Pricing Manager

Develop, manage and continually improve a pricing capability within the Firm to provide strategic and tactical pricing advice. Influence attorney accountability for profitability and client satisfaction through improved matter pricing. Partner with Practice Groups, Client Teams and Firm management to apply best practices in pricing. Build relationships with partners to initiate proactive discussions with clients relating to pricing alternatives.

Serve as legal project manager for large, high-profile matters where budget predictability, client satisfaction, and/ or team engagement in the project management process are especially important. Provide tools, best practices and mentorship to others serving as legal project managers within our Firm. Promote the use of project management as a means to manage matters for best budget predictability and client satisfaction.

Actively promote Company tools and programs through formal and informal channels, including presentations to Department Chairs, practice groups, Company Roundtable meetings, All-Attorney Lunches and Shareholder meetings.

Collaborate with other members of the Advantage team to continuously improve what this program delivers to strengthen our Firms profitability and competitiveness.

MAJOR AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY

Strategic Pricing

1. Provide guidance on ways to improve profitability, risk management and client satisfaction. Document the successful pricing models we have used with a goal of building a library of budget templates, by client and/ or type of matter, that can be reused and continuously improved.

2. Become a conduit through which the Firm's pricing knowledge is transferred. Build relationships with partners in order that they seek to discuss pricing issues with you. Add value to partners through these discussions and share learnings through subsequent discussions with other partners.

3. Provide support to partners in their daily pricing activities such as the provision of fee estimates, decisions regarding what and how to charge clients, the communication and negotiation of fees, the communication of value, and decisions regarding discounts, write-offs and invoicing.

4. Establish a program for developing the pricing competencies of partners and other senior professionals.

5. Build strong relationships with personnel in our Finance Department, including the CFO, Senior Financial Analyst, Business Analyst, Billing Manager, and others to draw on their financial resources and expertise and to coordinate the consultative services provided to attorneys and legal departments to improve profitability.

6. Build strong relationships with personnel in our Marketing & Business Development Department, including the CMO and Marketing Managers, to contribute the proposed pricing for pitches and RFPs and to work together in crafting effective value stories and using pricing effectively to win new work, while protecting profitability and client satisfaction.

7. Build strong relationships with personnel in our HR Department, including our CHRO, to influence the adoption of new matter staffing strategies that will increase the effectiveness of alternative fee arrangements for clients and maximize firm profitability.

8. Leverage technology to improve strategic pricing analytics, create a framework for scenario building and generate budget reports for specific matters.

9. Improve the effectiveness of capturing, storing and using market data in pricing decisions.

Project Management

1. Build a bridge between Pricing and Project Management to ensure that matters are appropriately scoped before prices are set and that matters are actively managed to achieve high levels of budget predictability and client satisfaction.

2. Work with legal teams to apply sound legal project management principles and processes to the planning, budgeting and execution of matters. Provide LPM process training, mentoring and coaching to legal teams with the goal of ensuring that matters are delivered on time and within budget and that they meet client expectations.

3. Support legal teams in creating a library of standard practice-specific and/ or matter specific work plans, budgets, communications plans, project management tools and process workflows. Ensure that these tools and templates are stored and shared effectively using the FredShare and DeskSite platforms to promote reuse and continuous improvement.

4. Serve as hands-on project manager for large, high-profile matters.

5. Provide mentorship to other legal project managers within the firm.

QUALIFICATIONS

1. Proven ability to establish credibility with attorneys, clients and other team members as a valuable resource and internal consultant.

2. MBA or JD

3. Understanding of the nature, scope, key functions and business drivers of a large law firm. Financial acumen and understanding of law firm metrics and billing systems.

4. Proven ability to develop pricing strategies that maintain Firms profitability and competitiveness while meeting clients need for value, predictability and transparency.

5. Possess skills to analyze the financial impact of innovative pricing models, develop matter budgets, analyze budgeted vs. actual costs and influence improved management of matters to ensure matter budget predictability and profitability.

6. Proficiency with Windows-based software and Microsoft Excel, Word and Outlook required.

7. Working knowledge of current tools and approaches to legal project management.

8. Respond quickly and positively to shifting demands and opportunities. Able to work under tight deadlines, handle multiple tasks simultaneously, prioritize appropriately and delegate to resources available.

9. High level of leadership, interpersonal and collaborative skills. Strong team player with excellent change management/ influencing skills. Sensitivity in confidential handling of client relationships and data and varying levels of attorney competency in pricing.

10. Possess thorough understanding and knowledge of legal ethical rules, guidelines and compliance issues relating to client representation and engagement.

11. Commitment to making continuous improvement a core personal and professional value.

GENERAL PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

A. Develops and maintains a cooperative working relationship with members of the firm, clients, and other outside contacts.

B. Anticipates and balances the workload based upon general guidelines established. Is able to meet short and/or unpredictable deadlines.

C. Consistently meets employer expectations including the following:

1. Understands and conforms to firm policies and procedures;

2. Recognizes and utilizes the firms resources effectively and efficiently. Develops and maintains a sufficient working knowledge of the organization as a whole;

3. Plans, organizes and carries out assigned job responsibilities within established time parameters; and

4. Develops mutual working relationship with supervisor in order to anticipate work needs. Prepares in advance to relieve supervisor of as many administrative tasks as possible.

D. Maintains confidentiality.

E. Uses Firm time conscientiously. Arrives for work on time, not abusing unplanned time off, and being consistently present at work.

F. Consistently projects a positive, professional attitude and approach to the job, the Firm and co-workers.