Legal Support Manager - Troutman Pepper

We are always seeking talented, motivated, growth-minded, and creative individuals. Our firm is committed to providing employee support and advancement, while embracing inclusion and innovation as keys to a stronger future.

We invite you to explore the position below and to submit your application to join our team!

The Legal Support Manager is responsible for the delivery of all aspects of legal support management for the Intellectual Property and Health Sciences Intellectual Property practice groups, ensuring that the lawyers have the appropriate level of trained legal support staff, including Legal Practice Assistants, to appropriately staff and resource attorney work. From recruiting and onboarding through the entire employee lifecycle, the Legal Support Manager proactively builds a collaborative culture that reflects firm objectives.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

• In collaboration with the Legal Support Administrator, provides leadership and direction to assigned practice group(s) legal support staff across multiple aspects, including attorney assignments, management of schedules, performance management, and compensation decisions, partnering with colleagues in Practice Management and Human Resources to ensure alignment across practice areas.

• Develops a deep understanding of how the practice groups operate and ensures legal support staff across the practice groups has the right skills and training to support the practice group.

• Works closely with the Staff Recruiter on candidate recruiting for legal support staff to ensure alignment with the needs and culture of the practice group and firm.

• Plans, directs, and manages all aspects of legal support staff management, including hiring, development, direct supervision, and performance management, in partnership with colleagues in Practice Management Human Resources as required.

• Conducts regular check-ins and touchpoints with legal support staff and attorneys, partnering with the assigned HR Manager for any needed policy guidance and interpretation when appropriate (e.g., coaching, counseling, career development, corrective action measures).

• Works closely with management, attorneys, and employees to improve work relationships, build morale, and increase productivity and retention and thinks of creative ways to engage employees in team building through community service and other initiatives.

• Fosters relationships between legal support staff and administrative staff to identify workflow efficiencies and solve problems.

• Fosters a safe, positive, and satisfying work environment through the staff relations to maintain a positive, satisfying work environment.

• Assists with firm-wide or practice group-specific projects as requested.

• Supports the budget process as requested by practice group leadership and/or the Legal Support Administrator.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strong collaborative leadership and management skills with ability to build productive relationships, communicate effectively, and work in a team environment.

• Understanding of practice level technology beneficial.

• Strong supervisory skills as well as excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Able to exercise considerable judgment and discretion in establishing and maintaining good working relationships with both lawyers and staff.

• Able to relate to and influence individuals at all levels, internally and externally, and build productive relationships.

• Demonstrated capability to identify issues, develop creative and effective solutions and resolve conflict through acceptable and practical business solutions.

• High level of flexibility and adaptability as well as the ability to manage and support change in a fast-paced environment.

• Ability to effectively communicate and present information as well as respond to questions from lawyers, staff, clients, and the public.

Education and/or Experience: 

• Bachelor’s degree; a combination of training, skills, and experience needed to meet the core responsibilities of the position may be considered.

• Five (5) or more years of progressive management and/or leadership experience, preferably within a legal/professional services environment.

• Previous law firm experience required, including an intermediate level of practice area knowledge in Intellectual Property (patent prosecution and trademark), docketing, and litigation procedures.

• Significant experience in direct people management and resource management for large teams with tight deadlines.

• Demonstrated experience and success managing across geographic locations and across multiple priorities, with a focus on delivering consistent experiences that are relevant by location while aligned to a larger cross-firm approach.

• ALA designation beneficial, but not required.

#LI-Hybrid

The Firm will comply with any applicable city or state workplace mandates in effect in regards to Covid-19. 

This position description is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of the job.  The statements contained in the position description are not necessarily all-inclusive and additional duties and responsibilities may be assigned as determined by business needs.

This position description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

California Applicants: Please visit our Privacy Notice and Notice at Collection to learn about our information practices in the Job Application and Employment context.

Equal Employment Opportunity
Troutman Pepper adheres to a policy of equal opportunity and will make all employment decisions, which include hiring, promotion, transfer, demotion, evaluation, compensation and separation, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, pregnancy, citizenship, disability, genetic information, marital or armed forces status and any other classification as protected by law.

Compensation is dependent on several factors, such as position, location, education, training, and/or experience.