Lead Software Engineer

About The Company We are a leading global law firm dedicated to excellence and innovation in serving our clients. Our culture emphasizes collaboration, continuous improvement, and forward‑thinking approaches. We leverage advanced technology and data intelligence to drive operational excellence and deliver superior outcomes. Location Chicago (hybrid) Job Summary We are looking for a Lead Software Engineer who thrives at the intersection of hands‑on technical contribution and team leadership. This is not a role where you step back from the code. Instead, you will be actively building and shaping the systems that matter most, while also setting the technical direction and raising the bar for the engineers around you. The ideal candidate brings deep full‑stack experience across React, .NET, Next.js, Python, and Azure, and knows how to apply that expertise in a way that makes an entire team more effective. You are the kind of engineer who writes code that others learn from, gives feedback that makes pull requests better, and thinks carefully about architecture without losing sight of what actually ships. Key Responsibilities Take ownership of full‑stack application development across the entire lifecycle from initial architecture through build, deployment, and ongoing maintenance using .NET, Python, and React/Next.js on Azure. Serve as the technical decision‑maker on your team, establishing direction on architecture, design patterns, and development practices that the broader group can rally around. Elevate code quality across the team through thorough, constructive reviews that address not just correctness but performance, security, and long‑term maintainability. Work closely with product managers, designers, and other stakeholders to turn ideas into well‑defined technical solutions and well‑shipped features. Invest in the development of junior and mid‑level engineers through mentorship, pair programming, and the kind of day‑to‑day guidance that builds lasting capability. Proactively identify and address performance bottlenecks; whether in database queries, API response times, or front‑end rendering. Champion security‑first development practices, ensuring that authentication, authorization, and data protection are built in from the start rather than bolted on later. Partner with DevOps to build and refine CI/CD pipelines that make deployment on Azure smooth, repeatable, and safe. Keep a close eye on the evolving technology landscape and bring well‑reasoned recommendations to the team when new tools or approaches are worth adopting. Requirements Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field; equivalent professional experience with a strong portfolio of delivered work is equally welcome. Experience: At least 5 years of professional full‑stack development experience, with a track record of delivering production software at scale. Skills: Fluency across React, .NET, Next.js, Python, and Azure; strong command of software design patterns and scalable application architecture; proficiency building and consuming RESTful APIs in microservices environments; solid experience with relational and NoSQL databases including SQL Server and PostgreSQL. Certifications: Azure certifications are a plus but not required. Other: Comfort working in Agile development environments; proficiency with Git and version control best practices; demonstrated experience leading code reviews and contributing to a culture of technical excellence. Preferred Qualifications Hands‑on experience with containerization technologies such as Docker, Kubernetes, or Azure Container Apps, and familiarity with cloud‑native and serverless application patterns on Azure. A working knowledge of automated testing strategies and unit testing frameworks, with a philosophy that good tests are part of good engineering. Azure certifications or comparable credentials that reflect a commitment to ongoing technical development. Experience in professional services industries such as legal, financial services, or consulting, where reliability and compliance carry extra weight. #J-18808-Ljbffr