Legal Project Manager

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Company: Ropes & Gray
Location: Chicago, IL 60606 (Loop area)

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About Ropes & Gray

Ropes & Gray LLP is a preeminent global law firm focused on providing the highest-quality advice on our clients’ critical legal and business issues. Our global team of 2,500 talented professionals regularly helps clients meet high-stakes challenges, solve complex problems and achieve key goals. These colleagues work together across a global office network that includes offices in Boston, Chicago, Hong Kong, London, New York, San Francisco, Seoul, Shanghai, Silicon Valley, Tokyo and Washington, D.C.

We are a contemporary firm that can bring more than 150 years of legal and institutional history to bear on the challenges clients face in today’s 24/7 global business environment. Our collaborative approach gives our clients—which include many of the world’s most respected companies and institutions—ready access to leading corporate, litigation, transactional and regulatory lawyers whose knowledge and experience span industries and geographies.

With an international presence, we focus on a number of key industries, including private equity; asset management; life sciences and health care; investment banking; technology, media and telecommunications; and consumer and retail. Our clients include global industry leaders, financial institutions, investment firms, private equity firms, hospitals and health care organizations, educational institutions, and individuals.

We have consistently been recognized for our leading practices in many areas, including private equity, M&A, finance, asset management, real estate, tax, antitrust, life sciences, health care, intellectual property, litigation & enforcement, privacy & cybersecurity, and business restructuring.

Ropes & Gray is an equal opportunity employer.

JOB SUMMARY:

The legal project manager is responsible for helping to drive Legal Project Management (LPM) at Ropes & Gray. The legal project manager will collaborate with lawyers from all practice groups to implement LPM tools and techniques to ensure that client relationships are supported and matters are executed efficiently. The legal project manager will act as a resource for clients, especially those with legal operations, as well as partners, associates and business support professionals. He/she will provide guidance to Ropes & Gray client teams and matter teams on managing expectations and resources, including by defining and implementing processes that match client priorities, encouraging the use of matter work plans, preparing and analyzing budgets, engaging legal teams in LPM best practices, using knowledge management tools and building a repository of exemplars and templates. Additionally, the legal project manager will work to develop trainings and tools, and think strategically about ways to further the dissemination of LPM as a best practice.


ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

  • In collaboration with partners and clients, define client relationship and matter management strategy, goals and related deliverables.

  • Work with partners and associates to respond to pitches, RFPs and client requests regarding pricing, budgeting and budget tracking capabilities.

  • Provide concrete guidance on LPM best practices, tools, techniques, roles and responsibilities.

  • Develop and encourage the use of matter work plans; plan and track matter timelines, milestones and dependencies using appropriate tools and reports.

  • Set and continually manage team member and client expectations regarding the client relationship and individual matters.

  • Identify issues as they arise and recommend options for resolution and course correction for matters that are beginning to diverge from work plans and/or budget.

  • Proactively manage changes in matter scope and develop contingency plans, if/as needed.

  • Participate in discussion at close of matter about lessons learned and to identify templates for future reuse.

Advance LPM:

  • Develop and proliferate LPM best practices, procedures, tools, templates, checklists and reference materials.

  • Coach and mentor attorneys and support staff on how to employ LPM on matters.

  • Create and facilitate LPM training among lawyers and support staff.

  • Recommend process improvements where appropriate.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS REQUIRED:

  • Exceptional client service orientation

  • Large law firm or corporate legal operations experience preferred

  • Bachelor’s degree required; J.D. or MBA preferred

  • Financial acumen and/or understanding of law firm metrics; facility in reviewing, analyzing, reporting on and improving upon, financial reports of varying levels of complexity

  • Demonstrated experience in leading teams

  • Strong written and verbal communication skills

  • Demonstrated creative problem-solving capabilities

ESSENTIAL CAPABILITIES:

  • Able to maintain strict confidentiality of the firm’s internal and personnel affairs and client information.Understands ethics of position including ethical rules in regards to confidentiality, billing and client representation and advocacy.

  • Able to build relationships and foster a collaborative approach to working with internal clients across practice groups and with management.

  • Able to navigate and influence all levels of the organization.Can effectively convey solutions to teams and related support personnel, explaining results within a legal project management framework and achieving buy-in from matter teams.

  • Must be a proactive, self-starter who understands the details and can integrate them into a much larger strategic context.

  • Must deliver high quality work and have the ability to follow up and follow through.

  • Must be flexible in order to respond quickly and positively to shifting demands and opportunities.Able to work under tight deadlines, handle multiple, detailed tasks simultaneously, prioritize appropriately and delegate to resources available.

  • Able to anticipate problems and issues and exercise independent judgment to make sound, justifiable decisions and take action in solving problems while knowing when and to whom to escalate issues.

  • Owns professional development by seeking out feedback and learning new skills; continually learning and applying new LPM tools and techniques.

  • Communicate in a manner that demonstrates experience and a grasp of the strategic intent of a matter.

  • Able to work effectively in a culturally and educationally diverse environment.

  • Must be flexible and available for travel.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Incumbent is expected to work the hours necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of the position. The above job description is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of essential functions, responsibilities or requirements. Firm management reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet business and organizational needs.