Benesch Names Jason Dirkx Chief Innovation Officer to Lead New Innovation Department, Welcomes Abby Levine as Chief Information Officer

Benesch is pleased to announce that Jason Dirkx has joined the firm as Chief Innovation Officer (CINO), a newly created role that will lead the launch of Benesch’s Innovation Department and help drive the evolution of the firm’s service delivery model for clients. As part of a coordinated investment in technology, innovation, security and governance, the firm also welcomes Abby Levine as Chief Information Officer.

Dirkx brings more than 15 years of experience spanning legal innovation, knowledge management, AI-enabled product strategy and law firm transformation. He most recently served in a senior AI product leadership role at Sidley Austin and previously held innovation leadership roles at Paul Hastings and Littler Mendelson. He also serves as Board President of the International Legal Technology Association (ILTA), one of the legal industry’s leading organizations focused on technology and innovation.

At Benesch, Dirkx will be responsible for building a cross-functional innovation capability focused on helping the firm rethink how legal services are designed, delivered and scaled for clients. The new department’s work will include practice transformation, AI and automation enablement, workflow and service design, knowledge management alignment and data governance foundations, all with the goal of helping the firm identify, prioritize and implement changes that improve client experience, increase efficiency and create measurable business impact.

Levine brings more than 15 years of experience shaping IT strategy, service delivery and enterprise technology transformation within Am Law 100 firms. She spent the past 11 years at Sidley Austin, where she held a variety of technology leadership positions, most recently serving as Director of Product Management. In her role as CIO, Levine will oversee Benesch’s technology strategy, operations, enterprise applications, infrastructure and IT service delivery.

“The legal industry continues to evolve rapidly, and our clients increasingly expect exceptional legal service supported by modern technology, operational excellence, strong security and practical innovation,” said Chief Strategy & Operating Officer Scott Golin. “Jason brings the rare combination of legal industry knowledge, technology fluency, strategic judgment and change leadership that this role demands, and Abby brings deep experience leading IT strategy and technology transformation in Am Law 100 environments. Together, their leadership will help us continue building the technology and innovation capabilities that support our clients, our people and the future of the firm.”

The creation of Benesch’s Innovation Department and the leadership appointments of Dirkx and Levine reflect the firm’s strategic investment in the future of legal service delivery and the technology infrastructure that supports it. As client expectations continue to shift toward greater speed, transparency and efficiency, the firm is strengthening its technology and innovation capabilities to translate new opportunities into practical, scalable results across its practices and operations.

“This is a unique opportunity to help build a modern innovation function in a firm with a strong entrepreneurial culture and a clear commitment to client service,” said Dirkx. “I’m thrilled to lead Benesch’s efforts to think expansively about the future of legal service delivery and develop practical, high-impact approaches that support our lawyers, strengthen the client experience and position the firm for what comes next.”

“Benesch has a strong foundation and a clear commitment to using technology to support the way lawyers work and clients are served,” said Levine. “I’m excited to join the firm and work with leadership, Jason and teams across Benesch to continue advancing a secure, modern and responsive technology environment.”

The appointments build on Benesch’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the systems, processes and governance that support the firm’s continued growth and ability to deliver efficient, business-focused counsel to clients.