Client Operations & LPM Manager

Ropes & Gray•Boston, MA

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

The legal market is undergoing a period of hyper-change, driving opportunities for innovative thinking and hybrid careers. The Client Operations & Legal Project Management team thrives on these changes, residing at the intersection of process improvement, technology, data storytelling, client service and legal practice. Our mission is to strengthen Ropes & Gray's client relationships and optimize the delivery of legal services by developing innovative tools and processes that drive efficiency and meet our clients' evolving priorities. The role of the manager is to provide lawyers, clients and support staff guidance on legal operations and matter management best practices and tools, ensuring that client relationships are supported, and matters are executed efficiently. This involves encouraging the use of work plans, scoping and building budgets, analyzing data and progress reporting, and building on the team's client knowledge. The manager is as a proactive resource for clients, especially those with legal operations functions. A key aspect of the manager’s role is to use their experience to influence outcomes and engage in process improvement and change management.

Requirements

Able to maintain strict confidentiality of the firm's internal and personnel affairs and client information. Understands ethics of position including rules of legal ethics in regards to confidentiality, billing and client representation and advocacy.
Able to build relationships, influence and foster a collaborative approach with internal clients across practice groups and with all departments and levels of the organization.
Can effectively convey solutions to stakeholders, explaining results within a legal project management framework and achieving buy-in from legal teams.
Able to effectively work in a multi-office environment and a culturally and educationally diverse environment.
Bachelor's degree required; J.D. or MBA preferred.
At least 7 years of experience working in a law firm, corporate legal department, financial institution or other large complex organization is required; professional services experience is preferred.
Exceptional client service orientation with financial acumen.

Responsibilities

Leads client relationship support with the help of the team's senior analysts and analysts, and by leveraging the technical expertise of the team’s Infrastructure team.
Proactively seeks opportunities to collaborate with legal operations professionals by piloting new solutions, improving processes and addressing client pain points.
Develops, maintains and enhances a portfolio of resources that help lawyers identify and communicate to clients the cost and scope of legal work, spot risks for cost overruns, monitor run rate and leverage the firm’s technology and knowledge resources to optimize legal service delivery.
Applies and advocates for legal project management best practices including scoping, budgeting, progress reporting, team and client communication and efficiency (including the application of technology and alternative staffing).
Establishes and partners with a network of peers in Finance, Business Development, Practice Development, Knowledge Management and other staff support teams to design and deliver innovative solutions, leverage AI appropriately and improve processes.