Practice Development Manager - Litigation & Enforcement

About the role

Ropes & Gray is a preeminent global law firm. The firm has been ranked in the top three on The American Lawyer's prestigious A-List for eight consecutive years and #1 on Law.com's UK A-List twice in the past three years—rankings that honor the "best of the best" law firms. The firm has approximately 2,500 lawyers and professionals serving clients in major centers of business, finance, technology, and government in Boston, Chicago, Dublin, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Milan, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Seoul, Shanghai, Silicon Valley, Singapore, Tokyo and Washington, D.C. The firm has consistently been recognized for its leading practices in many areas, including asset management, private equity, M&A, finance, real estate, tax, antitrust, life sciences, health care, intellectual property, litigation & enforcement, privacy & cybersecurity, and business restructuring. Ropes & Gray is an equal opportunity employer.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with practice group leadership, partners, and other key stakeholders to develop a strategic practice group plan with clear, achievable goals focused on competitive differentiation, market positioning, talent, and profitability.
• Support PG leadership with daily operations, including designing and running substantive initiatives and meetings that maintain focus on PG priorities.
• Identify opportunities for improvement, innovation, and efficiency in business operations, matter management, and infrastructure, and develop actionable solutions and implementation plans.
• Relentlessly execute and track progress on initiatives in support of the firm and PG strategies.
• Manage PG talent needs by working with PGLs, partners, and Attorney Talent on partner and counsel transitions, including: evaluating overall talent needs; onboarding and integrating lateral partners and counsel; preparing business cases for partner promotions; integrating promoted partners; and succession planning for partner retirements.
• Collaborate with partners to draft candidate sponsor memoranda and integration plans.
• Collaborate with PGLs and partners to identify and execute on knowledge management needs in partnership with the Legal Knowledge Management team.
• Drive innovation through product development and thought leadership campaigns in collaboration with attorneys, Legal Knowledge Management, Business Development, and Marketing teams.
• Work with Business Development, Public Relations, and Events teams to raise attorney profiles by identifying speaking opportunities, conferences, sponsorships, and writing opportunities that support knowledge marketing efforts.
• Strategize approach for and oversee the preparation of various legal ranking submissions.
• Develop and oversee processes to track PG experience.
• Facilitate sharing of practice area developments and information with appropriate business support teams.
• Collaborate with Finance to analyze PG financial performance (revenue, profitability, realization, utilization, WIP, A/R) and work with practice group leadership to drive growth, leverage, and profitability.
• Prepare and manage PG budgets.
• Manage Practice Development Specialists and Coordinators through coaching, mentoring, and delegation of practice group projects and routine tasks.

Qualifications

• Exemplary leadership skills.
• Ability to establish credibility with Ropes & Gray partners and to bring the right mix of confidence, tact, and persistence in working with the firm’s lawyers.
• Confidence and professionalism to interact credibly and diplomatically with all levels of the organization, including partners and firm management, tailoring communications effectively for different audiences.
• Strong business acumen, project management, analytical skills, and proven attention to detail.
• Ability to develop and successfully execute comprehensive project and operational plans from broadly stated objectives.
• Desire to learn.
• Ability to identify and solve problems, work independently, and take initiative.
• Ability to synthesize varied data and information into logical conclusions and actionable recommendations.
• Excellent presentation, writing and verbal communication skills.
• Willingness to roll up sleeves and get things done.
• Excellent interpersonal skills; positive, can-do attitude.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a multi-office environment.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain strict confidentiality of the firm's internal and personnel affairs.

Education And Experience Required

• Experience in litigation and/or government enforcement or in a mid-sized to large law firm preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree.
• JD or MBA preferred, but not required.
• At least eight years of applicable experience working in a mid-sized to large law firm or corporate environment in a similar field and/or as a practicing attorney.
• Proven problem-solving abilities, capacity to manage multiple projects simultaneously, and ability to design and implement goals.
• Prior people management experience, including coaching, mentoring and strong delegation skills.