Manager, Litigation & Corporate Paralegals

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett•New York, NY

11d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Manager, Litigation & Corporate Paralegals oversees staffing, utilization, professional development, and day-to-day operational support for paralegal teams serving the Firm’s corporate transactional practices—including real estate, mergers and acquisitions, and executive compensation and employee benefits—and litigation practice. The role works closely with assigning attorneys, Practice Directors, and other stakeholders to allocate resources, balance workloads across offices, support performance management, and improve team effectiveness. The Manager leads recruiting, onboarding, training, and engagement initiatives; supports paralegal performance and development; and identifies ways to improve processes, communication, and workflows, including through automation and AI tools. The role also contributes to reporting, budgeting, and administrative operations. A bachelor’s degree is required. The position requires 5–7 years of experience at a law firm or professional services firm and flexibility to work outside core business hours as necessary.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree.
5–7 years of experience at a law firm or professional services firm.
Demonstrated experience managing staffing, resource allocation, utilization, and workflow coordination in a fast-paced professional services environment.
Strong leadership and people management skills, including experience with coaching, mentoring, performance management, and employee development.
Excellent judgment and problem-solving skills, including the ability to assess competing priorities and make sound, timely decisions.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively with attorneys, paralegals, clients, and administrative leadership.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, demanding environment.
Strong attention to detail and self-motivation, with the ability to produce accurate, timely, and complete work product.
Strong organizational and project management skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
Strong technical skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office programs such as Outlook, Word, and Excel.
Flexibility and willingness to work outside core business hours as necessary.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of legal principles and practices.

Responsibilities

Support Litigation and Corporate practice groups with resource allocation, staffing strategy, and productivity management.
Communicate with assigning attorneys to clarify staffing requests and coordinate with paralegals on capacity, bandwidth, and workflow.
Partner with Practice Directors to manage utilization, workload distribution, and cross-office collaboration.
Analyze weekly and monthly reports on paralegal time, capacity, and availability to support matter assignments, work reallocation, and load balancing.
Oversee work assignment policies, procedures, and systems, including assignment tracking, time-entry compliance, and time-off requests and approvals.
Manage departures and transitions, including work handoffs, assignment reallocation, and knowledge transfer.
Address staffing, workflow, and team-related issues through issue-spotting, problem-solving, and resolution.
Assist with recruiting and hiring, including identifying hiring needs, interviewing, and selecting candidates.
Plan and lead onboarding and orientation for new paralegals.
Manage mid-year check-ins and year-end performance reviews and contribute to a culture of feedback and coaching.
Monitor, escalate, and address performance issues in coordination with Firm leadership and Human Resources, as appropriate.
Provide paralegals with guidance, mentorship, and connections to Firm and professional development resources.
Identify training and development needs and help design and implement substantive training programs aligned with practice needs and Firm standards.
Connect regularly with paralegals to monitor morale, solicit feedback, and proactively address concerns.
Develop and lead initiatives to foster team cohesion, engagement, and connection across the group.
Liaise with client or Firm contacts regarding staffing protocols, best practices, and secondment coordination.
Collaborate with Practice Directors and Firm stakeholders to support operational goals and service delivery.
Identify operational inefficiencies and recommend and implement process improvements.
Identify opportunities to use automation and AI tools to improve workflows, and help develop related training, governance, and best practices.
Facilitate communication across paralegal cohorts, including drafting and managing regular and targeted communications.
Coordinate group meetings by developing agendas, identifying substantive topics, and organizing presentations.
Assist with annual budget preparation, operational expense tracking, and related reporting.
Prepare or contribute to management reporting on utilization, staffing trends, hiring needs, and other operational metrics.
Perform other duties as assigned.