Practice Manager, Finance

Overview

Orrick currently has an excellent opportunity for a Practice Manager for our Finance Business Unit who is ready to be challenged and build a career within an AmLaw Top 50 law firm. This position could be based in any of our US locations. This is a hybrid position with the expectation of being in the office at least 3 days a week, and subject to change based on business needs.

You will report to the Chief Practice Officer for the Finance Business Unit and work closely with the Chief Practice Officer, Firm leadership and other business professionals to accomplish the strategic, financial, talent, and operational objectives of the practice and to support the Firm's shared client service, collaboration, and innovation goals by overseeing and actively managing associate and of counsel utilization, addressing resource demands, adhering to financial management best practices, and enhancing profitability.

The Finance Practice Manager will be primarily responsible for managing associate staffing in the U.S. and associate utilization and professional development globally. The successful Practice Manager will apply an in-depth understanding of the client service needs, staffing requirements, pricing arrangements, deal and inventory life cycles, and key financial metrics to making sound judgements and minimizing the administrative burden on practice leaders and partners.

The Practice Manager will be part of a growing practice management team within our firm.

The Practice Manager of Finance will have primary responsibility for all associate-related matters, particularly in the U.S.

• Professional Development, Staffing and Utilization
  • Connect with associates to level-set on professional development goals, perceived skills gaps, and socialize the Practice Manager role as a firm resource for the Business Unit's non-partner attorneys.
  • Assist associates with identifying training resources and tools to support their client work and professional development.
  • Monitor professional development of U.S. associates and help allocate new matters in a manner which ensures an equitable distribution of assignments consistent with the clients' needs and the attorneys' individual professional development goals.
  • In coordination with the partners and Chief Practice Officer, drive practice group utilization and manage the work allocation process for U.S. associates in the Finance Business Unit.
  • Track, aggregate and analyze associate metrics, including availability information and utilization rates. Partner with the Chief Practice Officer and associates to ensure that individual goals relating to productivity are achieved and practice group productivity is optimized.
  • Support staffing requests from partners, as needed.
  • Coordinate with Chief Practice Offer and Practice Group Leaders to identify staffing needs and hiring targets; partner with the Talent and Finance teams to ensure hiring efforts are supporting the goals and needs of the group and supporting firm profitability targets.
  • Collaborate with Chief Practice Officer, Practice Group Leaders and Talent to coordinate substantive training for associates.
  • Collaborate with the Talent team and the Chief Practice Officer to address associates who may be having specific challenges so that appropriate mentoring, training, and other actions can be taken to address such challenges in a timely manner.
  • Manage the associate/partner mentor assignments and discuss same with associates.
  • Facilitate practice group integration of new associates and of counsel.
  • Collaborate with the innovation team to assign the right resource to the right task including leveraging career associates, Service Center, Williams Lea, automation, paralegals, Case Stream and Orrick Analytics to maximize impact on client matters.

The Practice Manager may also assist the Chief Practice Officer with certain Practice Administration tasks.

• Practice Administration
  • Cultivate relationship with practice group leader(s) to build practice group connectivity, rapport, and trust.
  • Initiate ideas for improving profitability of matters, including the efficient allocation of internal resources and staff across client matters & group initiatives.
  • Approve specific expense reimbursement requests, non-billable travel, write offs and similar administrative tasks in accordance with firm policies.
  • Research, compile data and perform business and financial analysis related to practice group strategic initiatives and projects.
  • Provide ad hoc financial analysis (profitability, billing, collections, time entry, utilization, etc.).
  • Coordinate with records team and relevant timekeepers to facilitate associate exit procedures.
  • Collaborate with and support practice leaders on practice group communications.

• Strong preference for an individual who has practiced law for at least 5 years in a large law firm or corporate legal department. Significant experience working in Finance areas preferred. Additional experience in a practice…