The Legal Support Manager is responsible for the delivery of all aspects of legal support management for the Health Care & Life Sciences Litigation, Health Care & Life Sciences Transactional, Health Care & Life Sciences IP and Intellectual Property practice group(s), ensuring that the lawyers have the appropriate level of skilled legal support staff (e.g., Legal Practice Assistants) to appropriately staff and resource attorney work. From selection and onboarding through the entire employee lifecycle, the Legal Support Manager proactively builds a collaborative culture that reflects firm objectives and serves as the Legal Support Administration point of contact in their local office.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Plans, directs, and manages all aspects of legal support staff management, including hiring, development, direct supervision, and performance management, partnering with Human Resources as needed.

• In collaboration with the Legal Support Administrator, provides leadership and direction to assigned practice group(s) legal support staff, including assignment of resources, management of schedules, performance management, and compensation decisions, partnering with Practice Management and Human Resources to ensure alignment.

• Develops a deep understanding of practice group operations and ensures legal support staff have the right skills and training to support the needs of the practice group.

• Analyzes performance data and identifies insights, recommendations, and strategies that improve overall delivery of legal support services to the practice groups.

• Conducts regular check-ins and touchpoints with legal support staff and attorneys, partnering with Human Resources for needed policy guidance and interpretation (e.g., coaching, counseling, career development, corrective action measures).

• Works closely with management, attorneys, and employees to improve work relationships, build morale, and increase productivity and retention. Supports employee engagement through team building, community service, and other relevant site initiatives.

• Collaborates closely with Legal Support Administration managers, ensuring that the right work is assigned to the right personnel for optimal efficiency and effectiveness.

• Fosters relationships between legal support staff and administrative staff to identify workflow efficiencies and solve problems, such as improvements in billing, intake and conflicts, or administrative needs like travel.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strong collaborative leadership and management skills with ability to build productive relationships, communicate effectively, and work in a team environment.

• Understanding of practice level technology is a plus.

• Strong supervisory skills as well as excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Able to exercise considerable judgment and discretion in establishing and maintaining good working relationships with both lawyers and staff.

• Able to relate to and influence individuals at all levels, internally and externally, and build productive relationships.

• Demonstrated capability to identify issues, develop creative and effective solutions and resolve conflict through acceptable and practical business solutions.

• High level of flexibility and adaptability as well as the ability to manage and support change in a fast-paced environment.

• Ability to effectively communicate and present information as well as respond to questions from lawyers, staff, and clients.

Education and/or Experience: 

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in experience and/or training.

• Demonstrated experience managing large legal support teams and working in large law firm or professional services.

• Minimum of five (5) years of progressive management experience, preferably within a legal/professional services environment.

• Experience leading resources supporting multiple individuals in multiple locations and/or priorities.

• Demonstrated practice area knowledge in Intellectual Property (patent prosecution and trademark) docketing and litigation procedures beneficial.

This position description is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of the job.  The statements contained in the position description are not necessarily all-inclusive and additional duties and responsibilities may be assigned as determined by business needs.

This position description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.