Our client, an Am Law 50 firm, is seeking a Practice Manager to support its Intellectual Property (Litigation) practice. This individual will partner closely with Practice Chairs and work cross-functionally with Finance, Talent, Business Development, Practice Innovation, IT, and other business operations teams to ensure operational excellence, drive strategic initiatives, and enhance practice performance. Acting as a trusted advisor and chief of staff to practice leadership, the Practice Manager must be a highly collaborative self-starter with strong communication skills and the confidence to engage with partners and stakeholders at all levels.

The Practice Manager reports directly to the IP Litigation Practice Chairs, with a dotted line to the Director of Practice Management within the Practice Innovation Department.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Planning & Execution

• Partner with Practice Chairs, the Director of Practice Management, and cross-functional teams to develop and execute strategic plans focused on revenue, profitability, headcount growth, competitive positioning, and market visibility.
• Manage short- and long-term operational initiatives, ensuring alignment with firm and practice priorities.

Financial & Performance Management

• Collaborate with Finance to review and interpret practice financials, timekeeper hours, productivity metrics, and performance trends.
• Provide actionable insights to practice leadership to support revenue management, resource needs, and workflow forecasting.

Workforce Planning & Talent Support

• Work with the Talent team to ensure equitable and efficient work allocation, aligned with practice goals and attorney development needs.
• Identify performance concerns early and help drive corrective action.
• Support lateral integration and onboarding in coordination with business operations teams.

Operational Leadership

• Oversee day-to-day practice operations, including budget management, billing and collections support, matter intake, classification, and follow-up on key initiatives.
• Establish consistent communication frameworks for practice meetings, updates, and reporting.

Client Value & Relationship Support

• Serve as a point of contact for client legal operations teams to enhance client experience and ensure efficient service delivery.
• Partner with internal departments to deliver innovative solutions that enhance client value and operational efficiency.

Process Improvement & Innovation

• Collaborate with Practice Innovation and other departments to drive continuous improvement and operational efficiency.
• Support practice retreats, business planning sessions, and meetings with structured materials, analytics, and follow-up.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong business acumen, analytical capabilities, and experience developing operational plans.
• Proven ability to lead continuous improvement efforts in a global, matrixed professional services environment.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, professionalism, and comfort working with confidential information.
• High proficiency in financial metrics, data interpretation, and performance reporting.
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills (Excel, PowerPoint, Word; Project/Visio preferred).
• Strong project management, organizational skills, and ability to prioritize in a fast-paced environment.
• Confident communicator with excellent writing and presentation skills.
• Ability to problem-solve, take initiative, and work independently under pressure.
• High level of professionalism, judgment, and commitment to excellence.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; JD or MBA preferred.
• Minimum 4+ years as a practicing lawyer or business professional with a focus on practice operations or management.
• Experience supporting litigation practices strongly preferred.