Legal Project Manager (Hybrid)

About UsBlank Rome is an Am Law 100 firm with 16 offices and nearly 750 attorneys who provide comprehensive legal and advocacy services to clients operating in the United States and around the world. Our professionals have built a reputation for their leading knowledge and experience across a spectrum of industries and are recognized for their commitment to pro bono work in their communities. Since our inception in 1946, Blank Rome’s culture has been dedicated to providing top-level service to all of our clients and has been rooted in the strength of our diversity and inclusion initiatives. Our commitment to our core values and dedication to providing a supportive and inclusive work environment, allows the firm to attract and retain the brightest in the industry.Job OverviewThe Legal Project Manager (LPM) will be part of the Innovation and Value Department. The LPM will work with client teams to manage a portfolio of matters to ensure outstanding client service, maximized efficiency, and enhanced profitability. The LPM will work closely with client teams, clients and firm operational departments to plan, estimate, and manage the delivery of legal services.The LPM will support attorneys in all offices of the firm in managing our business and clients. The LPM will be responsible for supporting the delivery of the full matter lifecycle, from budgeting and inception through to the completion of post-closing activities, for a portfolio of significant matters (or work streams within those matters) to ensure that they are delivered in accordance with the client's needs, efficiently, on budget and within agreed upon timeframes. The role will be client facing for key engagements, and the LPM will join the lawyers as a part of the engagement team. The focus of this position will be developing budgets, client proposals, timelines, reports and matter plans. This role will have close working relationships with the Chief Innovation and Value Officer, practice group leaders, and certain firm committees to support matter management initiatives.This role has a hybrid working arrangement. Potential candidate must live within commuting distance of our Boston, Dallas, or Philadelphia offices to be onsite 3 days per week. In this role, you will report to the Senior Value Manager.Essential FunctionsMatter Management ProgramDevelop matter management service levels in partnership with department leadership.Develop fee arrangement monitoring and escalation strategy in partnership with the Senior Value Manager and oversee the management of the firm’s fee arrangements leveraging the firm’s budget management tools and resources.Lead contingency portfolio matter management; collaborating with attorneys and the Pricing Manager to develop contingency submission materials, monitoring strategy and escalation protocols, ensure the firm’s contingency arrangements are monitored, and provide periodic reports to key stakeholders.Develop and promote an after-action review framework in partnership with the Senior Value Manager; make recommendations for matters suitable for after-action reviews; conduct after-action reviews and document/share findings with key stakeholders.Client ProposalsCollaborate with attorneys, paralegals, and others (as required) to define matter scope, identify work tasks, estimate time/duration, assign resources, develop fee estimates based on the scope of work and staffing plan, prioritize tasks, define dependencies and risks, and manage performance against goals.Collaborate with the Pricing Team and attorneys to prepare responses to pitch and RFP submissions relating to budgeting, staffing and matter management/value-related topics.Develop budgets and straightforward fixed fee arrangements, ensure appropriate approvals and establish monitoring.Collaborate with the Innovation team to identify service delivery solutions to recommend in client pitches and proposals.Suggest and create budget to actual and fee reports for clients in partnership with the legal team.Matter and Client AnalysisCollaborate with Practice Analytics, Practice Management teams and firm leaders to identify client matters suitable for matter management; make recommendations for matter management support according to LPM service levels.Track and analyze actual engagement time and costs against budget, and help lawyers proactively address expected budget variances.Manipulate and analyze data using advanced Excel skills or other data analysis and reporting tools to present information.Learn about firm systems and data; apply understanding of financial concepts, problem solving skills and a strong client service orientation to navigate and apply systems and data in ways that benefit the firm and clients.OtherProvide cross-functional support to the Pricing Team and/or Fee Arrangement Review team as appropriate.Perform other responsibilities as assigned.Work additional hours as needed to fulfill job requirements.The above essential functions represent the general nature and level of responsibilities for this position and is not intended to be an all-inclusive list. The firm may modify and amend any job description at any time in its sole discretion.Skills/Qualifications5+ years of experience working in a law firm or professional services firm, preferably in areas related to pricing, legal project management and practice group management.Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree a plus.Formal legal project management qualification (e.g. ALPM, PMP or equivalent) desirable.Demonstrates excellent understanding of law firm economics and financial management (e.g., pricing, budgeting).Closely monitor legal spend relative to budget and proactively intervene to help the legal team deliver results to expectations and on budget.Displays strong analytical and exemplary project management skills.Outstanding client service skills and responsiveness.Excellent written and oral communication skills.Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.Ability to interact with all levels of the organization, employing a high degree of tact, diplomacy, and professionalism.Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and exhibit a high sense of urgency.Ability to prioritize, juggle multiple tasks, and work in a fast-paced environment.Strong work ethic and the ability to work nights and weekends, when needed.Technologically comfortable and capable, with advanced knowledge of MS Excel, Word and financial reporting preferred.Knowledge of Clocktimizer, PowerBI and PowerPoint a plus.Knowledge of extranets, online data rooms, collaboration tools and SharePoint sites.Experience with database tools and financial reporting tools a plus.General ExpectationsPromote positive work habits, including effective and timely communication, teamwork, and demonstrating respect for colleagues.Contribute to providing the highest quality of service to internal and external clients.Take appropriate initiative and ownership of job responsibilities while ensuring the assignments/job duties are performed successfully and on time.Understand and abide by firm policies and embrace firm values.Ability to maintain regular attendance and work regularly scheduled hours.Ability to sit for long periods of time, type, and handle light lifting (files, copy paper, etc.) in a professional office environment.Comply with safe work practices including compliance with the firm’s COVID-19 policies and safety measures.EEO StatementBlank Rome is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information, or any other status protected by law.Our core values of respect for the individual, the community, and the law are clearly demonstrated in our ability to recruit and develop a diverse group of exceptionally talented attorneys and professional staff who enable us to best serve our clients and our communities.