eDiscovery Automation Manager

Schedule: 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM
FLSA: Exempt
Position Type: Full-Time/Regular

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is a leading international law firm with more than 900 lawyers in offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. We are currently seeking a eDiscovery Automation Manager in the eDiscovery department, reporting to the Director of eDiscovery.

The role can reside in Dallas, Houston, New York, Philadelphia or Washington, DC with hybrid work capabilities and will be responsible for leading the firm’s eDiscovery Processing function and staff. This role owns the strategy, optimization, and operational execution of defensible processing workflows across the firm’s current processing stack—Nuix (pre-culling), Relativity Processing (processing and loading into Relativity), and MessageCrawler (processing chat data to RSMF)—with a particular emphasis on automation, efficiency, and quality control.

Key responsibilities of this position include:

Processing strategy, automation, and operational excellence

• Own and continuously improve the firm’s end-to-end processing workflows (collection intake through processed deliverables and Relativity load readiness) across Nuix, Rampiva Automation, Relativity Processing, and MessageCrawler.
• Identify, design, and implement automation opportunities (e.g., standardized job templates, repeatable QC steps, scripted validations, dashboarding/metrics, exception reporting) to improve throughput, reduce error rates, and increase predictability.
• Develop and maintain defensible processing standards aligned with eDiscovery best practices, including repeatable QC controls (e.g., exception handling, error remediation playbooks, statistical/targeted QC, and documented sign-offs).
• Establish performance metrics and reporting for the processing function (cycle times, backlog, exception rates, rework drivers, capacity utilization) to support continuous improvement and resourcing decisions.

Workflow development and documentation

• Develop robust documentation for processing workflows, including SOPs, runbooks, training guides, escalation procedures, and tool-specific standards.
• Maintain and curate a processing documentation that supports consistent execution by staff.

People leadership and staffing

• Advise on and manage processing staffing levels, including hiring recommendations, coverage models, cross-training plans, and surge capacity planning.
• Mentor and train direct reports, including building competency plans (core processing, advanced exceptions, tool administration basics, QC discipline, defensibility).

Escalation support and complex processing execution

• Provide hands-on troubleshooting and “last-line” execution for difficult, urgent, unusual, or high-risk processing tasks when staff or project managers cannot complete the work.
• Lead root-cause analysis for recurring processing issues; implement corrective actions and preventive controls.
• Partner with eDiscovery Project Managers to ensure processing decisions align with matter strategy, timelines, budgets, and production requirements.

Cross-functional collaboration and change management

• Conduct meetings with other eDiscovery stakeholders (Project Management, Collections, Hosting/Relativity Admin, InfoGov, Practice Technology Support, and IT) to advise on processing strategy and operational alignment.
• Participate in change management as the firm’s software stack evolves; assess impacts, update workflows/SOPs, train staff, and support adoption.
• Participate in evaluation of new processing-related software and tools (requirements gathering, pilot design, scoring criteria, testing, defensibility review, implementation planning).

Training and internal consulting

• Assist eDiscovery Project Managers with processing software usage and best practices; provide structured training within the eDiscovery group on Nuix, Relativity Processing, and MessageCrawler workflows.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on processing methodologies, defensible workflow design, and processing-related troubleshooting.

Budget and vendor support

• Participate in budget planning for eDiscovery processing software and related firm eDiscovery tools, including license needs, growth forecasts, and cost-optimization opportunities.
• Support vendor engagement as needed (escalations, roadmap discussions, support case management, and evaluation of professional services).

Governance and operational discipline

• Ensure processing operations adhere to firm policies for security, confidentiality, and data handling; partner with IT and information governance stakeholders as required.
• Coordinate and contribute to Practice Technology Support meetings and, to a lesser extent, IT meetings, representing processing operational needs and constraints.

Additional duties

• Provide periodic reporting on processing operations (capacity, performance trends, backlog, risk items, and improvement initiatives) to eDiscovery leadership and stakeholders.
• Support occasional off-hours remediation efforts for urgent matters, time-sensitive productions, or critical processing disruptions, recognizing that such events are expected to be infrequent.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications (Experience, Knowledge, Skills & Abilities):

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent work experience) in a relevant discipline; an advanced degree is a plus.
• Prior people-management experience required (e.g., 2+ years in a managerial or supervisory capacity).
• Industry certifications are a plus (examples: Relativity certifications, Nuix training/certifications, ACEDS, or similar),but not required.
• Significant hands-on experience leading or owning eDiscovery processing operations in a law firm or equivalent environment.
• Deep working knowledge of eDiscovery processing concepts and defensible workflow design (metadata, deduplication, threading, filtering/culling strategy, exception handling, chat processing, and load/production readiness).
• Demonstrated proficiency with Nuix, Rampiva Automation, and Relativity Processing; experience with MessageCrawler (including chat processing to RSMF) strongly preferred.
• Proven ability to improve efficiency through workflow design, automation, standardization, and metrics-based operations.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams, coach and develop staff, and provide clear feedback.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to diagnose complex processing issues, identify root causes, and implement durable fixes.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and balance competing deadlines in a high-stakes environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills across technical and non-technical audiences; ability to translate processing tradeoffs into practical decisions for case teams.
• Familiarity with scripting/automation concepts (e.g., PowerShell, Python) and data handling concepts (e.g., CSV/JSON handling, logs, repeatable QC).
• Familiarity with Relativity workspace needs as they relate to processing outcomes (fields mapping, load file readiness, and downstream review/production considerations).
• Experience supporting budgeting and license planning for legal technology tools.
• Experience evaluating vendor tools, running pilots, and developing recommendations grounded in defensibility, operational impact, and cost.

The anticipated base salary range for this position in New York and Washington, DC is $140,000 to $190,000. The actual salary offered will be based on several factors, including, but not limited to, relevant education, qualifications, years of relevant experience, certifications or other professional licenses held, job-related knowledge and skills, business needs, and the location from which the work will be , salary or hourly wages may be only part of the total compensation package, which may also include a full range of health and other insurance benefits, financial and/or other benefits (including 401(k) eligibility), a discretionary bonus, and various paid time off information about benefits and rewards can be found .