Legal Project Manager

Overview

The organization is seeking a Legal Project Manager to support legal teams in managing a suite of high priority and complex matters. This role may also provide on-demand consulting at different stages of a matter lifecycle, such as initiation, delivery, or evaluation.

This position is part of the Matter Planning team and works closely with analysts and others on budgeting and pricing, as well as process improvement and knowledge management initiatives. The role also supports the development and implementation of firmwide training on legal project management and contributes to a highly cross-functional team.

Responsibilities

• Use proven project management techniques to efficiently manage matters across the full lifecycle, including scoping, framing, budgeting, planning, managing, monitoring, and evaluation
• Provide on-demand support for matters that require specific, limited assistance during a particular phase
• Serve as an embedded and trusted member of the legal team by understanding needs and pain points with a solution-oriented approach
• Partner with Matter Planning Analysts to budget matters by reviewing historical data and other key data points
• Collaborate with practice leadership and human resources on resource allocation and development
• Work with the Matter Planning team to develop and deploy firmwide training on Legal Project Management
• Support training and implementation of technology related to project management
• Liaise with clients’ internal legal operations teams as needed
• Challenge existing processes and support related change management initiatives

Requirements

• 5 or more years within law, consulting, or project management
• Master’s degree or J.D. preferred
• Experience working in a legal services environment strongly preferred; ability to translate project management methodology to a legal setting required
• Formal project management certification preferred
• Comfort using Excel, SharePoint, and similar technology
• Experience in training, influencing, and change management a plus

Additional Abilities

• Identify opportunities for process improvement initiatives and knowledge management projects; where appropriate, help develop and promote best practices
• Work closely with other administrative departments at the organization, including practice support, IT, finance, professional development, and marketing
• Communicate confidently with all levels of the legal team and clients, including delivering difficult messages and challenging current assumptions
• Deliver creative answers using pragmatic solutions
• Demonstrate interest and passion in making legal practice more efficient and innovative
• Provide excellent written and verbal communication with strong awareness of appropriate communication for different audiences
• Operate effectively in both structured and unstructured environments
• Understand and articulate the business case behind decisions in matter management
• Build positive relationships and communicate effectively with coworkers and outside vendors (verbal and written)

Compensation & Benefits

• Compensation Salary: $128,000 - $217,000
• The compensation salary for this position will be determined during the interview process and will vary based on multiple factors, including but not limited to prior experience, relevant expertise, current business needs, and market factors.

Location

• Position can be fully remote, however, applicants must reside in one of the states in which K&L Gates operates.