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Job Description Summary

Our Practice Management department has an opening for a Litigation Practice Group Director (“PGD”) who will play a key role in working with the Litigation Practice Group Leader (“PGL”) and practice area leads (“PALs”) to develop and advance the practice group’s strategic investment priorities and practice operations. This role will enable the PGL and PALs to focus on practice group strategy and significant practice group management issues that truly require partner-level involvement. The PGD will also manage team members and work collaboratively with other departments across the firm to accomplish functional objectives related to litigation associate professional development, workload, infrastructure, and strategic planning. This position can be based in any of our U.S. offices.

Job Description

Management and Leadership: Works closely with the PGL to develop and follow through with the practice group’s strategic objectives. Manages all operations related to the practice group by working closely with its attorneys and professionals, as well as the Firm’s administrative departments. Introduces innovative approaches to improve the overall operation of the practice group and infrastructure, driving improved service to the Firm’s clients.

Strategic Planning: Manages strategic initiatives and achieves alignment related to practice group goals by working closely with litigation partners and collaborating with other administrative departments. Identifies trends and issues to be addressed and makes recommendations to ensure the practice group achieves its goals.

Talent Development and Workflow Management: Supports the Firm’s Free Market workflow system by understanding the litigation competency expectations, skillsets and experience of our litigation attorneys. Monitors work assignments for all non-partner litigation attorneys and makes recommendations for improved workload distribution, productivity and utilization. Works closely with the Firm’s Legal Personnel and Training department to develop training content and ensure the appropriate development, evaluation, and training of practice group attorneys.

Legal Operations Management: Works collaboratively and effectively with all administrative departments, including IT, Knowledge and Innovation, Finance, Marketing, Legal Personnel and Training, and Recruiting to ensure the departments are aligned with the practice group’s goals. This includes:

• Working with Finance on tracking and managing alternative fee agreements, managing and approving budgets and expenses, and other matter management reporting as necessary.
• Coordinating with Marketing on internal and external business development efforts and initiatives.
• Working with Recruiting on needs assessments, lateral recruiting initiatives and subsequent integration.

Communications: Works with the PGL to develop litigation meeting and retreat agendas and facilitate planning, content, and logistics. Develops and delivers internal communications and collaborates with the Marketing department regarding external communications as is appropriate.

Practice Management: Works with the Practice Management team on providing operational and administrative support for firmwide initiatives and strategic projects.

Desired Skills And Qualifications

• Strong ability to grow and aptitude for building relationships.
• Established knowledge of the legal industry and law firm management.
• Ability to continually learn and grow, to quickly absorb the nature of the group’s practice.
• Executive gravitas and polish, with the ability to deal effectively with lawyers, staff and peer administrators, and to influence people at all levels to respond and collaborate without overt use of authority.
• Self-motivated and enthusiastic, with proven ability to anticipate problems and move things forward with limited direction.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential matters with discretion.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to oversee the development of new systems and processes and to suggest and execute on solutions.
• Superior client-service ethic, communication, and interpersonal skills, including the ability to gather information from a broad range of sources and to influence others to make positive changes.
• Highly organized, efficient, and extremely detail-oriented, with the ability to stay productive under pressure with tight deadlines.
• The ability to thrive in a demanding but highly rewarding environment (a sense of humor helps, too).

Reporting to the Senior Director of Practice Management, the ideal candidate will have at least 8-10 years of experience working in a professional services firm. Experience working in a litigation practice or department is strongly preferred. Bachelor's degree required; JD or MBA preferred.

Benefits And Compensation Details

At Fenwick, we believe that our partners and employees are our most important asset. Helping you and your families achieve and maintain good health - physical, emotional, and financial - is the reason we offer a comprehensive benefit program. We provide benefits to eligible employees under plans such as Healthcare, Life Insurance, Health Savings Accounts, Flexible Spending Accounts, and Wellbeing.

The Anticipated Range For This Position Is

$190,000 - $267,250

Depending on the role, the actual base salary offered may depend upon a variety of factors, including without limitation, the qualifications of the individual applicant for the position, years of relevant experience, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held, and if applicable, the location in which the applicant lives and/or from which they will be performing the job.

A discretionary bonus for eligible employees may also be available based on performance. Additional information about employee eligibility for benefits and discretionary bonus will be made available upon request.