Legal Practice Administration Manager

Exchange House Services Australia Pty Ltd; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer is seeking a Legal Practice Administration Manager (LPAM) to join the Melbourne Office Operations team on a permanent basis. The role supports Real Estate and EIRS practice groups, managing around 8 Legal Assistants and Administrative Assistants.

Open to 4 or 5 days per week, with mentorship from the Senior Operations Manager and collaboration with the national team on digital and AI initiatives.

Qualifications

• Minimum 6 years’ experience in a senior Legal Assistant position.
• Proven history as a people manager in a legal support environment.
• Experience with digital and AI tools; Legora experience desirable.
• Strong time management and prioritisation skills.
• High attention to detail and accuracy.
• Comfort navigating ambiguity and changing circumstances.

Responsibilities

• Support recruitment of support staff through interviews and onboarding.
• Enhance team engagement and support performance discussions with LPAM and HR guidance.
• Build capability in the support team to deliver high-quality work and strengthen stakeholder relationships.
• Coordinate resources to optimise administrative support across the practice group.
• Lead digital and AI workstream initiatives in collaboration with the national team.
• Monitor service quality and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Escalate operational issues to the Senior Operations Manager as needed.
• Communicate metrics and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

People management

Time management

Attention to detail

Stakeholder liaison

Adaptability

Communication skills

Education

Tertiary qualifications in business or related field

Tools

Legora

AI tools

Job description

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer is a world-leading global law firm, where our ambition is to help you achieve your goals. Exceptional client service and the pursuit of excellence are at our core. We invest in and care about our client relationships, which is why so many are longstanding. We enjoy breaking new ground, as we have for over 170 years. As a fully integrated transatlantic and transpacific firm, we are where you need us to be. Our footprint is extensive and committed across the world’s largest markets, key financial centres and major growth hubs. At our best tackling complexity and navigating change, we work alongside you on demanding litigation, exacting regulatory work and complex public and private market transactions. We are recognised as leading in these areas. We are immersed in the sectors and challenges that impact you. We are recognised as standing apart in energy, infrastructure and resources. And we’re focused on areas of growth that affect every business across the world. All of this is achieved by supporting the growth of our people, who help us deliver on our ambition – which is to help you achieve yours.

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer: Your goals. Our ambition

A unique opportunity has arisen for a Legal Practice Administration Manager (LPAM) to join the Melbourne Office Operations team on a permanent basis. We are open to considering those working 4 or 5 days per week. In this role, you will have the opportunity to work side‑by‑side with an experienced LPAM, gaining hands‑on exposure and learning from their expertise while being supported and guided by the Senior Operations Manager. You will be supporting our Real Estate and Employment Industrial Relations and Safety (EIRS) practice groups, managing a team of approximately 8 Legal Assistants and Administrative Assistants. You will also partner with the broader national team on our digital and AI workstream initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Support recruitment of support staff through interviews and onboarding to ensure quality service delivery.
• Enhance team engagement by learning to set expectations, give feedback, and support performance discussions with LPAM and HR guidance.
• Build capability in the support team to deliver high‑quality work and maintain strong stakeholder relationships.
• Assist with resource coordination to optimise administrative support across the practice group.
• Lead a variety of digital and AI workstream initiatives, collaborating with the broader national team.
• Learn to monitor service quality and consistency, identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Escalate operational issues to the Senior Operations Manager as needed.
• Communicate consistent messaging around operational metrics.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives within the national legal support function.
• Share updates on new initiatives and act as liaison for business services to support adoption and implementation.
• Coordinate equipment, software, and workspace requests to support practice group operations.
• Liaise with key stakeholders to ensure optimal space allocation for business needs.

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• A minimum of 6 years’ experience in a senior Legal Assistant position.
• A successful history as a people manager, in a legal support environment.
• Experience working with a variety of digital and AI tools and a passion for process optimisation (experience with Legora desirable).
• Well‑developed time management and prioritisation skills.
• A high level of attention to detail.
• The ability to remain calm under pressure and cope well with setbacks.
• Comfortable with navigating ambiguity and adapt to changing circumstances.
• Confidence to engage and liaise with multiple stakeholders and build collaborative relationships.
• An emerging understanding of commercial operations, with a desire to develop sound operational management skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Tertiary qualifications or equivalent in a relevant field (e. g. business qualification) is desirable but not essential.

What you can expect from us

We’re a world leading international law firm with a global team of over 6,000 professionals across 26 offices. As the market leader in Australia, we are committed to high performance, collaboration, diversity and digital innovation. We are client‑centred, commercially driven, and renowned for our solution‑focused expertise. We will align your growth with our ambitions. We make your personal and professional growth our business. And as part of the team, our ambition is yours too. Wherever you are in your career: grow and help the firm grow with you. We will provide opportunities to learn on the job as well as a mix of learning opportunities tailored to you. Daily experiences, supportive challenges, team collaboration, mentors, and structured learning opportunities help you to expand your knowledge and reach your goals. We value your wellbeing, both at home and work and we place a strong emphasis on mental health. If you need support, you’ll have it and we’ll empower you to harness your personal strengths, navigate uncertainty, embrace opportunities, and effectively manage things within your control.

Join us to be part of a human, bold and outstanding team at Australia’s market leading law firm. We are committed to attracting people from all backgrounds and creating a respectful and inclusive culture where everyone thrives. We see this as essential to our success, including our ability to innovate and achieve sustained high performance. This is a key part of our Values—Human, Bold, and Outstanding.

Team Office Operations Working Pattern Full time Location Melbourne Contract type Permanent Contract Diversity & Inclusion We are committed to attracting people from all backgrounds and creating a respectful and inclusive culture where everyone thrives. We see this as essential to our success, including our ability to innovate and achieve sustained high performance. This is a key part of our Values - Human, Bold, and Outstanding. At Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, we align your growth and ambition with ours. We invest in your personal and professional growth and support you to achieve your ambitions. And you share responsibility for playing a part in delivering the firm’s growth and ambition too. A leading global law firm, with over 6,000 people, we are in the world's largest markets, key financial centres and major growth hubs. We’re recognised leaders in demanding contentious matters, exacting regulatory work and complex public and private transactions. We’re immersed in the many challenges facing our clients. We’re invested and resourceful. We understand the part technology and digitalisation play in the delivery of legal services. We want to make a positive impact wherever in the world we operate. You’ll have the opportunity to engage with this with an open mind and curiosity. We are known for our diverse perspectives and renowned for our culture. Being human, bold and outstanding are more than our values: you’ll discover they are our lived experience. And by being ambitious for your growth and ours, we’ll achieve our goals together.

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer: Your growth. Our ambition.