Manager: Legal Practice Support

Mayer Brown LLP•New York, NY

21h•Hybrid

About The Position

Mayer Brown is an international law firm that represents major corporations, funds, and financial institutions in their most important and complex transactions and disputes. The firm is recognized for its strategic partnership, deep commercial instincts, and commitment to delivering excellence. It fosters a collegial and collaborative environment where highly motivated individuals can grow and thrive. The Manager: Legal Practice Support position, located in the New York office, is responsible for ensuring the effective operation of the Secretarial Department. This includes fostering the talents, engagement, and morale of departmental staff. The role provides leadership and oversight to legal practice support teams, ensuring efficient workflows, appropriate distribution of assignments, and the consistent delivery of high-quality attorney support. The manager will also collaborate with US and local leadership to formulate policies and procedures that will enhance the department.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a related field. An equivalent combination of education and/or experience may be considered in lieu of the degree when the experience has been directly related to the functions of the job
7-10 years’ experience in a legal secretarial department
Strong familiarity with the Microsoft Office suite of applications (in particular, Word, Excel and PowerPoint)
Desktop publishing expertise is essential
Ability to work in a diverse team environment and effectively support the demanding needs of the Firm
Strong written and verbal communication skills, able to communicate effectively and in a professional manner with all levels of the Firm and outside vendors
Ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines with shifting priorities
Must be a self-starter with a high level of initiative
Strong customer service skills, able to anticipate needs and exercise independent judgment
Strong attention to detail, organizational skills and the ability to handle multiple projects
Maintains confidentiality and exercises discretion
Exercises solid strategic thinking and problem-solving skills
Manages processes for direct reports in regards to performance appraisals, annual compensation, goal setting and performance counselling
Demonstrated leadership and supervisory experience
Operational budget analysis and recommendations
Conducts analysis of staffing levels and participation in the recruitment process
Able to determine and implement change processes to improve workflow efficiencies
Process and service-oriented with strong leadership and project management skills
Able to set priorities and delegate in an efficient manner

Nice To Haves

Five or more of those years in a supervisory capacity is preferred
Strong familiarity with at least one document management application (e.g., iManage) is preferred

Responsibilities

Oversee Legal Practice Support with a strategic mindset, aligning resources, talent, and workflows to evolving departmental and Firm needs while ensuring disciplined follow‑through on initiatives
Collaborate with other U.S. Assistant Managers and U.S. leadership to ensure a coordinated, consistent national approach, including providing cross‑coverage and support for respective areas as needed
Supervise, mentor, train, and provide backup support to Legal Administrative Support Assistants (Coordinators) for local administrative tasks
Oversees schedule coverage for absences, and assessing and balancing workloads
Develop and implement legal practice assistant assignments for the attorney staff. Maintains firm-mandated attorney/LPA ratios by reviewing, evaluating and adjusting assignments as needed
Maximize LPA utilization by partnering with the administrative management team to develop long-term staffing needs and to provide overflow support to other departments when needed
Partner with leadership to drive adoption of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and automation tools, to enhance productivity, accuracy, and scalability within the support function
Manage all departmental administrative and employee relations matters, in concert with administrative leadership when necessary, and in compliance with federal and local regulations. This includes identifying individual coaching and counseling needs, providing timely feedback to staff (including preparing written disciplinary documentation and corrective actions)
Prepare annual performance appraisals, recommending annual merit bonuses and merit increases, approving leave requests and overtime reports, and maintaining accurate and up-to-date attendance records
Perform annual departmental operating and salary budgets. This includes exercising sound judgment to stay within budget, implementing cost saving practices as appropriate, and monitoring spending during the year
Provide and/or oversee first hand training to departmental personnel as needed to supplement the training provided by the IT and HR departments. In concert with members of the IT Learning and Development team, HR and management, implement training for the technology, and establish orientation in all areas to existing and new staff
Serve as a participant and representative in U.S. Legal Practice Support team training efforts, contributing to the development, coordination, and U.S.-wide deployment of training programs aligned with Firm standards and evolving department needs
Encourage and improve teamwork, monitor and enhance morale and be available to discuss problems and/or issues as needed. Conduct routine secretarial meetings and communicate regularly with staff on policies and procedures, as well as with the customer base, to stay current on needs and issues
Provide routine reports and analysis as needed or upon request
Participate in the recruiting process for departmental staff, in concert with the Human Resources Department
Internally market the proper use of the Secretarial Department
Identify, evaluate, and implement opportunities to improve efficiency, consistency, and service delivery across secretarial and legal practice support functions by assessing workflows, processes, and task allocation to streamline operations and reduce manual or duplicative work
Lead evaluation of departmental structure, staffing, standards, and processes, recommending strategic improvements to enhance consistency, performance, and scalability
Serve as a change agent by piloting new tools, documenting best practices, and supporting training and adoption across the secretarial workforce
Collaborate with IT, Practice Support, and firm leadership to ensure technology solutions align with business needs and firm strategy
Perform other duties as assigned or required to meet Firm goals and objectives