Job Description
Research Analyst
Wiggin and Dana’s Knowledge and Research Services Department seeks a Research Analyst to join its team of dedicated, experienced professionals. The team provides firm-wide research and reference support, manages the firm’s electronic and print resource collection, trains attorneys, paralegals, and staff on specific resources and research tasks, and develops and implements knowledge management systems and tools. Although assignments will vary as needs arise, the Research Analyst will focus primarily on research, with an emphasis on legal research, and on supporting the firm’s legal AI initiatives. This full-time, exempt position reports to the Research Manager and is based in the New Haven office with a hybrid remote/office schedule.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
The following are essential job duties and responsibilities of the Research Analyst. This list is not exhaustive, and the Research Analyst will perform other tasks and assume other duties as assigned.
- Fulfill research requests of varying complexity and focus, including:
- comprehensive legal research across a wide variety of practice areas and jurisdictions
- background research on companies and individuals
- business and competitive intelligence research
- scientific, medical, technical, statistical, historical, and other non-legal research
- Advise attorneys, paralegals, and staff regarding research strategies and resource selection
- Conduct research training and prepare and maintain instructional materials
- Manage current awareness projects
- Maintain expert working knowledge of research resources and technologies
- Assist with the evaluation and implementation of research resources and technologies, including legal AI
Requirements
Education and Experience
- A JD is strongly preferred, but candidates with a library, information science, or other relevant educational background and significant legal research experience will be considered
- Experience in a research/knowledge/library department is required; experience in a law firm environment is strongly preferred
- Experience using specialized electronic research resources, including legal research resources, is required
- Experience using MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook is required
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Manage a heavy workload, competing priorities, and multiple tasks effectively under tight deadlines
- Possess a strong working knowledge of a wide variety of resources and technologies and the ability to adapt to new resources and technologies quickly and effectively
- Demonstrate a fine attention to detail, strong organizational skills, intellectual curiosity, and the ability to tailor research strategy and resource selection based on time and cost constraints and other considerations
- Demonstrate excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, and technology skills
- Evaluate, analyze, and synthesize information from diverse sources and package final work product in a user-friendly format
- Exercise sound judgment and work independently with minimal supervision
- Work collaboratively with attorneys, paralegals, and staff and delegate tasks as appropriate
Essential Physical and Mental Demands
- Work outside of normal business hours when necessary
- Sit for an extended period of time
- Work on a computer for an extended period of time
- Occasionally move books and boxes and use stepstool to reach high shelves
- Manage stress due to workload pressures