Legal Support Manager (Secretarial Manager)

Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP•Washington, DC

13d•$115,000 - $140,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Legal Support Manager leads and develops the firm’s legal practice and administrative support team, ensuring attorneys and practice groups receive consistent, high-quality support. This is a working managerial role responsible for staffing, workflow, training, and performance management for legal practice assistants, executive assistants, and the Resource Center. The manager partners with Human Resources and firm administration to align legal support services with operational and client-service standards and needs. The role supervises and develops legal support staff across practice groups or offices, manages workload allocation and coverage, provides hands-on attorney support as needed, and oversees staffing issues, performance, training, timekeeping, and related budgets. It also leads the LPA mentoring program and supports special projects and firm-wide administrative initiatives.

Requirements

Seven to ten years of legal secretarial or administrative support experience, including more than two years in a supervisory or team-lead capacity, ideally within a law firm or professional services environment.
Demonstrated experience managing a team of 10 or more across multiple practice areas and locations.
Strong knowledge of legal document formatting, filing procedures, and litigation and transactional law firm workflows, with the ability to provide hands-on support.
Excellent interpersonal, coaching, and conflict-resolution skills.
Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities across multiple attorneys, practice groups, and jurisdictions.

Nice To Haves

Proficiency with Microsoft Office and document management systems such as iManage or NetDocuments.
Familiarity with Aderant, ChromeRiver, and InTapp.
Bachelor’s degree preferred; equivalent supervisory or management experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.

Responsibilities

Supervise, schedule, and evaluate LPAs and Resource Center (Opensity) support across assigned practice groups or offices.
Recruit, onboard, and train new legal support hires in coordination with Human Resources.
Design and maintain workload distribution and legal support coverage models, and manage overflow support during peak periods.
Provide support to attorneys as needed.
Lead and manage the firm’s LPA mentoring program, including matching mentors and mentees, setting goals, coordinating development opportunities, monitoring engagement, and evaluating outcomes.
Conduct monthly meetings with the legal support team.
Develop and enforce administrative procedures, style guides, and quality standards for correspondence, filings, client meetings, and document production.
Serve as the primary escalation point for attorney–legal practice assistant staffing conflicts, performance concerns, and workflow issues; escalate to a Director or Senior Manager when appropriate.
Manage the LPA-to-attorney ratio and maintain current documentation of firmwide pairings.
Conduct one-on-ones, performance reviews, and coaching sessions, and manage progressive discipline in partnership with HR.
Identify training needs and recommend internal or external training on firm systems and emerging technologies.
Monitor attendance, timekeeping, PTO requests, and overtime for the legal support team, ensuring compliance with firm policy.
Partner with HR on compensation reviews, job description updates, promotions, and workforce planning.
Manage legal support-related budget items, including overtime, temporary staffing, and equipment and software needs.
Support special projects such as office moves, practice group reorganizations, or firm-wide administrative initiatives.
Maintain current knowledge of firm and HR policies applicable to non-exempt business professionals.