Director, Litigation Strategy & Practice Management

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Lead litigation practice management strategies, driving financial and operational excellence at Cooley.

Manage team, strategy, budgeting, and growth for high-profile clients.

Director, Litigation Strategy & Practice Management

Cooley is seeking a Director of Litigation Strategy & Practice Management to join the Practice Management team.

About our litigation department: Our clients are the world’s most dynamic companies and investors, disrupting industries and developing breakthrough technologies. Cooley’s litigation departments is regarded as one of the elite litigation practices solving issues for global leaders. We have continued to recruit the best of the next generation of lawyers, and we remain the leading firm for the representation of tech, life sciences and other innovative companies. In recent years, we have defended Open AI and Meta in two of the most important challenges to their generative AI models, defended Niantic’s augmented reality patents for Pokémon Go, and Moderna’s COVID vaccine. We have also been on the forefront of cases involving foundational issues for the rule of law, including our representation of and decisive win for Jenner & Block in its challenge to president’s executive orders against the legal industry. The 500+ lawyer department spans nine practice groups and 15 of our global offices.

Position Summary

This Director role is a high-level position that will work closely with the department chair and practice group leaders to provide sophisticated financial and operational oversight that helps formulate, articulate and implement strategy. The Director is expected to employ a wide range of strategic and tactical solutions to help improve the profitability and efficiency of the practice groups, including supporting the development and driving of strategy, business plans, analysis related to hiring decisions, financial, operational and competitive analysis, and work seamlessly with various professional business teams throughout the firm. The Director will help prioritize and drive top-level initiatives to help achieve the group’s long-term goals. Specific duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Position Responsibilities

• In conjunction with leadership, help to develop business plans for assigned practice group(s) and at the department level, manage implementation, monitor progress and suggest proactive measures to help achieve or exceed plan goals and targets
• Monitors group financial performance, working with Department Chairs and PGLs to address issues and opportunities
• Analyze pipeline and demand metrics and manage capacity planning processes in collaboration with talent management function
• Act as primary point of contact for department leadership on administrative and operational matters, escalating to proper administrative department leadership (i.e., legal talent, HR, marketing, Technology) as appropriate
• Facilitate long-term planning and growth strategies for assigned practice area(s) and respective department(s). Aggregate annual hours, rates, revenues, headcount and client budgets for assigned practice areas
• Working with Department Chairs, PGLs; organizes and sets agendas for group Partner meetings and follows up on action items to drive progress.
• Monitor, evaluate and improve key performance indicators of the assigned practice group(s), including cash leakage, in-depth realization studies, and utilization
• Provide data and analysis to practice group leadership for PG meetings and presentations to the Board
• Support the implementation, development and use of practice management tools
• Support growth opportunities and help drive expansion of client relationships in collaboration with the marketing and business development department
• Maintain comprehensive knowledge of the overall department leadership function and facilitate leadership succession
• Draft internal presentations and internal department-wide communications
• Deliver and share information with clarity and discretion on behalf of the department teams.
• Serve as mentor to direct reports
• Provide day-to-day supervision of direct reports, ensure compliance with assigned work hours and monitor for compliance with all firm and department policies. Manage staffing coverage, review and process time logs/time off requests
• Support business professional development and continued educational opportunities
• In collaboration with immediate supervisor and central HR, participate in hiring, performance appraisals, counseling, termination and other employee lifecycle events
• All other duties as assigned or required

Skills and experience

Required :

After orientation at Cooley LLP, exhibit proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite, iManage and other firm applications

Ability to work extended and/or weekend hours, as required

Ability to travel, as required

Bachelor’s degree, preferably in business, finance, accounting, talent -related field

10+ years of directly relevant exempt-level experience (e.g., a management, finance, analytics, talent or advisory leadership role in a law firm, professional services/consulting firm or financial institution) with 5+ years of management experience in relevant roles

Demonstrated success supporting senior executives

Preferred :

Law firm, banking and/or professional services experience

Competencies :

Competencies

• Entrepreneurial by nature
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with ability to facilitate
• Superior problem-solving skills – ability to think critically and strategically to provide analysis and steps for improvement
• Ability to organize, prioritize and coordinate multiple activities often under tight timelines
• Ability to drive projects to completion and achieve goals
• Excellent judgment indicated by making sound and practical decisions
• Team-player with collaborative spirit
• Unwavering ability to handle and maintain confidentiality regarding firm information, projects, client data
• High level of professionalism at all times
• Demonstrated ability to lead through influence and develop talent
• Effective presentation skills
• Ability and willingness to adapt to changing business demands
• Must maintain a high level of professional integrity and possess the ability to build trust with stakeholders and others
• Highly organized with a keen sense of attention to detail
• Discrete and highly trustworthy

Cooley offers a competitive compensation and excellent benefits package and is committed to fair and equitable employment practices.

EOE

The expected annual pay range for this position with a full-time schedule is $240,000 - $290,000. Please note that final offer amount will be dependent on geographic location, applicable experience and skillset of the candidate.

We offer a full range of elective benefits including medical, health savings account (with applicable medical plan), dental, vision, health and/or dependent care flexible spending accounts, pre-tax commuter benefits, life insurance, AD&D, long-term care coverage, backup care for children and/or adults and other parental support benefits. In addition to elective benefit options, benefited employees receive firm-paid life insurance, AD&D, LTD, short term medical benefits as well as 25 days of Paid Time Off ("PTO") and 10 paid holidays each year. We provide generous parental leave and fertility benefits. New employees will attend a detailed benefit orientation to learn more about our many benefits and resources.