Manatt, Phelps & Philips, LLP

Manager of Legal Engagement

Manatt, Phelps & Philips, LLP$150K — $180K *
Legal & Accounting
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree required; JD preferred.
  • 5+ years of experience in a law firm or client-centered professional services environment with staffing and engagement responsibilities.
  • Strong understanding of law firm structure, attorney utilization, timekeeping, and engagement expectations.
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, service-oriented setting.
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills for working across different seniority levels.
  • Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office; experience with practice management or staffing systems preferred.

Responsibilities

  • Monitor attorney availability, capacity, and matter demand for effective staffing.
  • Facilitate daily work assignments and staffing adjustments in collaboration with practice leaders and staffing attorneys.
  • Track and escalate concerns related to attorney utilization and workload patterns.
  • Gather input on staffing experiences to support performance feedback processes.
  • Identify and escalate performance or engagement concerns related to workload management.
  • Provide coaching to attorneys on meeting firm expectations for workload and time entry.
  • Deliver hands-on onboarding support for new attorneys and serve as their initial contact during integration.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive medical benefits.
  • Financial benefits including retirement plans.
  • Other professional development opportunities.
Full Job Description
Opportunity

The Manager of Legal Engagement will play a hands-on role within the Firm's Talent team, supporting the execution of attorney staffing, engagement, onboarding, and policy compliance across Manatt's legal practices. Working in close partnership with the Director of Legal Engagement, practice leadership, and firm stakeholders, this role focuses on the day-to-day application of firm policies, attorney integration, staffing coordination, and ongoing attorney support.

This position is highly operational and execution-oriented, ensuring that attorneys are appropriately staffed, understand firm expectations, and receive consistent guidance related to workload, time policies, and engagement practices.

Key Responsibilities

Attorney Staffing & Day-to-Day Resource Management
  • Support attorney staffing needs by monitoring attorney availability, capacity, and matter demand across practices and offices.
  • Partner with staffing attorneys, practice leaders, and business professionals to facilitate daily work assignments, coverage needs, and staffing adjustments.
  • Track attorney utilization, billable hours, and workload patterns, escalating risks or concerns related to sustained over- or under-utilization as appropriate.
  • Maintain accurate staffing, utilization, and engagement data within firm systems.


Performance Feedback & Attorney Support
  • Support day-to-day performance feedback processes by gathering input related to staffing experiences, workload management, and policy compliance.
  • Assist in identifying performance or engagement concerns linked to utilization, time management, or workload distribution, escalating issues as appropriate.
  • Provide ongoing guidance and coaching to attorneys related to meeting firm expectations around workload, time entry, and engagement.


Onboarding, Integration & Early Engagement
  • Deliver hands-on onboarding and integration support for first-year and lateral attorneys, ensuring a smooth transition into firm systems, policies, and engagement expectations.
  • Serve as a point of contact for new attorneys during their initial integration period, supporting early productivity, engagement, and understanding of workload and time expectations.
  • Partner with Legal Training, Practice Management, and other stakeholders to support attorney integration and early engagement initiatives.


Policy Execution & Compliance
  • Serve as a primary day-to-day resource for attorneys regarding firm policies, including time entry, billable hours expectations, in-office attendance, and related engagement requirements.
  • Support consistent execution and enforcement of attorney-related policies, helping ensure attorneys understand expectations and comply with firm standards.
  • Identify recurring questions, challenges, or friction points related to policy application and elevate observations to the Director of Legal Engagement for refinement or clarification.


Culture, Inclusion & Attorney Experience
  • Work closely with the Director of Legal Engagement, Training and Development, Strategic Growth, Recruiting, HR, and other business professionals to support attorney engagement and staffing initiatives.
  • Maintain operational processes, documentation, and tracking tools that support staffing coordination, onboarding, and policy execution.
  • Contribute to the consistent communication and reinforcement of firmwide attorney engagement practices.


Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree required; JD preferred.
  • 5+ years of experience in a law firm or client-centered professional services environment, with hands-on responsibility related to attorney staffing, engagement, onboarding, or practice management.
  • Strong understanding of law firm structures, attorney utilization, timekeeping, and engagement expectations.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, service-oriented environment.
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with attorneys and business professionals across seniority levels.
  • Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office; experience with law firm practice management or staffing systems preferred.


The base annual pay range for this role is between $150,000-$180,000. The base pay to be offered will vary and depend on skills and qualifications, experience and location. A full range of medical, financial and/or other benefits dependent on the position will also be offered.

About Manatt, Phelps & Philips, LLP

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP is a law firm that provides legal services to clients in a variety of industries, including healthcare, entertainment, and financial services. The firm offers a range of services, including litigation, corporate law, and intellectual property law. Manatt, Phelps & Phillips was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in Los Angeles, California.
Learn more about Manatt, Phelps & Philips, LLP
Size
450 employees
Industry
Founded
1965

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