Legal Operations Manager

This role will work closely with the Shakespeare Martineau brand MD to take responsibility for driving, delivering and evaluating a wide variety of projects and BAU operational requirements across the SHMA brand, acting as a key business partner and connector between legal teams, leadership and central group services within a wider professional services group.

• Working with the MD to take responsibility for various BAU operational matters as they arise, acting as a trusted partner on key priorities and ad hoc initiatives.
• Taking the lead on discrete projects linked to the day to day operations of the Brand - to deliver improvements as needed, including the design/improvement and implementation of processes across areas such as Finance, Risk & Compliance, IT & Legal Technology and People.
• Ensuring projects are delivered efficiently and cost effectively, with a focus on scalability and continuous improvement.
• Reporting on project progress to SHMA MD and Leadership team, including contributing to regular operational updates and communications across various channels.
• Liaising and collaborating with individuals across SHMA and Ampa where needed, building strong relationships with central group teams (e.g. Finance, IT, Risk, People team) to ensure effective delivery.
• Providing operational support to the SHMA brand MD, where needed.
• Acting as the point of escalation for specific operational delivery – as agreed with the MD.
• Acting as a key point of contact for legal teams for escalating operational issues, providing troubleshooting and support and ensuring queries are seen through to resolution.
• Connecting stakeholders across the business, ensuring queries are directed efficiently and outcomes delivered.
• Working with Team Leaders to embed new processes and ways of working across the brand.
• Championing the needs of legal teams, ensuring feedback is captured and represented in group-wide initiatives.
• Supporting the delivery of group-level initiatives impacting the brand.
• Supporting internal communications, including in-person brand updates and intranet content maintenance.
• Supporting onboarding activity, including involvement in induction processes and acting as a point of contact for new joiners.
• Supporting member lifecycle processes, including coordination of leavers and oversight of file management processes where required.
• Delegating tasks and overseeing workflow of junior support, as appropriate.

• Previous strong experience of legal operations management within law firms: such as practice manager role and responsibilities
• Awareness of legal operational compliance requirements
• Execution focused, driven and comfortable ‘juggling’ competing priorities
• Excellent communication skills and strong attention to detail
• A willingness to learn, combined with a pro‑active, solution focused approach to drive results
• High degree of drive, self‑motivation, and resilience. A “can do” attitude, able to make things happen
• Always committed to delivering the best possible outcome to clients and stakeholders
• Willingness to be flexible, performing additional ad‑hoc responsibilities deemed commensurate with the role and being alert to changing accountabilities as the brand’s needs change
• Be engaging and a strong influencer, able to bring colleagues on board with new ideas and initiatives, including at senior stakeholder level
• A completer/finisher with a strong focus on getting things done
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment Commercially aware and pragmatic in approach
• Collaborative and approachable, with strong relationship‑building skills
• High level of ownership and accountability for delivery
• Experience of delivering cross‑functional projects and driving operational improvements

We embrace agile working and offer a blended approach to where and how we work.

We appreciate that people have different needs and preferences and we’re keen to be flexible, after all, we value what you do, not where you do it.

We have the following hubs across the UK:
Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Leeds,…