Waller adds CIO

Nashville-based Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis has added legal technology veteran Steve Novak — who has worked for some of nation’s most influential law firms — as its chief information officer.

Novak replaces Doug Leins, who retired at the end of 2020. A release notes Leins focused largely on internal IT (resource management, network security, etc.). Novak will assume those responsibilities but also will be heavily focused on how the firm services clients via technology.

Novak joins Waller from Indianapolis-based Bingham Greenebaum Doll, which is now part of Dentons. Previously, he was director of legal technology operations for pharmaceutical giant AbbVie, where he built a technology and operations organization to support legal services in more than 170 countries.

In addition, Novak served as director of enterprise information technology services and as CTO at Sidley Austin, a 2,000-attorney law firm headquartered in Chicago, and  at Kirkland & Ellis, where he built a 180-plus person technology service organization to support more than 2,500 attorneys worldwide.

The author of numerous articles focused on law firm technology operational improvement and operational excellence, Novak also has served as a speaker at industry events, seminars, workshops and user forums.

Novak earned his B.S. degree from Arizona State University, from which he also holds certifications in general and international business.

“Steve is an innovator when it comes to legal technology,” Waller Chairman Matt Burnstein said in the release. “Steve starts the technology conversation by asking what are the key technology service capabilities required to enable the delivery of  value-aligned legal services to our clients. He is client-focused and proactive, and we’re extremely happy to have him at Waller.”