Manager, Allocation & Development

Job Description - Manager, Work Allocation & Development )

Firm Summary

White & Case is an elite global law firm serving leading companies, financial institutions and governments worldwide. Our long history as an international firm means we are perfectly placed to help our clients resolve their most complex legal challenges wherever they may be. With lawyers operating from more than 40 locations, working in virtually every country of the world, we have invested heavily in building a high-quality full-service practice competing at the top of the market.

We are distinguished by our on-the-ground presence in the world’s key financial markets and our strengths in handling complex cross-border work. It’s not just about our global network of offices; it’s the global interconnectedness of the Firm that our people, and our clients, value most. We work well together across geographic and practice boundaries. It’s one of the reasons we attract and retain cross-border work.

And why we attract a diverse group of people. Our lawyers are globally minded, enterprising, collaborative and committed to excellence. Diversity is a core value of our Firm and it has been recognized with numerous awards and top rankings around the world. Our people represent 90 nationalities and speak 80 languages.

Position Summary

We are looking for a Work Allocation & Development Manager to join our New York office. This new position presents an exciting opportunity to play a key role in supporting the development of legal talent for one of our practices. The Work Allocation & Development Manager will engage directly with Associates to understand their interests and objectives in order to provide access to the experiences and relationships they need to build their careers.

The role is heavily people focused, built on establishing strong working relationships with a number of key stakeholders across the Firm. This role will focus specifically on the effective management of one of our corporate practices. The Work Allocation & Development Manager will seek to ensure that the Associates are appropriately staffed and utilized at all times, while balancing the pursuit of a rich and well-rounded associate experience with the immediate needs of the business.

The successful candidate will be a team-player who is ambitious, focused on client service, and passionate about their work. They will be eager to take on the challenges of exceling in a global law firm and high-performance culture. This individual will have exemplary academic credentials, as well as a genuine interest in associate development and matter/resource management. Prior experience in a professional services setting, preferably a law firm, is required.

We offer high-quality work, a competitive salary package and an opportunity to be part of a truly global organization.

Duties and Accountabilities

Resource Management

• Serve as a neutral third party for Associates and Partners, supporting an equitable work allocation and targeted professional development
• Manage staffing requests and coordination with Staffing Partners
• Serve as a liaison between Associates and Partners, coordinating staffing processes and representing Associates in complex Partner interactions
• Monitor and report on equitable work allocation KPIs to practice leadership
• Conduct check-ins with Associates to discuss career interests, professional development needs, and collect feedback
• Ensure matters are appropriately staffed in an efficient and timely manner by monitoring current and anticipated lawyer utilization and assessing individual capacity
• Maintain clear, effective lines of communication, keeping all stakeholders informed on initiatives, developments, business issues, and other critical topics
• Escalate sensitive or high-risk staffing situations to the Americas Senior Manager, Allocation & Development

Practice Management

• Liaise with the Regional Section Head and Staffing Partners to monitor associate performance (and feedback), development and career aspirations
• Gain exposure to the broader functions of the People Advisory team and work closely with the respective People Advisory Manager to help with secondments,…