Director, Litigation Strategy & Practice Management

Cooley LLP•New York, NY

About The Position

Cooley is seeking a Director of Litigation Strategy & Practice Management to join the Practice Management team. This Director role is a high-level position that will work closely with the department chair and practice group leaders to provide sophisticated financial and operational oversight that helps formulate, articulate and implement strategy. The Director is expected to employ a wide range of strategic and tactical solutions to help improve the profitability and efficiency of the practice groups, including supporting the development and driving of strategy, business plans, analysis related to hiring decisions, financial, operational and competitive analysis, and work seamlessly with various professional business teams throughout the firm. The Director will help prioritize and drive top-level initiatives to help achieve the group’s long-term goals.

Requirements

After orientation at Cooley LLP, exhibit proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite, iManage and other firm applications
Ability to work extended and/or weekend hours, as required
Ability to travel, as required
Bachelor’s degree, preferably in business, finance, accounting, talent -related field
10+ years of directly relevant exempt-level experience (e.g., a management, finance, analytics, talent or advisory leadership role in a law firm, professional services/consulting firm or financial institution) with 5+ years of management experience in relevant roles
Demonstrated success supporting senior executives

Nice To Haves

Law firm, banking and/or professional services experience
Entrepreneurial by nature
Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with ability to facilitate
Superior problem-solving skills – ability to think critically and strategically to provide analysis and steps for improvement
Ability to organize, prioritize and coordinate multiple activities often under tight timelines
Ability to drive projects to completion and achieve goals
Excellent judgment indicated by making sound and practical decisions
Team-player with collaborative spirit
Unwavering ability to handle and maintain confidentiality regarding firm information, projects, client data
High level of professionalism at all times
Demonstrated ability to lead through influence and develop talent
Effective presentation skills
Ability and willingness to adapt to changing business demands
Must maintain a high level of professional integrity and possess the ability to build trust with stakeholders and others
Highly organized with a keen sense of attention to detail
Discrete and highly trustworthy

Responsibilities

In conjunction with leadership, help to develop business plans for assigned practice group(s) and at the department level, manage implementation, monitor progress and suggest proactive measures to help achieve or exceed plan goals and targets
Monitors group financial performance, working with Department Chairs and PGLs to address issues and opportunities
Analyze pipeline and demand metrics and manage capacity planning processes in collaboration with talent management function
Act as primary point of contact for department leadership on administrative and operational matters, escalating to proper administrative department leadership (i.e., legal talent, HR, marketing, Technology) as appropriate
Facilitate long-term planning and growth strategies for assigned practice area(s) and respective department(s).
Aggregate annual hours, rates, revenues, headcount and client budgets for assigned practice areas
Working with Department Chairs, PGLs; organizes and sets agendas for group Partner meetings and follows up on action items to drive progress.
Monitor, evaluate and improve key performance indicators of the assigned practice group(s), including cash leakage, in-depth realization studies, and utilization
Provide data and analysis to practice group leadership for PG meetings and presentations to the Board
Support the implementation, development and use of practice management tools
Support growth opportunities and help drive expansion of client relationships in collaboration with the marketing and business development department
Maintain comprehensive knowledge of the overall department leadership function and facilitate leadership succession
Draft internal presentations and internal department-wide communications
Deliver and share information with clarity and discretion on behalf of the department teams.
Serve as mentor to direct reports
Provide day-to-day supervision of direct reports, ensure compliance with assigned work hours and monitor for compliance with all firm and department policies.
Manage staffing coverage, review and process time logs/time off requests
Support business professional development and continued educational opportunities
In collaboration with immediate supervisor and central HR, participate in hiring, performance appraisals, counseling, termination and other employee lifecycle events
All other duties as assigned or required