Senior Manager, Legal Project Management

About the role

This is a unique opportunity to join a team that is implementing significant change, by focusing on client service excellence and process innovation. This Senior Manager role is a key part of the Firm’s strategy to support a stronger business, increase profitability and demonstrate operational efficiency. This role is part of the Firm’s global Legal Project Management (LPM) team.

Main Duties And Responsibilities

• Build out the LPM capability and pipeline of work, influencing Partners and lawyers to adopt LPM on their matters
• Operational management and co-delivery of legal projects/matters by arranging Kick-Off Meetings, Project Team Meetings and Steering Meetings, ensuring attendees, standing agenda, record keeping and circulation are appropriate to the meetings' purpose
• Define and validate project scope, not simply management of scope
• Define and track timelines, milestones, deliverables, assumptions and dependencies at the outset
• Financial/budget management on projects/matter
• Track progress and escalate changes in scope, time and/or budget to project stakeholders and ensure effective corrective action is implemented, where required
• Implement effective risk and issue identification and management strategies, providing options for mitigation or resolution
• Lead post project review and Lessons Learned workshops
• Use appropriate project management tools and techniques including drafting of all project-related documents and project artefacts such as project approach, project plans, schedules, action trackers, availability trackers, correspondence trackers, risk logs, status reports
• Implement and ensure effective communication strategies are in place and act as the interface, where appropriate, to project specific stakeholders including our Clients, lawyers in other practice areas and offices, external and opposing counsel and third party vendors
• Provide LPM guidance on best practices, tools, techniques, roles and responsibilities
• Collaborate with legal teams to identify the most cost-effective and level of resources available
• Collaborate with legal teams to draft and submit budget proposals; and with support from the Finance team, track and analyze actual project costs against budget and proactively address budget variances
• Manage concurrent projects
• Manage client portfolios with emphasis on legal operations, disputes and transactional projects and management of Firm’s strategic client innovation initiatives
• Line management of junior team members, as required
• Support LPM leadership with LPM collateral for bids, tenders and pitches to portray LPM as an innovative way in which to deliver legal services
• Contribute to the development and delivery of LPM training content for Firm lawyers and Clients
• Identify opportunities to cross-sell LPM services in our global business
• Be seen as a key contact point for Partners and senior stakeholders for LPM globally and build relationships and foster a collaborative approach to working with clients and across all departments
• Comfortable with presenting on relevant topics at Senior Leadership meetings and Client meetings

Experience And Knowledge

• Experience of Legal Project Management required
• Significant experience of managing project teams and supporting complex, multi-jurisdictional matters in a dedicated project management capacity including experience of working with global legal teams
• Experience of change management
• Knowledge and proficiency in extranets, online data rooms, collaboration tools, legal tech and SharePoint sites; proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office products including Excel, Powerpoint, Visio, Project and Power BI
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
• Able to manage multiple priorities with “can do” attitude, work cross-functionally, and meet tight deadlines
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, able to interact at all levels including with senior business stakeholders to negotiate and persuade in order to achieve successful outcomes
• Understanding of law firm financial and performance metrics and ability to analyse financial reports of varying levels of complexity, providing financial analysis with a focus on delivering value to clients
• Problem solver
• Willing to challenge and question assumptions
• Able to work well under pressure and manage/prioritise workload
• Advanced organizational and time management skills
• A project leader
• Flexible and resilient with ability to change and adapt in a fast moving, detail-oriented environment
• Sensitivity to cultural differences across project teams

Education And Qualifications

• A strong academic record, preferably of graduate level (Law Degree or other relevant Post Graduate Degree an advantage)
• Formal project management qualification essential, for example APMQ or PMP
• 5+ years relevant work experience including client-facing roles

Pay

$157,600 - $216,700

Benefits

White & Case LLP offers a comprehensive suite of benefit programs to all eligible employees, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, life and disability coverage, 401(k) retirement savings, vacation time, and leave programs (including parental leave).

Exempt Roles

Exempt roles are also performance bonus eligible.