Legal Project Manager

Legal Project Manager

Toronto, ON

Reference # AC - 18002

Meridia Recruitment Solutions has partnered with one of Canada's leading litigation practice in Toronto, and they are seeking a Legal Project Manager to join their team.

The Legal Project Manager ( LPM ) will join the firm’s Legal Project Management team ( LPM Team ), under the leadership of the Director, Legal Talent.

The LPM Team is seeking a client-facing resource to play a crucial role in expanding the implementation of legal project management methodologies to meet the fast-growing needs of the firm.

The duties and function of the LPM will be guided by the LPM Team to manage fast-paced, complex, and interesting projects primarily with legal teams.

The LPM position will be highly visible, and the successful candidate will also be a critical player in the LPM Team’s future state mandate which includes instituting greater cross-functional collaboration across the firm to improve efficiency in matter management, developing and testing innovative practice management strategy, and elevating the client service experience.

Your Responsibilities :

• Reporting into Director, Legal Talent
• Manage multiple complex legal matters on billable legal files.
• Apply technical expertise in robust scoping and planning of legal matters for senior lawyers and clients.
• Drive the implementation of project management best practices and principles on client projects.
• Customize workplans and tools to capture priority workflows and deliverables to meet critical deadlines.
• Understand the litigation process to engage in proactive discussions around structuring workflows.
• Define clear roles with respect to workflow management and tasks to hold owners accountable.
• Set service delivery standards to instruct and manage team effectively to prioritize client experience.
• Develop and monitor resourcing, communication, and control models to fit specific needs of client files.
• Continuously build and strengthen relationships to act as a trusted advisor to stakeholders.
• Create processes for communications, information sharing, and reporting within team and to client.
• Facilitate internal and external client meetings, as well as prepare materials and meeting notes.
• Utilize problem-solving and critical thinking to recommend, implement, and manage necessary change.
• Identify risks and issues to delivery and raise them with urgency to stakeholders.
• Prepare and deliver status and file health reports to clients to provide updates on file progress.
• Manage internal projects, assist with LPM program management, and completion of non-billable duties :
• Support LPM Team with introducing and scaling LPM methodology across the firm.
• Take or seek instruction proactively from LPM Team to own or delegate critical tasks.
• Initiate and facilitate after-action reviews to record lessons learned for improvement of LPM practices.
• Educate and train the firm’s legal and business teams on proper use of LPM tools and methodology. Co-develop materials and provide LPM training as needed to grow LPM presence.
• Share ideas and collaborate with teams across the firm to encourage mutual success, including contributing to presentations and materials which demonstrate significant value add of LPM.
• Engage in other duties as and when required or instructed.
• Scope and create budgets or Alternative Fee Arrangements in collaboration with senior lawyers.
• Collaborate with the Finance team to ensure matter scope, phases, tasks, and fees are viable to the firm.
• Monitor and track legal spend for clients and firm leadership to maximize revenue and minimize write-offs.

Your Requirements :

• Any one or a combination of the following qualifications is required : JD, LL.B., LL.M, or PMP.
• LPM or other project management-related certifications are an asset.
• 4+ years’ experience practicing as a lawyer or LPM at a large- or medium-sized law firm, professional services firm, or in-house at a major corporation (litigation experience is a major asset), or 5+ years’ experience as a project manager at a law firm, professional services firm, or major corporation preferably with experience in a legal environment or exposure to litigation files.
• A combination of a business degree and strong work experience in a legal, financial, or professional services firm environment with demonstrated project management experience on large or complex files (particularly litigation matters) will be considered.
• Proven ability to structure projects of varying size, scale, impact, and risk profile.
• Influential written and oral communicator, able to effectively share ideas or instructions clearly with different stakeholders.
• Experience with developing and implementing training programs and plans.
• Confidence in facilitating meetings and presenting to an audience both in person and virtually.
• Strong leadership skills to be an advocate for yourself and others, driving work that sees results.
• History of exceptional client service in management of revenue-generating projects.
• Budgeting and fee estimate experience is an asset.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a cross-functional matrix environment.
• Highly proficient in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and project management tools and methodologies.
• Highly organized with ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously, with tight deadlines.
• Detail-oriented.
• Proactive and self-driven, can work independently and collaboratively with minimal instruction. Adaptable and flexible.
• Takes initiative in seeking out opportunities.
• Learns and embodies the values of the firm and its objectives.
• High emotional intelligence.
• Innovation and growth mindset.
• Exercises discretion with exposure to material and information of a highly confidential and sensitive nature.
4 hours ago