Legal Support Manager – Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Miami, Philadelphia or Washington D.C.
Firm Description:
Our client is one of the world’s largest law firms, with over 4,000 attorneys across more than 40 countries. Known for its expansive global reach and full-service capabilities, the firm advises leading corporations, financial institutions, and governments on complex legal and business matters. Core practice areas include corporate and finance, litigation, intellectual property, real estate, tax, and regulatory affairs. The firm is recognized for its innovative approach, collaborative culture, and commitment to sustainability, diversity, and pro bono service.
Position Description:
Our client, a premier global law firm, is seeking an experienced Legal Support Manager to oversee legal support operations. This position may be based in Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, or Washington DC, and offers a hybrid work schedule.
Working closely with office administration and Human Resources, the Legal Support Manager will provide leadership and direction to legal support professionals, with responsibility for workflow coordination, staffing, utilization, performance management, recruiting, training, employee relations, and attorney service. The Manager will play a key role in ensuring appropriate coverage and resource allocation while maintaining consistent service standards in a fast-paced law firm environment.
The ideal candidate will have at least five years of executive legal support experience, including two or more years in a lead or supervisory capacity. Candidates should bring strong people-management skills, sound judgment, excellent communication abilities, and experience managing competing staffing and operational priorities.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage the day-to-day activities and overall performance of assigned legal support professionals and teams.
- Coordinate workloads, utilization, document-processing resources, overflow assignments, and backup coverage to maintain efficient attorney and client service.
- Monitor staffing requirements and adjust assignments and coverage based on attorney needs, absences, workload, and utilization.
- Serve as a liaison among lawyers, legal support professionals, office administration, Human Resources, and other administrative departments.
- Communicate and administer applicable policies and procedures affecting legal support personnel.
- Monitor daily absences, coordinate substitute coverage, and review and approve vacation requests.
- Review and approve timecards and related time-and-attendance matters for assigned personnel.
- Assist with developing and monitoring legal support staffing and overtime budgets, with an emphasis on efficient resource management.
- Coordinate with Human Resources regarding leaves of absence and FMLA matters and arrange appropriate coverage.
- Monitor staffing levels and attorney-to-support ratios and recommend or implement adjustments as operational needs change.
- Assign legal support resources to incoming attorneys and other timekeepers.
- Recruit and interview candidates for open legal support positions.
- Coordinate the onboarding, orientation, training, and mentoring of new legal support professionals.
- Prepare employee performance evaluations, obtain feedback from relevant stakeholders, and make recommendations regarding annual compensation adjustments.
- Monitor employee performance throughout the year and provide clear feedback regarding expectations, performance, and development opportunities.
- Partner with Human Resources and attorneys to address performance concerns, attendance issues, workplace conduct, and other employee-relations matters.
- Coach employees, facilitate resolution of workplace issues, document performance concerns, and escalate disciplinary matters when appropriate.
- Conduct legal support team meetings and coordinate required training, professional development, and related programs.
- Participate in the orientation and integration of new attorneys and legal support professionals.
- Contribute to broader projects and initiatives involving legal support operations, workflow, staffing, and service delivery.
- Perform additional management and operational responsibilities as needed.
Qualifications
Required
- High school diploma or GED.
- Minimum of 5 years of executive legal support experience.
- At least 2 years of experience in a lead or supervisory capacity.
- Demonstrated ability to supervise, coach, develop, and manage the performance of legal support professionals.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively with attorneys, business professionals, Human Resources, and support staff.
- Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to assess operational and staffing issues and develop practical solutions.
- Sound judgment and demonstrated ability to appropriately handle confidential and sensitive employee matters.
- Ability to manage multiple projects, staffing demands, and competing priorities simultaneously.
- Ability to perform effectively under pressure in a fast-paced professional-services environment.
- Strong computer skills and comfort working with the technology required to manage staffing, workflow, communications, and administrative processes.
- Commitment to delivering timely, accurate, high-quality service to internal and external stakeholders.
Preferred
- Bachelor’s degree.
- Prior management experience within a law firm, legal services, professional services, or Human Resources environment.
- Experience overseeing legal administrative or executive support teams within a large, sophisticated law firm.
- Experience with performance evaluations, compensation recommendations, recruiting, employee relations, attendance management, staffing analysis, and workload allocation.
- Experience managing attorney-to-support staffing ratios and coordinating centralized or shared legal support resources.
Compensation
The firm’s expected hiring range for this position is $112,879 – $160,000 per year depending on the candidate’s geographic market location.
Actual compensation may vary based on the candidate’s experience, skills, educational and professional background, overall qualifications, and applicable geographic market.
Benefits & Professional Development
Our client offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision insurance and a 401(k) retirement savings program, along with opportunities for professional development and career growth.
This position offers a hybrid work arrangement consisting of remote and in-office work. Specific in-office requirements will be determined based on business needs and may be adjusted over time.
Meet Your Recruiter
Dominique Harris
Director of Professional Staff Recruiting
