Job Summary & Objectives
Job Summary
The Manager, Litigation & Corporate Paralegals is responsible for overseeing staffing, utilization, professional development and day-to-day operational support for the paralegal teams that support the Firm’s corporate transactional practices, such as real estate, mergers & acquisitions and executive compensation & employee benefits, and the Firm’s litigation practice. This role partners closely with assigning attorneys, Practice Directors and other Firm stakeholders to manage resource allocation, balance workloads across offices, support performance management and advance team effectiveness. The Paralegal Manager also leads recruiting, onboarding, training and engagement initiatives, while identifying opportunities to improve processes, strengthen communication and enhance workflows through innovation, including the integration of automation and AI tools.
Essential Job Duties & Responsibilities
Staffing, Resource Allocation and Workflow Management
- Support the Litigation and Corporate practice groups in resource allocation, staffing strategy and productivity management
- Communicate with assigning attorneys to respond to and clarify staffing requests, and coordinate with paralegals regarding capacity, bandwidth and overall workflow
- Partner with Practice Directors to manage utilization, workload distribution and cross-office collaboration
- Analyze weekly and monthly reports to monitor paralegal time, capacity and availability, enabling efficient matter assignment, reallocation of work and effective load balancing
- Oversee work assignment policies, procedures and systems, including assignment tracking, time-entry compliance and time off requests and approvals
- Manage departures and transitions, including work handoff, reallocation of assignments and knowledge transfer
- Serve as a point person for issue-spotting, problem-solving and resolution on staffing, workflow and team-related matters
Hiring, Performance Management, Professional Development and Team Support
- Assist with recruiting and hiring processes, including identifying hiring needs, interviewing, and selecting candidates
- Plan and lead the onboarding and orientation of new paralegals to facilitate effective integration into the group
- Manage the performance review process for Litigation and Corporate paralegals, including the mid-year check-ins and year-end reviews, and contribute to a culture of feedback and coaching
- Monitor, escalate and address performance issues in coordination with relevant Firm leadership and Human Resources, as appropriate
- Serve as a resource to paralegals by providing guidance, mentorship and connections to Firm and professional development resources
- Identify training and development needs in line with specific practice needs and help design and implement substantive training programs aligned with Firm standards
- Connect regularly with paralegals to monitor morale, solicit feedback and address concerns proactively
- Develop and lead initiatives that foster team cohesion, engagement and meaningful connection across the group
Client and Stakeholder Coordination
- Liaise with appropriate client or Firm contacts regarding staffing protocols, best practices and secondment coordination
- Collaborate with Practice Directors and other Firm stakeholders to support operational goals and service delivery
Operations, Process Improvement and Innovation
- Identify operational inefficiencies and recommend and implement process improvements to enhance service delivery and team effectiveness
- Identify opportunities to leverage automation and AI tools to improve workflows, and help develop related training, governance and best practices
- Facilitate communication across paralegal cohorts, including drafting and managing regular and targeted communications
- Coordinate group meetings, including developing agendas, identifying substantive topics and organizing presentations
Reporting, Budgeting and Administrative Support
- Assist with annual budget preparation, operational expense tracking and related reporting
- Prepare or contribute to management reporting on utilization, staffing trends, hiring needs and other key operational metrics
- Perform other duties as assigned
Education
Required
Preferred
- Knowledge of legal principles and practices
Skills and Experience
Required
- 5-7 years of experience at a law firm or professional services firm
- Demonstrated experience managing staffing, resource allocation, utilization and workflow coordination in a fast-paced professional services environment
- Strong leadership and people management skills, including experience with coaching, mentoring, performance management and employee development
- Excellent judgment and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess competing priorities and make sound, timely decisions
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with attorneys, paralegals, clients and administrative leadership
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, demanding environment
- Strong attention to detail and a high degree of self-motivation, with the ability to produce accurate, timely and complete work product
- Strong organizational and project management skills, with close attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously
- Strong technical skills including proficiency in MS Office programs such as Outlook, Word, and Excel
- Must be flexible and willing to work outside of core business hours as necessary
Salary Information
NY Only: The estimated base salary range for this position is $150,000 to $175,000 at the time of posting.
The actual salary offered will depend on a variety of factors, including without limitation, the qualifications of the individual applicant for the position, years of relevant experience, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held, and if applicable, the location in which the applicant lives and/or from which they will be performing the job. This role is exempt meaning it is not overtime pay eligible.
Simpson Thacher will not sponsor applicants for work visas for this position.
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