Senior Legal Project Manager at A&O Shearman in New York, New York

Job Description:

Department purpose

The Project Management (PM) team is dedicated to providing legal project management tools, training and support to our lawyers to enhance the delivery of our legal work, setting us apart from our competitors. Additionally to support our most complex matters, the PM team provides legal project manager resource.



Role purpose

The purpose of this role is to help increase efficiency, provide exceptional client service and increase profitability on our most complex transactional matters through effective legal project management.
This position will accelerate our ability to deliver tangible financial and non-financial benefits on selected key matters (in conjunction with the legal team), and to develop, co-ordinate, and implement consistent best practice across our firm.


The Senior Legal Project Manager (SLPM) will begin by being closely aligned to the M&A and ENRI practice groups to understand and implement the efficient management of sophisticated client engagements and will relieve busy lawyers of certain non-legal activities, delegating to more junior members of the PM team as appropriate.


The SLPM will directly support those matters where management to the agreed commercial terms is critical, and where there are a large number of practice areas, fee earners or jurisdictions involved. Support will primarily be given by supporting client teams to better manage project scope and delivery, resulting in capturing out of scope revenue, minimizing write-offs, and improving overall matter efficiency
The SLPM will help foster the integration of legal project management techniques into the culture of the firm and in specific client engagements through the utilization of the firm's technology, the deployment of firm resources, and by helping to engineer engagement plans that result in high value to the client, exceptional client service and high profitability for the firm.


The SLPM will be responsible for identifying opportunities to define and implement legal project management best practices within their area of focus by supporting lawyers and through training and tool development.


The successful candidate will be a qualified lawyer or someone who has previous experience as a project manager in a law firm or professional services firm on client facing, fee-earning legal projects who is hard working, enthusiastic, a team player, has a high level of initiative and a willingness to learn. Advanced organizational skills, attention to detail and exemplary writing skills are key. The role will involve direct client contact therefore excellent communication, professionalism and interpersonal skills are essential.



Role and responsibilities

Supporting the lead matter partner and matter manager through the lifecycle of our complex matters, specifically:
Planning Phase

• Scoping; budgeting; setting up project phases


• Preparation of project plans / timelines for internal and external use


• Co-ordinate matter opening process


• Identify stakeholders and establish a communication plan

Execution Phase

• Delegating to and managing junior members of the team where appropriate:


• Co-ordinate work effort; status reporting; liaising with client and communicating progress; tracking scope changes


• Financial management: on-going monitoring of fees, run rates and other key financial metrics; regular updates to the client on fees and disbursement; review of fee-earner narratives to ensure they are to the client agreed format


• Updates to project plans / timelines


• Co-ordinate cross-departmental / jurisdictional activity


• Co-ordinate creation and execution of work plans


• Ensure effective communication with specialist departments and counsel (internal and external); and that the communication plan is adhered to


• Provide timely updates to matter partner and matter manager on potential issues identified


• Risk and change management

Review & Close Phase

• Delegating to and managing junior members of the team where appropriate:


• Supporting the post-matter review process including update project plans / timelines; review matter finances; facilitate learning for future similar matters


• Ensure know-how is archived


• Co-ordinate matter closing process


• Advise on strategy for future similar matters

More generally

• Identify improvements to work product and processes and support implementation of their improvement


• Maintain a close relationship with support departments to communicate potential improvements to software and systems


• Introduce new working efficiencies where appropriate and coach team


• The position will require the skills of an individual capable of facilitating process mapping planning sessions, data collection and analysis, implementing improvements and controls and leveraging technology and knowledge management solutions

Key requirements

• Experience practicing as a qualified lawyer or experience as a project manager in a law firm or professional services firm on client facing, fee-earning legal projects


• Desirable to have project management certification (e.g. PRINCE2)


• Demonstrated experience in leading and managing (to time and budget) complex projects that are strategic and large in scope


• It is essential the incumbent is comfortable with financial management


• Advanced organizational and influencing skills, flexibility of style, attention to detail, and ability to multi-task in a fast-paced, detail-oriented environment


• Possess a high degree of initiative and independent judgment with excellent troubleshooting, decision-making, and follow-through skills


• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with key stakeholders


• High-level interpersonal skills to facilitate communication in person, by email, and telephone with professionalism and diplomacy. Very strong facilitation and presentation skills


• High level of proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and Extranets, with strong technical skills and the ability to learn new applications quickly

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