Collaboration & Productivity Engineer II (Copilot)

About Kirkland & Ellis

At Kirkland & Ellis, we don't just meet the standard for legal excellence - we set it. Our culture is built on teamwork, ingenuity and an unwavering commitment to continuous growth. We tackle the most sophisticated legal challenges with bold ideas and innovative solutions, powered by the exceptional experience and ambition of our 7,000+ people, including 4,000+ attorneys, across 22 offices worldwide. Our dedicated professionals share our lawyers' commitment to excellence and show up each day to do meaningful work that helps drive global business, investment and innovation forward.

What You'll Do

Are you energized by helping organizations unlock the full potential of Microsoft 365 and generative AI? As the Firm's Collaboration and Productivity Engineer II, you will serve as the in-house expert for Microsoft Copilot and the broader Microsoft 365 (M365) collaboration ecosystem. Embedded within the Firm's Information Technology (IT) department, you will partner with IT leadership, attorneys, staff, Information Security, and Compliance to build secure, high-impact AI solutions that enhance productivity while upholding rigorous governance standards.

In this role, you will lead the integration, configuration, and ongoing management of Copilot across the Firm, develop custom AI "agents" using Copilot Studio, and identify opportunities to streamline administrative and legal workflows. Your work will directly support the Firm's ability to innovate responsibly, ensuring that leading-edge tools operate securely within a highly regulated environment.

This hybrid position requires at least three days per week in a Kirkland office.

• Implement and manage Copilot solutions by deploying, configuring, and maintaining Microsoft 365 Copilot and custom agents across departments; oversee tenant settings, licensing, and integrations with the Firm's M365 environment.
• Develop custom AI agents using Microsoft Copilot Studio to support Firm-specific workflows, ensuring proper data sources, permissions, and security boundaries across SharePoint, Teams, and other repositories.
• Enhance productivity in administrative and legal workflows by partnering with attorneys and staff to identify high-value AI use cases-such as email summarization, document comparison, meeting preparation, research support, and report generation.
• Deliver operational support and advanced troubleshooting for Copilot, Teams, SharePoint Online, OneDrive, and related collaboration tools while serving as a Tier-2/3 escalation point; support system performance, incident response, and scheduled weekend maintenance windows; participate in the 24x7 on-call rotation for Priority-1 escalations.
• Strengthen governance and compliance by working with Security Governance and Risk Management to enforce Firm policies within Copilot Guardrails and M365; implement Microsoft Purview solutions including Data Loss Prevention (DLP), retention, eDiscovery, and ethical walls
• Create documentation and training resources such as SOPs, knowledge articles, and user guides; lead training sessions to promote effective use of Copilot, Copilot Studio, and M365 collaboration tools.
• Collaborate across IT and vendor teams (Infrastructure, Applications, Security, Training, Knowledge/Intranet, Microsoft, Intapp) to coordinate system changes, integrations, and incident resolution.

What You'll Bring

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience considered.
• Experience: Minimum of 3+ years administering Microsoft 365 in a mid- to large-scale enterprise, including at least one year focused specifically on Microsoft Copilot.
• Microsoft 365 administration expertise with hands-on support of SharePoint Online, Microsoft Teams, Exchange Online, and OneDrive for Business.
• AI and Copilot integration skills including deployment and management of Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot Studio (or comparable AI platforms) with a clear understanding of enterprise AI capabilities and constraints.
• Security and compliance proficiency with M365 governance tools such as Microsoft Purview, Data Loss Prevention, retention policies, and eDiscovery, including experience applying controls to meet regulatory or client confidentiality requirements.
• Scripting and automation capability in PowerShell, plus experience with Power Automate or Power Apps to streamline administrative workflows.
• Strong troubleshooting ability with a record of resolving complex M365 collaboration and AI-related issues efficiently.
• Clear communication and collaboration skills to work effectively with end users, technical teams, and vendors.
• Leadership and initiative demonstrating ownership of projects, proactive problem-solving, and the ability to drive technology improvements independently.
• Adaptability and continuous learning as you stay current with emerging M365 and legal technology trends.
• Industry knowledge (preferred) including experience in law firms or other highly regulated professional environments.

Compensation

The base salary range below represents the low and high end of the salary range for this position in Chicago. This range may differ based on your geographic location and cost of living considerations. At Kirkland & Ellis, we consider compensation more than just a base salary. We offer an exceptional range of flexible benefits including comprehensive healthcare, paid time off, and retirement. We also offer personal support and tailored learning and development opportunities all designed to help you realize your full potential both in life and at work.

Compensation Range:

Chicago: $146,000 - $158,500

How to Apply

Thank you for your interest in Kirkland & Ellis LLP. To complete an application and submit your resume, please click "Apply Now."

Don't meet every job requirement? That's okay! If you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't perfectly fit every qualification, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right person for this role or others at Kirkland.

Equal Employment Opportunity

All employment decisions, including the recruiting, hiring, placement, training availability, promotion, compensation, evaluation, disciplinary actions, and termination of employment (if necessary) are made without regard to the employee's race, color, creed, religion, sex, pregnancy or childbirth, personal appearance, family responsibilities, sexual orientation or preference, gender identity, political affiliation, source of income, place of residence, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military veteran status, unfavorable discharge from military service, physical or mental disability, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.