Data Scientist

THE FIRM

As a leading international law firm, we are dedicated to excellence through impactful communication, collaboration, and community involvement. Our company culture has earned us one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" for 26 consecutive years. This honor, along with many others, highlights our commitment to innovation and professional development. At Alston & Bird LLP, our foundation is made of trust, reliability, and compassion.

JOB DESCRIPTION

We are in search of visionary Data Scientist to join our Practice Innovation team—a group dedicated to transforming how legal services are delivered through cutting-edge technology. In this role, you’ll lead the charge in deploying enterprise AI platforms like Microsoft Copilot Studio and Azure OpenAI, helping to craft smarter, data-driven legal strategies. If you’re passionate about legal tech, fluent in data science, and excited by the possibilities of AI, we’d love to meet you.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Design, develop, and maintain predictive models to support administrative and legal departments.
• Configure and deploy AI solutions using Copilot Studio, Azure OpenAI, and other Microsoft 365 AI tools to enhance legal workflows.
• Collaborate with attorneys, innovation leads, and IT to identify opportunities for automation and data-driven decision-making.
• Build and maintain dashboards and analytics tools for internal stakeholders (e.g., attorney development, DEI, legal operations).
• Evaluate third-party legal tech tools and assist in integration with firm systems.
• Support AI governance, including ethical use, data privacy, and compliance with firm policies.

SKILLS NEEDED TO BE SUCCESSFUL

• Experience working in or with law firms or legal departments.
• Knowledge of legal data types (e.g., timekeeping, matter metadata, court filings).
• Understanding of AI governance, model evaluation, and responsible AI practices.
• Strong communication skills and ability to translate technical concepts for non-technical stakeholders.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Statistics, or related field preferred.
•  2+ years of experience in a data science or machine learning role, preferably in a professional services or legal environment.
• Proficiency in Python, SQL, and data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau).
• Experience with Copilot Studio, Azure OpenAI, or similar enterprise AI platforms.
• Familiarity with natural language processing (NLP), large language models (LLMs), and prompt engineering.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Alston & Bird LLP is an Equal Opportunity Employer does not discriminate on the bases of any status protected under federal, state, or local law. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, national origin, veteran status or disability in relation to our recruiting, hiring, and promoting practices.

The statements contained in this position description are not necessarily all-inclusive, additional duties and responsibilities may be assigned, and requirements may vary from time to time.

Professional business references and a background screening will be required for all final applicants selected for a position.

If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability you may contact garett.bechdolt@alston.com.

Alston & Bird is not currently accepting resumes from agencies for this position. If you are a recruiter, search firm, or employment agency, you will not be compensated in any way for your referral of a candidate even if Alston & Bird hires the candidate.