Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Melone Hatley, P.C.; Virginia Beach, Northern (VA, KY); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

Melone Hatley, P.C. seeks an experienced Chief Operating Officer to translate high-level firm strategy into disciplined, profitable daily execution across all offices.

Reporting to the Owner/CEO, you will oversee multi-location legal operations, SOPs, cross-department handoffs, facilities, and capacity management, driving a culture of high performance and accountability. The role emphasizes balance between litigation leadership opportunities and scalable operations with strong financial

Qualifications

• Senior operations leadership experience across multiple sites.
• Experience in legal operations or multi-location professional services.
• Strong financial acumen with P&Ls, budgets, headcount modeling.
• Ability to design scalable operational frameworks and leverage automation.
• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or J.D. preferred; active bar license not required for supervision.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor office leaders and department managers.
• Centralize SOPs and enforce standard processes.
• Monitor workflows and optimize billable utilization.
• Manage budgets and net margins with CEO/CFO.
• Ensure cross-functional alignment and smooth handoffs.
• Oversee facilities, IT resources, and vendor contracts.

Skills

Executive leadership

Industry experience

Financial analysis

Systems design

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration/Operations

MBA or J.D. preferred

Job description

Join a Team Built Around a Clear Purpose

In 2014, Rebecca Melone founded Melone Hatley, P.C., with a straightforward belief: good people dealing with family law and estate planning issues deserve clarity, not confusion. Family law and estate planning are complicated; emotionally, financially, and legally. Our job is to cut through that complexity and provide clients with a clear path forward to protect their families, finances, and futures.

That same philosophy guides how we build our team. We avoid unnecessary layers, bureaucracy, or office politics. We believe a company runs best when people are trusted, respected, and empowered to do their best work, without the noise getting in the way.

If you're someone who sees complexity and instinctively looks for a better, simpler way forward, you'll fit right in here.

We offer our attorneys the opportunity to choose their own path to growth. Whether you are interested in remaining in litigation or moving into management, we have curated career paths that will meet your needs.

Medical

We offer 100% paid medical benefits for employees, including dependent coverage.

Retirement

Plan for your future with a 401(k) retirement plan and employer matching.

Insurance

We provide dental, vision, and life insurance to protect you and your family.

Time to Recharge

Enjoy paid time off, paid parental leave, and flexibility to recharge when you need it.

Melone Hatley, P.C. is an equal opportunity employer.

Job Title: Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Company: Melone Hatley, P.C.

Location: On-Site in Virginia Beach or Remote (with regional travel)

Melone Hatley, P.C. is seeking an experienced, results-driven Chief Operating Officer (COO) to translate high-level firm strategy into disciplined, profitable, and scalable daily execution across all offices and departments.

Reporting directly to the Owner/CEO, you will hold enterprise-wide authority over multi-location legal operations, process standardization, cross-department handoffs, facilities, and capacity management.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership: Lead and mentor office leaders and department managers, driving a culture of high performance, accountability, and independent problem-solving.

Process & System Optimization: Centralize, audit, and enforce standard operating procedures (SOPs), identifying root-cause friction points and leveraging automation to boost efficiency.

Legal Production & Utilization: Partner with Managing Attorneys to monitor workflows, track case progression, and maintain target capacity (aiming for 90%+ billable utilization).

Financial Accountability: Partner with the CEO and CFO to manage annual budgets, monitor Revenue per FTE, optimize Average Case Value, and protect office-level net margins.

Cross-Functional Alignment: Remove bottlenecks between Legal, Intake/Sales, Marketing, HR, IT, and Finance to ensure clean operational handoffs and minimize executive escalations.

Infrastructure & Procurement: Oversee facility expansions, physical security, IT resources, and vendor contracts across all regional footprints.

Core Performance Metrics (KPIs)

Your impact is measured through clear, results-oriented benchmarks:

Firm Growth & Capacity (60%): Revenue per FTE, Average Case Value, legal staff utilization ($≥90%), office-level net profitability, and attorney retention (<12% annual attrition).

Operational Health (40%): Process standardization, leadership accountability, cross-department throughput, facility readiness, and escalation reduction.

Qualifications

Executive Experience: Proven track record in a senior operations leadership role (COO, VP of Operations, Director of Operations) managing managers across multiple sites.

Industry Background: Strong preference for experience in legal operations, law firm management, or multi-location professional services.

Financial Acumen: Deep competency analyzing P&Ls, budgets, headcount modeling, and utilization metrics.

Systems Architect: Demonstrated ability to build, document, and scale repeatable operational frameworks and leverage legal tech/automation.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Operations, or related field required; MBA or J.D. strongly preferred (active bar license not required unless supervising legal representation).

Base Salary: $150K and up to $300K with Bonuses.