Van Ness Feldman (VNF) has over 45 years of focused experience solving challenges that arise at the intersection of business and government. Through their collective knowledge and experience, the professionals take a uniquely collaborative approach that anticipates trends, adapts to changes in political and regulatory climate, and helps clients achieve their goals. The team at VNF have built lasting relationships with industry, non-profit organizations, and government at all levels, in the inter-related areas of energy, environment, natural resources, public lands, real estate/land use, infrastructure, native affairs, and health care.
With more than 100 professionals in Washington D.C., Seattle, the Bay Area, Houston, and Baton Rouge VNF is renowned for providing a nationwide clientele with sophisticated, top-notch services that include:
Strategic business advice;
Legal and regulatory compliance counsel;
Legislative and policy advocacy, insight, and representation;
Support for project development, permitting, and transactions;
Representation in administrative proceedings, litigation, and investigations;
A depth of knowledge that is unparalleled in our core areas of focus.
VNF is proud of the reputation it has earned for out-servicing the competition in terms of quality of work and obtaining the best possible outcomes, even in difficult situations. Client service and value are the endgame.
About the Position
Our firm is currently seeking its first Chief Information Officer (CIO), someone that is ready to share our passion for high quality work and obtaining the very best outcome. The CIO is a strategically important senior leadership position responsible for all aspects of Information Technology, Security and Privacy at Van Ness Feldman.
At the core, the CIO is accountable for IT operations, assuring that IT services are up and running, operating at a level that meets the needs of the firm and expectations of the people relying on IT services to deliver legal services. The CIO is also accountable for the firm’s investment in IT, controlling the impact of IT spending on the organization and assuring that costs are managed aggressively, and investment is made wisely.
The CIO is expected to provide insights that support sound decision making and enable lawyers and administrators to run the business. The CIO should also be a source for ideas and solutions that support and enhance the practice and the business of law at VNF. They should be a change leader, able to deliver change (incremental and transformational) through collaboration with firm leaders and provide guidance to the firm, helping people prepare for, and adopt, technology and new ways of working.
As the author and steward of the firm’s technology strategy and planning of projects and programs, the CIO will work closely with the COO and firm leadership to assure that IT aligns with and supports VNF’s business goals. The CIO is expected to engage with members of the firm for feedback on the quality of IT services provided and to understand the unmet needs of lawyers and administrative team for technology.
The CIO will work from our Washington DC office. They will report to the COO. They will be responsible for providing leadership to a team of talented IT professionals, motivating them to deliver world class service and seeing to their continuous development and retention.
Benefits Summary
Competitive Compensation
Van Ness Feldman offers a robust suite of benefits for our administrative leadership team including: Paid Time Off, sick time, a 401(k) program, Profit Sharing, paid Holidays, Health and Life Insurance including Dental & Vision coverage, Health Savings Account (HSA)/Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) to help offset the cost of dependent care and/or health care expenses, and an EAP program.
We are fully committed to the importance of diversity within the legal profession, as well as all workplace environments and strongly encourage the interest of diverse candidates in the firm.
Equal Opportunity Employer.
Please send resume to: CIOSearch@unbiasedconsulting.com. Please note that this search is being managed by Unbiased Consulting, a leading consulting provider to the legal market. We ask that you do not directly contact the firm, its lawyers or staff, relative to this search, as candidates who do so may be eliminated from consideration.
The ideal candidate will meet these requirements:
BA or BS degree. Master’s Degree a plus.
12+ years progressive IT experience. 7+ years of people leadership. 4+ years in the legal industry.
Relevant professional certifications a plus (e.g. MSCE, CCDE, CISM, CISSP, PMP, etc.)
Consulting or small business ownership experience, with delivery focus, a plus.
Direct supervisory and performance management experience.
Strong technology and business acumen. Demonstrated understanding/awareness of the business of law, legal industry solutions, cloud infrastructure solutions and PaaS/SaaS offerings.
Possesses a results-oriented mindset. Able to deliver outcomes through collaboration and influence.
A strong client service philosophy to provide technology and support services in a highly responsive environment.
Demonstrate a commercial orientation, ability to identify and seize business opportunities.
Have a history of delivering projects on time, on budget and exceeding expectations.
Proven IT organization leadership, people development and continuous improvement.
Demonstrated problem solving skills coupled with the ability to make decisions and operate in difficult situations. Effective risk and crisis management.
A strategic orientation that anticipates and adapts to changing business needs. Ability to “see around corners.”
Eagerness to work with the COO and firm leadership to identify and establish priorities consistent with agreed to strategies and changing business needs, and to communicate needs, plans, goals and expectations to clients, users, and management.
Ability to provide guidance that balances functionality, risk, and ROI.
Excellent communications skills with all levels of a professional services organization. Ability to explain technical concepts to a non-technical audience.
Possess impeccable ethics and familiarity with dealing with highly sensitive data.
Open-minded, team oriented and strong interpersonal skills.
