Practice Manager

Company: Troutman Sanders LLP
Location: Washington
Posted on: May 27, 2023

Job Description:

The Firm is organized into five legal practice Departments: Business Litigation, Health Sciences, Regulatory & Finance, Specialized Litigation, and Transactional, each of which is comprised of Practice Groups. The Practice Manager for each Department plays an active role in developing, managing, and executing identified initiatives to help advance business goals. The Practice Manager reports to the Department's Practice Director and works with the other members of the Practice Management Team to support the Department Chair and the Practice Group Leaders (PGLs) and is responsible for the daily execution of the business operations of the practices. The Practice Manager is a liaison to the PGLs and works with other firm legal and administrative groups to support the practice groups' goals related to marketing and client development, financial performance, talent management, partner support, and firm-wide strategic initiatives. Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Work with PGLs and practice team leaders to develop strategic business goals, objectives, and tactics in alignment with the firm's strategy, partnering with other leaders in Practice Management to ensure alignment of identified strategies Work collaboratively with peers across the firm's business support departments (e.g., Business Development, Client Experience, Legal Talent, Finance & Accounting, Innovation, Information Technology, Human Resources) to manage initiatives and support business strategies as determined by the Department and Practice Groups. Under the direction of the Practice Director and in partnership with Business Development, assist in the development and implementation of Department and Practice Group annual business plans; work with PGLs and other partners to execute tactical steps to accomplish goals and objectives of the plans. Confer with the Practice Director, PGLs, and practice team leaders to determine recruiting/hiring needs for the practices. Provide onboarding and integration support to junior associates and lateral attorney hires. Oversee the billable and pro bono assignment process for practice group lawyers as needed and collaborate with other colleagues in Practice Management to address cross-staffing needs. Monitor attorney workloads and productivity and identify associates for performance intervention as well as for advancement opportunities; partner with other leaders in Practice Management on effective coaching and development techniques and approaches to employ with associates. Work cross-functionally to manage and promote attorney development and diversity, equity & inclusion initiatives. Work with Practice Group and practice team leaders, as well as with Professional Development colleagues to plan and conduct formal training programs for lawyers as needed. Review and analyze monthly financial reports on utilization, inventory, alternative fee arrangements, budget, and other key performance indicators, and raise trends and highlights of analysis to Practice Director to ensure optimal practice performance. Work with colleagues in Finance to address specific reporting needs for the Practice Groups and practice teams. Plan, organize, and support Department and Practice Group meetings and retreats, including coordinating with appropriate administrative departments, preparing and communicating agendas and materials, and developing and executing action items. Collaborate with attorneys, IT, Innovation, and Business Intelligence teams to define, implement, and maintain appropriate knowledge management systems. Communicate and coordinate Practice Group support staff needs for paralegals and other non-attorney timekeepers and legal practice assistants with Human Resources and Office Administrators. Facilitate communication across Practice Group to proactively identify areas for process improvement and partner with Practice Director to develop solutions consistent with internal best practices. Ensure Practice Group receives adequate technical support in all services areas, including Finance, Business Development, and Library Services for appropriate technology procurement to support emerging work and projects. Formulate an expense budget for approval by senior management and track expenditures to ensure they are within approved budget guidelines, recommending corrective action as needed. Support the Practice Director on special projects as requested. Supervisory Responsibilities: Oversee practice management support personnel and provide regular feedback and development opportunities. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Professionalism, integrity, sound judgment, and discretion regarding sensitive and confidential matters. Ability to work independently as well as on a team with minimal supervision and to collaborate effectively across administrative departments and practice groups in all offices. Service mindset and the ability to take the initiative, think critically, identify, and solve problems, and marshal appropriate resources. Ability to build and maintain strong relationships and gain the trust of the attorneys and professional staff. Strong organizational skills that reflect the ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks and to execute with an attention to detail, even when under pressure. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Awareness and understanding of business processes and ability to identify areas for process improvement in order to develop and implement best practices. Motivated self-starter who is has been successful working in a high performance, fast-moving, dynamic environment. Ability to delegate appropriate tasks to the Practice Management Coordinator and Assistant. Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite is preferred, as well as an ability to quickly learn and utilize additional technology solutions. Flexibility and a positive attitude. Education and/or Experience: Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree (JD, MBA) is a plus. Minimum of 4 years of experience in a law firm or other professional services firm strongly preferred. A combination of education, training, and experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of the job. 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. California Applicants: Please visit our Privacy Notice and Notice at Collection to learn about our information practices in the Job Application and Employment context.

Keywords: Troutman Sanders LLP, Washington DC , Practice Manager, Executive , Washington, DC