Legal Practice Manager
4 days ago
Boston
Job Description Corporate Practice Manager HIGHLIGHTS Location: Boston, MA (Hybrid) Position Type: Direct Hire Hourly / Salary: Based on experience Residency Status: US Citizen or Green Card Holder ONLY Overview: The Practice Manager, Corporate (“Practice Manager”) will work closely with Practice, Section, and Division leadership to facilitate the effective management of certain key aspects of the Corporate Section and other Sections as needed, including serving as the Section’s point person when collaborating with other administrative departments on operational and strategic matters. The Practice Manager is a highly collaborative self-starter with demonstrated experience, confidence, and professionalism in communicating with administrative management and timekeepers at all levels of the organization. The Practice Manager will collaborate with peers in other Practice Management teams as well as other administrative groups to develop best-in-class practices and operational infrastructure that are aligned with achieving the goals of the Sections, Division, and Firm. Responsibilities: Section Administration • Partner with Senior Practice Manager and Section Managers to lead the operational and strategic aspects of the Section and serve as a resource for connectivity among other Sections and administrative personnel., • Oversee Section budgets, including reviewing, approving, and monitoring spending., • Assist with planning and facilitating Section and Member meetings including agenda development and content creation., • Contribute toward Section-focused communications from Section management., • Plan and coordinate various Section events to promote group cohesiveness and recognize accomplishments., • Assist with implementation of Section operational initiatives and strategic plans., • Other Section specific responsibilities as requested. Work Allocation • Manage allocation of assignments for Associates and off-track attorneys to optimize attorney utilization and support attorney development., • Analyze and oversee reporting of metrics to measure and monitor allocation of work., • Identify areas of improvement with existing workflow processes and SOPs. Business Intelligence • Team with Finance to prepare reporting and analytics to develop business intelligence that informs Section and Firm leadership on trends related to Section management, including talent management, financial performance, and knowledge management., • Collaborate with Section management and relevant administrative teams to identify actionable issues and plans arising out of metrics analysis with the goal of facilitating related efforts to support and advance Section initiatives and business goals., • Partner with Innovation team to support knowledge management initiatives. Professional Development and Performance Management • Be a resource for Associates regarding day-to-day questions., • Conduct regularly recurring check-in meetings with Associates., • Travel to other offices to develop and strengthen relationships and bolster efforts to enhance culture, as needed., • Collaborate with Attorney Development to review, update, and facilitate Section training programs, including identification and recruitment of instructors., • Collaborate with the Attorney Development on mentoring initiatives for Associates., • Identify and facilitate external professional development opportunities (i.e., conferences, Bar offerings, etc.) for the Section., • Advise Associates on professional development plans., • Collaborate with appropriate administrative departments in connection with Associate accolade submissions., • Work with Attorney Development to monitor attorney performance, identify development gaps, and escalate as needed issues for review by Section management., • Participate in the attorney evaluation process, including reading feedback, drafting performance review composites, and participating in mid-year check-in meetings and year-end evaluation meetings. Recruiting and Human Resources • Identify and assess attorney hiring needs; make recommendations to Section management., • Collaborate with Recruiting to facilitate efficient recruiting efforts, including participating in the interviewing process for attorneys, as requested., • Coordinate with Attorney Development to facilitate orientation and integration of new attorneys., • Coordinate with Attorney Development to manage attorney on/off-ramping for leaves of absence, including managing staffing needs., • Assist with managing the departing attorney process. Team Management • Work with Practice Manager peers in other Sections, Senior Practice Managers, and the Director of Practice Management to develop best in class practices, tools, and processes to streamline and promote efficiencies across the Practice Management team., • Together with others in the Division’s Practice Management team, work to support and manage the workload and professional development of the Division’s Practice Coordinator(s) and/or Practice Specialist(s) through coaching, mentoring, delegation, and supervision. Miscellaneous • Assume additional responsibilities as requested., • This role requires 60% in office presence; remote work is permissible 40% of the time. Qualifications • Bachelor’s degree required; J.D. preferred., • 5+ years of experience in a large law firm, a portion of which should be working in practice management, professional development, and/or human resources., • Strong analytical abilities, project management, attention to detail and organizational skills., • Ability to collaborate and gain the respect, trust, and confidence of the Firm’s attorneys and professional staff., • Facility analyzing, working with, and presenting data., • Possess a creative, proactive, and “hands-on” approach to problem solving., • Facilitate teamwork and identify opportunities to develop new processes/infrastructure., • Demonstrated ability to grasp and implement new concepts quickly., • Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a way that fosters collaborative working relationships., • Outstanding sense of customer service, with demonstrated ability to instill this in others., • Strong leadership and management abilities., • Deep personal commitment to integrity, excellent judgment, and the highest standards of ethics., • Must display the highest level of diplomacy, tact, and discretion, with comfort in handling and maintaining confidential information., • Experience in employee relations, performance improvement and separations., • Understanding of law firm economics., • Excellent computer skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint., • The team is growing, and this hire reflects the expansion of the group. Role Focus • Primary Function: Legal staffing – specifically workflow management, not recruiting or hiring., • Oversee assignment distribution and equitable workload across attorneys., • Collaborate with partners and associates to align project staffing with development goals., • Key Components:, • Manage associate staffing tools and data., • Coordinate ad-hoc deal staffing (more frequent in middle-market firms)., • Support performance management and evaluation processes., • Handle occasional personnel or development conversations. Ideal Candidate Profile • Experience:, • Strong background in staffing/workflow management within a large law firm preferred., • Must understand law firm operations, partner/associate dynamics, and transaction cycles., • Candidates from consulting or finance may be considered if they have comparable workflow experience., • ter new applications and software is critical., • Analytical and practical: distills legal concepts into clear resources and workflows. Facility analyzing, working with and presenting data., • Service-oriented and responsive: builds trust with attorneys, follows through, and provides practical, on-the-spot support, and adjust to shifting priorities., • Strong sense of urgency., • Ability to collaborate and gain the respect, trust, and confidence of the Firm’s attorneys and professional staff., • Possess a “hands-on” tactical approach., • Creative and proactive approach to problem solving., • Facilitate teamwork and identify opportunities to develop new processes/infrastructure., • Demonstrated ability to grasp and implement new concepts quickly., • Strong analytical abilities, resourcefulness, and attention to detail., • Ability to work independently and as part of a team with a proactive and positive style that fosters collaborative working relationships., • Outstanding sense of customer service., • Deep personal commitment to integrity, excellent judgment, and the highest standards of ethics., • Must display the highest level of diplomacy, tact and discretion, with comfort in handling and maintaining confidential information.