Manager of Legal Operations and Project Management
Job Description: (Full-time, Hybrid or Remote)
Fisher Phillips, a premier international labor and employment law firm, is seeking an experienced Manager of Legal Operations and Project Management to assist with the management of the firm’s Virtual Office and the development, building, and oversight of various legal project management initiatives throughout the Firm, focusing on “people, process, and technology” solutions.
The successful candidate will have experience in the implementation of the well-established project management stages for legal work (e.g., scoping/initiating, planning, executing, monitoring/controlling, and closing); the ability to create and understand financial reporting; experience assigning legal work and/or managing portfolios of work; the understanding and ability to communicate the levers that affect the profitability of legal work; and the ability to develop strong working relationships and credibility with Firm management, leaders, attorneys, and committees across the Firm.
This position can be performed on a fully remote or hybrid basis from any of the firm’s 38 U.S. offices and reports to the Director of Legal Project Management and Chief Legal Operations Officer.
Key Responsibilities
Working with the Director of Legal Project Management and the Chief Legal Operations Officer to develop and implement the Firm’s legal project management strategy, goals, and various initiatives, including, but not limited to, the following:
- Serving as a resource manager for the firm’s growing Virtual Office, assigning new matters, monitoring workloads and availability, conducting workforce capacity planning, delivering KPI reporting on the Virtual Office, and managing other processes and procedures for the Virtual Office team.
- Assisting with the scoping of legal work and developing statements of work at the outset of new engagements.
- Working with the Director of Legal Project Management to create matter budget templates, building out and implementing budget-to-actual reporting and technology, monitoring budget-to-actual performance, and intervening when appropriate to develop solutions.
- Assisting with the management and delivery of work for client engagements of various sizes, including serving as a resource and project manager for initiatives such as document automation, client portfolios, and financial and matter/portfolio reporting.
- Creating summaries of client service expectations and statements of work and performing quality control to ensure those needs are being met.
- Monitoring leverage, staffing, and other financial KPIs for key clients and practice groups, developing progress reports and watch lists, and working with the Director of Legal Project Management on ways to effectuate needed improvements.
- Communicating financial information and data to non-financial personnel effectively, and translating that information and data into clear and concise action plans leading to the improvement of efficiency, revenue generation, and profitability.
- Identifying opportunities for improved efficiencies in the delivery of work via technology, processes, and staffing, and working with the Director of Legal Project Management, partners, and other key stakeholders to implement those changes.
- Working with the Director of Legal Project Management and other key stakeholders to establish client-based core teams of attorneys and paralegals to handle work more efficiently and effectively, and then designing processes to ensure the ongoing education of those core client teams.
- Assisting with the development and implementation of solutions to identify and communicate “lessons learned” to clients.
- Participating in the evaluation and implementation of matter-management and other technologies and then building out processes to make sure that they are being used appropriately.
- Assisting with the development of processes and ensuring compliance for client-level matter reporting.
- Working with the Director of Legal Project Management in educating attorneys, practice groups, paralegals, and other timekeepers on effective matter management and financial levers, including staffing, leverage, and efficiency.
- Monitoring write-downs and write-offs on client work and investigating root causes.
- Working with the Director of Legal Project Management to promote better revenue capture initiatives, including improved time narratives, task codes, and better and more efficient identification of flat-fee, carve-out, or other alternative-fee billing events.
- Partnering with the various other departments and business units within the Firm to provide project management support, including with the Firm’s Litigation Paralegal Manager, Data Analytics Team, eDiscovery, and the Knowledge Management/Innovation team.
- Along with the Chief Legal Operations Officer, Director of Legal Project Management, Knowledge Management team, and Finance group, assisting with the development of the systems and processes for delivering data-driven insights and presentations to clients.
Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities
- Excellent interpersonal skills, and an ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external personnel.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills and attention to detail.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- Ability to delegate, manage resources, and effectively get work done through others.
- Ability to think creatively and to innovate in a fast-paced environment subject to change, new technologies, and market disruptions.
- Ability to glean key points and takeaways from guidelines, agreements, market and industry research, work product, and historical lessons learned in order to create succinct job aids that assist timekeepers in meeting client expectations.
- Highly organized with the ability to effectively manage various projects and prioritize multiple assignments to meet deadlines.
- Must possess superior judgment and discretion and be able to protect and maintain sensitive and highly confidential information.
- Ability and flexibility to travel to Firm offices and events, as needed.
Education, Experience & Certification Requirements
- An undergraduate degree required.
- Minimum of five years of experience in a law firm, including three years in legal project management, is preferred. Previous experience in a large law firm strongly preferred.
- Previous experience working directly with attorneys on matter and portfolio-level financial levers and profitability.
- Previous experience with law firm billing systems and financial reporting.
- Demonstrated success establishing, developing, and managing legal project management initiatives in a national, multi-office environment.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Excel in order to independently produce quality communications and presentations.
The salary for this position will start at $140,000. Actual base pay within this range will be determined by several components, including but not limited to, location, relevant experience, internal equity, skills, qualifications, and other job-related factors permitted by law.
Why Join Us
At Fisher Phillips, we recognize that exceptional talent is the foundation of our success, enabling us to deliver outstanding service to both our internal and external clients. Joining our team means collaborating in a professional yet dynamic environment that leverages cutting-edge technology. Our leadership is committed to fostering your professional growth and providing opportunities to challenge yourself in meaningful ways.
We believe in rewarding talent with more than just a competitive salary. Our comprehensive benefits package includes health, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) with profit sharing, generous paid time off, and holidays.
Your well-being is our priority. We offer 24/7 telehealth services, a variety of wellness programs, and additional optional benefits designed to support your unique lifestyle. At Fisher Phillips, you’ll find a workplace that values your health, happiness, and continued professional development. To learn more about our firm, visit us at www.fisherphillips.com.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Fisher Phillips is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including related medical conditions), gender, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship status, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, age, disability, or any other protected status, in compliance with all applicable laws.
The statements in this position description are not necessarily all-inclusive. Additional duties and responsibilities may be assigned, and requirements may vary from time to time.
Relocation costs are not covered. We are only accepting direct applicants; third-party recruiters or agencies will not be considered. No phone inquiries, please.
