Legal Operations Manager
Job Summary
We are seeking a seasoned Legal Operations leader with hands-on experience in building processes. The ideal candidate will own the operational infrastructure of the legal department, including systems, workflows, data, and support personnel.
Key Responsibilities
Own the full Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) program - intake, negotiation, approval, execution, and renewal, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.
Select, implement, and continuously optimize CLM tooling, eDiscovery platform, Legal Research tools (experience with ContractPodAi, Epiq, Westlaw, Pacer, or equivalent strongly preferred).
Serve as an internal subject matter expert on contract risk, rights, and obligations across business units.
Lead the evaluation, selection, and rollout of legal department technology, including DMS, Legal Research tools, e-billing, matter management, and AI tools.
Own ongoing system administration, vendor relationships, and performance accountability.
Build dashboards and reporting that give leadership real visibility into legal department activity and spend.
Identify workflow gaps and fix them before they become someone else’s problem.
Design and implement process controls that stick – not one-time fixes.
Lead cross-functional projects and internal communications that keep the legal team organized and the business informed.
Team & Budget Leadership:
Own budget forecasting, vendor and Outside Counsel invoicing, and P&L; accountability for the legal operations function.
Develop staff through clear expectations, training, and performance standards.
Develop and maintain relationships across multiple internal business stakeholders to facilitate a productive and efficient work environment across the company globally.
Qualifications And Requirements
7+ years of progressive legal operations experience, including at least 2 years of managerial experience with direct reports.
Demonstrated experience implementing or managing CLM, DMS, PMS, Legal Research tools, or e-billing platforms from selection through adoption.
Hands on knowledge of legal tech tools – familiarity with ContractPodAi, Harvey AI, Epiq, or comparable systems is a strong plus.
Experience managing legal operations in a high-volume environment – law firm, corporate legal department, or both.
Strong ability to prioritize and manage multiple competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Strong ability to collaborate effectively across teams and work with various stakeholders and business partners across the organization.
Expertise with Microsoft Office Suite applications (including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and TEAMS).
Strong financial acumen: budget ownership, invoice review, and P&L; responsibility.
Proven track record of building or restructuring legal operations, not just managing them and have the ability to drive innovation and adapt to evolving business needs.
Clear, direct communication style – ability to explain legal risk to a lawyer, non-lawyer, and operational tradeoffs to a GC.
Nice to Have
Have walked into a performing legal department and enhanced output and efficiency through performance optimization.
Have personally implemented a new technology system – not just managed the vendor who did.
Have built reporting infrastructure that changed how leadership understood the legal function.
Have managed and supported both attorneys and non-attorney staff and know how to get the best of both.
Location
Kirkland, WA (Onsite)
Benefits
Health care coverage, dental and vision
Life and disability protection
Sales incentive bonuses for employees in sales positions
Stock compensation for employees in certain positions
Pay
The base plus bonus salary range for this position in Washington is $125,000 - $169,000.
Company Information
MPS is an Equal Opportunity Employer and embraces diversity in our employee population.