Manager of Legal Engagement

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP•Washington, DC

1d•$150,000 - $180,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Manager of Legal Engagement will play a hands‑on role within the Firm’s Talent team, supporting the execution of attorney staffing, engagement, onboarding, and policy compliance across Manatt’s legal practices. Working in close partnership with the Director of Legal Engagement, practice leadership, and firm stakeholders, this role focuses on the day‑to‑day application of firm policies, attorney integration, staffing coordination, and ongoing attorney support. This position is highly operational and execution‑oriented, ensuring that attorneys are appropriately staffed, understand firm expectations, and receive consistent guidance related to workload, time policies, and engagement practices.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; JD preferred.
5+ years of experience in a law firm or client‑centered professional services environment, with hands‑on responsibility related to attorney staffing, engagement, onboarding, or practice management.
Strong understanding of law firm structures, attorney utilization, timekeeping, and engagement expectations.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced, service‑oriented environment.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with attorneys and business professionals across seniority levels.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office; experience with law firm practice management or staffing systems preferred.

Responsibilities

Support attorney staffing needs by monitoring attorney availability, capacity, and matter demand across practices and offices.
Partner with staffing attorneys, practice leaders, and business professionals to facilitate daily work assignments, coverage needs, and staffing adjustments.
Track attorney utilization, billable hours, and workload patterns, escalating risks or concerns related to sustained over‑ or under‑utilization as appropriate.
Maintain accurate staffing, utilization, and engagement data within firm systems.
Support day‑to‑day performance feedback processes by gathering input related to staffing experiences, workload management, and policy compliance.
Assist in identifying performance or engagement concerns linked to utilization, time management, or workload distribution, escalating issues as appropriate.
Provide ongoing guidance and coaching to attorneys related to meeting firm expectations around workload, time entry, and engagement.
Deliver hands‑on onboarding and integration support for first‑year and lateral attorneys, ensuring a smooth transition into firm systems, policies, and engagement expectations.
Serve as a point of contact for new attorneys during their initial integration period, supporting early productivity, engagement, and understanding of workload and time expectations.
Partner with Legal Training, Practice Management, and other stakeholders to support attorney integration and early engagement initiatives.
Serve as a primary day‑to‑day resource for attorneys regarding firm policies, including time entry, billable hours expectations, in‑office attendance, and related engagement requirements.
Support consistent execution and enforcement of attorney‑related policies, helping ensure attorneys understand expectations and comply with firm standards.
Identify recurring questions, challenges, or friction points related to policy application and elevate observations to the Director of Legal Engagement for refinement or clarification.
Work closely with the Director of Legal Engagement, Training and Development, Strategic Growth, Recruiting, HR, and other business professionals to support attorney engagement and staffing initiatives.
Maintain operational processes, documentation, and tracking tools that support staffing coordination, onboarding, and policy execution.
Contribute to the consistent communication and reinforcement of firmwide attorney engagement practices.