Senior Manager, Litigation Docketing

Norton Rose Fulbright•St. Louis, MO

5d•$150,000 - $200,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Manager, Litigation Docketing provides strategic and operational leadership for Norton Rose Fulbright’s US litigation docketing function. The role oversees a centralized team, establishes operational and quality standards, optimizes processes and technology, and ensures accurate, consistent, and efficient docketing services across jurisdictions and offices. The position may be based in any US office and offers a flexible hybrid arrangement, with occasional in-office attendance and work outside regular business hours as business needs require. The Senior Manager leads daily operations and continuous improvement, develops and mentors docketing professionals, manages workload and coverage, and supports recruitment and workforce planning. The role establishes quality-control and governance practices, addresses escalated deadline and procedural matters, investigates discrepancies, and mitigates operational and legal risk. It also oversees docketing and calendaring platforms and partners with IT, vendors, lawyers, and business services stakeholders on system improvements, change management, and training. The position serves as a resource to lawyers and legal professionals on court rules, filing requirements, calendaring procedures, and complex docketing inquiries.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and 5–7 years of litigation docketing, calendaring, or case management experience in a law firm or similar legal environment, plus experience leading docketing, legal operations, or related professional staff.
In lieu of a bachelor’s degree, 10 years of relevant experience in litigation docketing, legal operations, or a related legal environment and 3 or more years leading docketing, legal operations, or related professional staff.
Experience supporting litigation practices across multiple jurisdictions and offices.
Knowledge of federal, state, appellate, and administrative court rules, procedures, and filing requirements.
Strong expertise with litigation docketing and calendaring software.
Experience upgrading or optimizing litigation docketing and calendaring software platforms.
Advanced ability to interpret court rules and perform complex deadline calculations.
Demonstrated leadership skills, including the ability to develop teams, manage priorities, and drive operational excellence.
Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills and exceptional attention to detail.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to partner effectively with lawyers, legal support professionals, and business services leaders.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and legal technology platforms.
Sound judgment, discretion, and confidentiality when handling sensitive client and firm information.

Nice To Haves

Centralized docketing experience.
Experience with litigation docketing and calendaring software such as Milana.

Responsibilities

Lead daily operations of the US litigation docketing function and ensure consistent, accurate, and timely service across jurisdictions.
Establish and improve docketing procedures, workflows, training resources, and best practices.
Monitor changes to court rules and procedures and keep department processes, protocols, and systems current.
Assess staffing, workflows, service levels, and operational needs; recommend improvements to efficiency, consistency, and business continuity.
Align docketing operations with the firm’s broader litigation support strategy.
Lead, mentor, and develop docketing professionals; set performance expectations, provide coaching and feedback, and support career growth.
Oversee workload management, scheduling, coverage, and cross-training.
Support recruitment, onboarding, succession planning, and workforce planning for the docketing function.
Establish and maintain quality-control procedures, service standards, and governance practices for accurate and reliable docketing data.
Serve as an escalation point for complex deadline calculations, procedural issues, court notices, and docketing inquiries.
Investigate docketing discrepancies, identify root causes, and implement corrective actions to mitigate operational and legal risk.
Promote standardization across offices, jurisdictions, and docketing practices.
Oversee administration and optimization of litigation docketing and calendaring platforms.
Partner with IT, vendors, lawyers, and business services stakeholders on upgrades, enhancements, testing, rule updates, and reporting capabilities.
Monitor system performance and data integrity and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, accuracy, and user adoption.
Support system change management through training, communication, and ongoing improvements.
Advise lawyers and legal professionals on court rules, filing requirements, litigation calendaring procedures, and complex docketing inquiries.
Collaborate with lawyers, legal support teams, and business services leadership to align docketing operations with practice needs and firm objectives.
Build stakeholder relationships that promote consistency, service excellence, and confidence in the docketing function.
Perform other duties, responsibilities, and activities as required; these may change at any time with or without notice.