Practice Support Manager – Litigation and Healthcare

Foley Hoag LLP•Boston, MA

17h•Hybrid

About The Position

Foley Hoag seeks a Practice Support Manager (PSM) for the Litigation and Healthcare Departments. Based in Boston, the PSM is responsible for advancing the operational, strategic, and market success of Foley Hoag’s assigned legal departments. The PSM reports to the Senior Manager of Practice Support, collaborates with Department Chairs, and works closely with partners, other Practice Support Managers, and business services teams across the firm—including Business Development, Litigation Technology Services, Business Operations, Finance, Research Services, Professional Development, Knowledge Management & Innovation, Recruiting, Technology, and Human Resources—to align resources and advance shared priorities. Strong communication, leadership, and emotional intelligence are essential, along with a solid understanding of the assigned departments and practices. This hybrid role requires in-office presence in our Boston office at least three days per week to foster collaboration and connection. The onsite expectation is Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of each week.

Requirements

Minimum 5 years of experience in law firm business operations, consulting, or professional services, with expertise in practice management, business development, or legal operations.
Familiarity with litigation practice operations and working knowledge of full litigation lifecycle.
Exceptional verbal and written communication, interpersonal, and relationship-building skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across all levels of the firm, facilitate cross-departmental coordination, and maintain productive relationships with attorneys, colleagues, firm leadership, and other stakeholders.
An understanding of interdependencies between individual stakeholder, departmental, and firmwide priorities.
Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and handle sensitive information with the highest level of discretion and professionalism.
Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively, manage competing priorities with strong attention to detail, delegate effectively, and exercise initiative and critical thinking in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
Strategic and creative thinker with the ability to evaluate complex issues, consider multiple approaches, develop practical solutions, and align decisions and initiatives with firm goals, culture, and business objectives.
Exceptional Microsoft Office proficiency and the aptitude to learn new software quickly.
Deep understanding of the legal industry, litigation practice operations, client expectations, and current legal market trends, developments, and innovations.
Commitment to Foley Hoag’s values of excellence, collaboration, and innovation.

Responsibilities

In collaboration with the Department Chairs, oversee efficient administration of departmental matters, including resource allocation, project management, process improvement, succession planning, and the execution of operational improvements.
Collaborate with business services departments to manage firm-wide initiatives and support practice group strategies, including collaborating with Department Chairs to develop business plans.
Partner with department leadership and the appropriate business services teams to identify and pursue strategic opportunities, including lateral hiring and new client segments.
Develop and monitor key performance indicators for the departments, providing regular reporting to leadership on operational and financial performance.
Partner with the Senior Manager of Practice Support and Finance to implement best practices for matter management, billing, and client service tailored to matter workflow.
Develop agendas, coordinate outreach and data collection, and drive follow-up for regular partner and practice group meetings to support accountability and strategic alignment.
Identify and lead execution of operational and process improvements in collaboration with leadership.
Evaluate and recommend new legal technology tools, process automation opportunities, and other innovative solutions to enhance practice efficiency and client service delivery.
Manage departmental communications and engagement initiatives, including maintaining intranet pages, distribution lists, newsletters, and events that foster collaboration and connectivity.
In collaboration with Business Development and Finance, track and analyze practice-specific data to inform growth strategies, including reconciling coding and credit issues and capturing, tracking, and categorizing completed matters in Pitchly for business development efforts.
Partner with Business Development, Professional Development, and Knowledge Management & Innovation to support rankings and awards submissions, client outreach and relationship development, identification of growth opportunities within existing client relationships, and cross-selling efforts across Foley Hoag practices.
Help lawyers identify optimal assignments and development opportunities.
Collaborate with leadership and Lateral Recruiting on recruiting, onboarding, and retention strategies, including ensuring laterals and first-year associates are added to relevant firm and departmental distribution lists and recurring meetings.
Provide oversight of the individual business planning process and submission.
Support offboarding of attorneys, including relevant data requests and analysis on the book of business and client history and oversight of their email post-departure.
Work with Professional Development and practice group leadership to coordinate training, CLE programming, mentorship initiatives, and talent management efforts, including communication with HR regarding performance development plans and attorney review processes.