Director of Paralegal Services

Goodwin Procter•Boston, DC

11h

About The Position

Join Goodwin’s Global Operations Team, and make a real impact on a global scale. At Goodwin, we work with some of the world’s most successful and innovative investors, entrepreneurs and disruptors in the life sciences, private equity, real estate, technology and financial industries, and where they converge. As part of the Global Operations Team – all business professionals at the firm – you’ll collaborate with colleagues from varied backgrounds and experiences, fostering an environment where cross-functional learning, networking, and collaboration are at the core of what we do. Here, we’re not just supporting a law firm; we’re partnering with attorneys and clients to deliver cutting-edge solutions in high-stakes litigation and dispute resolution, world-class regulatory compliance and advisory services, and complex transactions. Our commitment to integrity, ingenuity, agility, and ambition drives us, and we’re proud to have been recognised as the “Best Business Team” by The American Lawyer. This is your opportunity to grow professionally in a dynamic, global environment, surrounded by forward-thinking peers. As Director, Paralegal Services, Legal Delivery and Talent, you will lead the continued evolution of how paralegal services are designed, delivered, and managed across Goodwin. This role extends beyond traditional paralegal leadership focused on staffing, supervision, and administration. We are seeking a forward-looking legal services leader who will challenge conventional approaches and develop service models around the needs of our attorneys, practices, and clients. Effective paralegal service delivery requires different approaches across a complex law firm. Litigation and transactional practices, as well as individual practices within them, may require distinct models for specialization, staffing, workflow, technology, talent, and management. You will partner with practice leaders, partners, associates, and firm leadership to understand those needs and translate them into practical, scalable solutions. You will have end-to-end responsibility for the paralegal function, including service delivery strategy, operating model, talent, technology enablement, performance, and execution. Supported by paralegal managers and other delivery and operational roles, you will be accountable for delivering excellent service while advancing how the function supports attorneys, practices, and clients.

Requirements

Hold a bachelor's degree; advanced degree is a plus but not required.
Bring significant progressive leadership experience in a large law firm setting, with preference for AmLaw 100 experience.
Demonstrate experience transforming a legal function, including designing and implementing new operating models.
Manage the full talent lifecycle.
Maintain strong familiarity with legal industry trends, legal technology, and the evolving role of non-attorney timekeepers.
Build relationships and navigate complex stakeholder dynamics in a professional services environment.
A service mindset that starts with the needs of attorneys, practices, and clients.
The ability to design different approaches to staffing, specialization, workflow, technology, and talent based on practice needs.
A track record of challenging established ways of working and turning new ideas into practical solutions.
Strong knowledge of legal workflows and sound judgment about when work should be standardized, specialized, centralized, automated, or delivered differently.
Curiosity about how technology, including AI and automation, can reshape legal work and service delivery.
Strong analytical skills and the ability to use data and feedback to improve performance.
Credibility with partners and practice leaders, including the ability to understand their needs, challenge assumptions, and build support for change.
Strong people leadership skills, including developing managers, managing performance, and creating opportunities for paralegals to grow.
The ability to move between strategy and execution and lead change through sustained adoption.
Clear communication, sound judgment, and a willingness to test new approaches and learn from results.
Motivated by building better ways to deliver paralegal services and increasing the function’s contribution to attorney effectiveness, client service, and the firm’s success.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree is a plus but not required.

Responsibilities

Design and Evolve Differentiated Service Delivery Models: Lead the evolution of how paralegal services are delivered across Goodwin, developing approaches that reflect differences in legal work, attorney expectations, demand patterns, expertise, and client needs.
Develop a deep understanding of how attorneys across practices use paralegal support, where their needs differ, and where opportunities exist to improve service, quality, efficiency, and value.
Design and evolve differentiated delivery models that reflect the needs of each practice, including specialization, team structure, staffing, workflow, technology, geography, talent, and management.
Determine where firmwide consistency and standardization create value and where practice specific approaches better serve attorneys and clients.
Partner with practice leaders, partners, associates, and GO (Global Operations) Team leaders to translate attorney and client needs into practical, scalable service delivery models.
Establish clear roles, handoffs, service expectations, quality standards, and accountability across delivery models.
Challenge legacy processes and organizational assumptions to identify better ways to organize, manage, and deliver work.
Use performance data, attorney feedback, and evolving practice needs to measure effectiveness and refine service delivery over time.
Own the Talent Development Strategy: Ensure that the talent strategy for paralegal services supports the work the firm needs today while building the skills and capabilities required for the future. Own the full talent lifecycle for the paralegal function and ensure the organization attracts, develops, and retains exceptional talent.
Drive the talent development roadmap in collaboration with Human Resources through clear career paths, advancement opportunities, and skill development programs.
Define the capabilities, skills, and expertise required to support different practices and service delivery models.
Develop managers who actively coach, provide feedback, and manage performance effectively.
Foster a culture of continuous learning, engagement, inclusion, and professional growth.
Ensure team members understand expectations and receive consistent feedback, coaching, and support.
Drive the Service Evolution Roadmap: Define and execute the strategic roadmap for the paralegal function, balancing operational excellence, process improvement, and innovation.
Prioritize and lead initiatives that improve service delivery, efficiency, quality, and scalability.
Leverage data, metrics, and stakeholder feedback to identify opportunities for improvement and inform decision-making.
Shape priorities based on firm strategy, business objectives, attorney feedback, and emerging trends in legal services.
Lead the adoption of enabling technologies, including generative AI and workflow automation, where they create meaningful value.
Operational Leadership and Performance: Provide executive oversight of the day-to-day operation of the paralegal function and ensure services are delivered efficiently and consistently.
Establish and monitor key metrics for demand, capacity, utilization, quality, responsiveness, and attorney satisfaction. Use data to guide decisions on staffing, specialization, workflow, technology, and talent.
Deploy resources effectively while accounting for practice and geographic needs.
Set clear expectations for managers and hold the leadership team accountable for service and performance.
Serve as the senior escalation point for significant staffing, performance, and service issues.
Establish and maintain appropriate quality standards and service expectations.
Oversee the case assistant team and evolve its services based on attorney and practice needs.
Develop tools and guidance that help attorneys use paralegal resources effectively.
Lead with Clarity and Accountability: Lead a high-performing team responsible for executing the strategic and operational priorities of the paralegal function.
Build trusted relationships with partners, practice leaders, associates, paralegals, and GO Team leaders.
Engage attorneys in designing and improving services to reflect how practices work.
Communicate changes, expectations, and their impact clearly.
Anticipate and address barriers to adoption.
Equip managers to reinforce new expectations and ways of working.
Drive progress while recognizing the realities of a partnership environment.
Create feedback channels to identify issues and improve services.