Senior Practice Manager

Senior Practice Manager

Requirements

• Professionalism, integrity, sound judgment, and discretion regarding sensitive and confidential matters.
• Ability to work independently as well as on a team with minimal supervision and to collaborate effectively across administrative departments and practice groups in all offices.
• Demonstrated success with strategic and cross-team planning, with the ability to independently take concepts from design through to successful implementation and ongoing execution.
• Service mindset and the ability to take the initiative, think critically, identify, and solve problems, and marshal appropriate resources.
• Ability to build and maintain strong relationships and gain the trust of the attorneys and professional staff.
• Strong organizational skills that reflect the ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks and to execute with an attention to detail, even when under pressure.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Awareness and understanding of business processes and ability to identify areas for process improvement to develop and implement best practices.
• Motivated self-starter who is has been successful working in a high performance, fast-moving, dynamic environment.
• Ability to delegate appropriate tasks to the Practice Management Coordinator and Assistant.

Responsibilities

• Work with PGLs and practice team leaders to develop strategic business goals, objectives, and tactics in alignment with the firm’s strategy.
• Work collaboratively with peers across the firm’s business support departments to manage initiatives and support business strategies as determined by the Department and Practice Groups.
• Under the direction of the Practice Director and in partnership with Business Development, lead the development and implementation of Department and Practice Group annual business plans; work with PGLs and other partners to execute tactical steps to accomplish goals and objectives of the plans.
• Confer with the Practice Director, PGLs, and practice team leaders to determine recruiting/hiring needs for the practices. Provide onboarding and integration support to junior associates and lateral attorney hires.
• Oversee the billable and pro bono assignment process for practice group lawyers as needed and collaborate with other colleagues in Practice Management to address cross-staffing needs.
• Monitor attorney workloads and productivity and identify associates for performance intervention as well as for advancement opportunities.
• Work cross-functionally to manage and promote attorney development and diversity, equity & inclusion initiatives.
• Work with Practice Group and practice team leaders, as well as with Professional Development colleagues to plan and conduct formal training programs for lawyers as needed.
• Review and analyze monthly financial reports on utilization, inventory, alternative fee arrangements, budget, and other key performance indicators, raise trends and highlights of analysis to Practice Director to ensure optimal practice performance, and recommend trends to share across Practice Management to ensure alignment and leveraging of practices that are beneficial cross-firm.
• Plan, organize, and support Department and Practice Group meetings and retreats, including coordinating with appropriate administrative departments, preparing, and communicating agendas and materials, and developing and executing action items.
• Collaborate with attorneys, IT, Innovation, and Business Intelligence teams to define, implement, and maintain appropriate knowledge management systems.
• Communicate and coordinate Practice Group support staff needs for paralegals and other non-attorney timekeepers and legal practice assistants with Human Resources and Office Administrators.
• Facilitate communication across Practice Group to proactively identify areas for process improvement and partner with Practice Director to develop solutions consistent with internal best practices; identify and act on opportunities for implementation of best practices across all Practice Management teams.
• Ensure Practice Group receives adequate technical support in all services areas, including Finance, Business Development, and Library Services for appropriate technology procurement to support emerging work and projects.
• Formulate an expense budget for approval by senior management and track expenditures to ensure they are within approved budget guidelines, recommending corrective action as needed.
• Oversee practice management support personnel and provide regular feedback and development opportunities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree (JD, MBA) is a plus; a combination of education, training, and experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of the job may be considered.
• Minimum of eight (8) years’ experience in a law firm or other professional services firm strongly preferred.