standard career path.

Source: NYTimes