Administrative Support Manager

Hall Booth Smith•Atlanta, GA

About The Position

The Administrative Support Manager provides firmwide administrative management for the firm’s legal assistants, receptionists, and administrative assistants. The role coordinates staffing assignments and coverage, supports onboarding and training, addresses performance concerns through early coaching, and advances engagement and retention. It complements the Legal Team Development Manager, who supports paralegals and Legal Nurse Consultants, by providing each legal support group with a dedicated firm-level point of contact. The manager oversees administrative support assignments and staffing needs across attorneys, legal teams, offices, and practice areas. The role coordinates temporary coverage and backup plans, ensures covering personnel have required access to files and systems, and works with the Director of Legal Operations, Human Resources, Information Technology, office leadership, supervising partners, and the Legal Team Development Manager. The position coordinates onboarding and delivers training on firm procedures, systems, service standards, and administrative support practices. It serves as an advocate and point of contact for administrative support personnel, identifies concerns early, and coordinates engagement, recognition, team-building, and retention efforts. The manager supports performance through coaching and clarification of expectations and advises firm leaders on concerns and next steps. Formal performance, hiring, and termination decisions remain with appropriate firm leaders and Human Resources; supervising partners and legal teams retain responsibility for daily assignments, case-level supervision, and quality review of legal work. The role is based in a professional, multi-office law firm environment with frequent virtual and in-person coordination. Standard business hours apply, with occasional travel and schedule flexibility to respond to urgent coverage needs, staffing changes, onboarding, or training requirements.

Requirements

No specific degree is required; demonstrated mastery of law firm administrative support practices through relevant education, training, and experience is required.
At least four years of law firm experience, including experience as a legal assistant or in a comparable legal support role.
Strong knowledge of legal assistant responsibilities, including calendaring, court filing, and document management.
Strong working knowledge of firm policies, procedures, and service standards applicable to administrative support roles.
Ability to build effective relationships with attorneys and staff at all levels and coordinate work across offices and legal teams.
Strong organization, prioritization, and follow-through across multiple people, assignments, and locations.
Sound judgment and discretion in handling sensitive personnel matters and confidential information.
Proficiency with Microsoft 365.
Clear written and verbal communication, coaching, problem-solving, and conflict-resolution skills.
Ability to remain stationary and use a computer, telephone, and other office equipment for extended periods, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Ability to travel independently to firm offices, including occasional travel to the Atlanta office when based elsewhere, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a multi-office or national law firm.
Experience providing initial training to administrative support personnel.
Experience supporting litigation or insurance defense practices.
Familiarity with iManage, court e-filing systems, and related law firm technology.

Responsibilities

Oversee legal assistant assignments across attorneys and legal teams to promote balanced, sustainable workloads, and advise the Director of Legal Operations on team placement and reassignments.
Monitor workload and staffing needs by office and practice area and recommend changes when imbalances or service gaps arise.
Coordinate assignment changes with legal teams and office leadership resulting from new hires, departures, attorney moves, or other staffing changes.
Coordinate temporary reassignment of work when a legal assistant is absent or a position is vacant.
Assess available capacity and assign internal legal assistant support before recommending outside temporary assistance, in consultation with the Director of Legal Operations and Human Resources.
Develop and maintain coverage and backup plans for administrative support functions across offices.
Coordinate with Information Technology to ensure covering personnel have the files, systems, permissions, and other access needed to support assigned teams.
Coordinate onboarding and role-specific training for newly hired legal assistants, receptionists, and administrative assistants.
Develop, maintain, and deliver training on firm procedures, systems, service standards, and administrative support practices.
Work with the Director of Legal Operations to keep administrative support standards, guides, and resources current.
Identify individual and group skill gaps and recommend appropriate training, coaching, or resources.
Serve as a firmwide point of contact and advocate for legal assistants, receptionists, and administrative assistants.
Coordinate with Human Resources on engagement, recognition, team-building, and retention initiatives for administrative support personnel.
Identify and raise workload, working-relationship, or office concerns early so they can be addressed before affecting service or retention.
Collaborate with the Legal Team Development Manager on firmwide planning, team discussions, and training affecting multiple legal support groups.
Address performance concerns early through coaching, clarification of expectations, training, and other support before formal corrective action is considered.
Advise the Director of Legal Operations and supervising partners on observed concerns, performance reviews, and recommended next steps.
Partner with Human Resources when performance or conduct concerns progress to formal corrective action or a performance improvement plan.
Manage the firmwide administrative support program while supervising partners and legal teams retain responsibility for daily work assignments, case-level supervision, and quality review of legal work.
Provide recommendations concerning hiring, termination, and formal performance decisions; final decisions remain with appropriate firm leaders and Human Resources.
Perform other administrative management duties consistent with the position and the needs of the firm.