Litigation Practice Coordinator

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP•Washington, DC

7d•$85,000 - $100,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is a leading international law firm with more than 900 lawyers in offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. We are currently seeking a Litigation Practice Coordinator in our Client Value and Practice Management department, reporting directly to Litigation Practice Manager and Litigation Local Practice Leaders. The position will reside in the Washington, DC office with hybrid work capabilities and will be responsible for supporting the practice administration and operations needs of the litigation practice. The Practice Coordinator is expected to perform all responsibilities with a commitment to providing superior service to the firm’s attorneys, advisors and staff, and maintaining an atmosphere of teamwork and continuous improvement.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
Minimum of 4 years of experience required; 1-2 years of experience in a law firm or other professional services environment.
Advanced working knowledge of MS Office applications including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint, and ability to work in various software applications as needed.
Superior written and oral communication skills.
Excellent interpersonal skills and sensitivity to the complexities of a partnership.
Strong service orientation, work ethic and attention to detail.
Ability to quickly and proactively identify and analyze problems, develop solutions and deliver results.
Strong analytical skills, with excellent business acumen.
Ability to use initiative and judgment to accomplish results.
Ability to use critique of work to improve performance.
Demonstrated poise and professionalism when interacting with peers, attorneys, office, firm and practice management, and outside business contacts.
Ability to prioritize, manage heavy workload and adjust to changing priorities, work independently and as a member of a team, manage multiple projects with specific deadlines, and complete tasks under time pressure as necessary.
Commitment to maintaining confidentiality of all information and adhering to the Firm’s Core Values.
Commitment to professional growth and development.

Responsibilities

Assist the Local Practice Leader and partners in the assignment of work to non-partner attorneys and specialists based on capabilities, availability and developmental needs. Review utilization and raise productivity issues as appropriate.
Review financial reports provided by the Finance Department to assess Practice Group financial performance, help organize/identify key performance trends, prepare monthly reports, spot issues affecting Practice Group performance and communicate information to Practice Director and Local Practice Leader.
Help arrange ad hoc, monthly and other periodic meetings, calls and other practice events. Work with the Director and Local Practice Leader to plan agendas and prepare presentation materials, as needed. Follow up with Practice Director and Local Practice Leaders and partners on initiatives arising from calls and meetings to ensure deliverables and goals are met.
Assist with coordination of the annual attorney evaluation and compensation adjustment processes for the Local Practice Leaders, including review of evaluation forms, guiding partner discussions of evaluation messages, submission of recommended compensation adjustments, and ensuring consistency across the group. Leverage knowledge acquired as a result of the evaluation process to focus on issues revealed and establish solutions.
Work with the Practice Director and Attorney Development to plan and support formal training programs for practice group lawyers, as needed.
Coordinate needs assessments for new hires, including laterals and entry-level associates, and work with Attorney Recruiting, Attorney Development and Human Resources as needed in the lateral recruitment, onboarding and integration.
Oversee specialist hiring, onboarding, staffing, utilization and training. Manage the annual specialist evaluation and compensation adjustment process, including coordinating completion of evaluation forms and submission of recommended compensation adjustments
Coordinate hiring, onboarding and off-boarding of contract attorneys as needed and ensure invoices are received and processed timely by the appropriate case teams.
Work with Finance, the Practice Director and Local Practice Leader to assist with practice budgeting and expense review and management.
Establish strong rapport and working relationships with business services personnel across different groups, as well as strong relationships with attorneys within the practice.
Foster and encourage a culture of superior client service, responsiveness and collegiality.