Practice Manager – (Hybrid Schedule)

US Job Description

Firm Information

Reed Smith is a global relationship law firm with more than 1,700 lawyers in 30 offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Founded in 1877, the firm represents leading international businesses, from Fortune 100 corporations to mid-market and emerging enterprises. Its lawyers provide litigation and other dispute resolution services in multi-jurisdictional and other high-stakes matters; deliver regulatory counsel; and execute the full range of strategic domestic and cross-border transactions. Reed Smith is a preeminent advisor to industries including financial services, life sciences, health care, advertising, entertainment and media, shipping and transport, energy and natural resources, real estate, manufacturing, technology, and education. For more information, visit reedsmith.com.

Position Summary

The practice manager will be assigned to two litigation partners (“managing partners”) who have a combined practice of over $10 million annually. The practice manager will assist the managing partners by assuming day-to-day responsibility for planning, managing, and ensuring completion of litigation team tasks pursuant to client budgets to ensure timely, efficient delivery of high quality legal services to our clients. Most projects have a 7-figure budget, are complex with multiple stakeholders and are high stakes.

The successful candidate will have a keen understanding of the level of project management rigor to apply to a given legal matter to ensure best results. The candidate will have experience working with firm internal and client-facing technology. The candidate must be comfortable working with and leading teams of partners, associates and other legal personnel in the completion of legal tasks on time and according to budget.

Furthermore, the candidate must also be adept at navigating complex, high-pressure environments. The candidate will interact directly with clients, maintaining and fostering positive relations.

Essential Functions

Managing multiple projects with competing deadlines for multiple stakeholders;
Developing full-scale project timelines, project plans, process maps, roles and responsibilities chart (“RACI”), communication, risk management plans and reporting templates;
Partnering with the Firm’s Knowledge Management, Business Development and Marketing, Client Value, and Training groups to execute managing partners’ strategy and achieve program success
Developing and conducting training on project management, process improvement and project management-related technologies;
Interface at least daily with managing partners to discuss priorities and case developments;
Work with the managing partners to onboard new clients and matters, including managing the conflicts and engagement letter process;
Ensure that each project’s scope is clearly defined and understood by all internal and external stakeholders;
Communicate with other partners and associates to obtain and report information on case developments;
Be creative, solve problems and improve on standard delivery solutions on a given project; identify future needs of clients to further the managing partners’ business development objectives;
Become a trusted and reliable team member;
Become familiar with legal concepts, terminologies, and principles, as well as the typical and anticipated timelines for litigations;
Develop and maintain relationships with managing partners’ key clients, including in-house counsel, business contacts, and legal operations/procurement managers;
Prepare, manage, and report on suitably-detailed project plans to internal and client matter teams; Continually compare whole-matter progress to budget utilization and convey status to stakeholders;
Create and complete “after action reports” (both internally and client-facing) to facilitate the continuous improvement our delivery of client services.
Other duties and projects as assigned

Job functions included are not exhaustive and may be supplemented as necessary. Reed Smith reserves the right to revise or modify job functions at any time.

Requirements

Education: Bachelor’s degree required; PMP Certification a plus

Experience: 3 – 5 years of experience in a professional services or law firm required; Knowledge of/experience with relevant IT packages: e.g. Document Management Systems, Project Extranets (e.g. SharePoint) or other collaborative project management tools; Advanced knowledge and experience of Microsoft Office (including Visio), data manipulation tools (e.g. Excel), experience with visualization tools (e.g. Tableau), and financial systems and reports. Understanding of/experience in working in large complex organizations, ideally in a law firm or professional services firm;

Skills: Outstanding communication and relationship-building skills; Demonstrated ability and desire to work collaboratively with senior-level professionals to help them succeed in meeting their business development and matter management objectives; Ability to work independently and willingness to work hands-on to achieve objectives in a relatively flat organizational structure; Demonstrated ability to organize and prioritize work in a dynamic and complex environment to meet deadlines and daily requirements; Strong competency in continuous improvement, change management, flexible approach and exceeding expectations; Staying current with the varied project management approaches (e.g., Agile, Six Sigma, Scrum, Prince2) and tools within the legal market and other verticals;

Other

Supervisory Responsibilities: None

Equipment To Be Used: Personal computer and other office equipment such as telephone, calculator, fax, machine, copier, scanner, etc.

Typical Physical Demands: Manual dexterity sufficient to operate standard office equipment.

Typical Mental Demands: Able to work effectively in a fast paced environment. Make judgment decisions and adapt to changing work situations. Grasp and apply new ideas. Communicate with various personalities at all levels.

Working Conditions: Works in typical office setting. Occasionally called upon to work hours in excess of your normal daily schedule.

Reed Smith offers a challenging work environment, business casual dress code and a total compensation package that includes a competitive salary, flexible benefits program, tuition assistance, and generous 401 (k) plan.

Reed Smith is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Reed Smith’s success depends heavily on the effective utilization of qualified people, regardless of their race, ancestry, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, disability, veteran’s status, or any characteristic protected by law. As a firm, we adhere to and promote equal employment opportunity for all.

Reed Smith provides reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities, including in the application and interview process.

Qualified candidates only. No search firms.
Reed Smith LLP