Client Accounts Project Manager - PT/MT

DLA Piper LLP (US); San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 101,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance

401(k)

Job summary

DLA Piper is seeking a Client Accounts Project Manager to support partners and manage complex client portfolios. The role functions as a liaison among partners, clients, and internal teams to ensure accurate financial management and timely client service delivery.

Hybrid work arrangement across multiple offices and a focus on improving workflows, reporting, and profitability. Requires 5 years’ experience in legal financial operations or project management and relevant certifications.

Qualifications

• 5 years’ experience in legal financial operations or project management.
• Experience with legal billing, APCs and budgeting.
• Knowledge of cross-jurisdictional billing and financial systems.
• Experience managing global retainers and multi-jurisdictional matters.
• Project management certifications preferred.

Responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day engagement with designated partners, clients, and internal teams to ensure financial administration needs are addressed with accuracy, urgency, and professionalism.
• Convert billing, receivables, and matter information into clear updates and recommendations for decision-making.
• Produce recurring reporting and financial commentary on billing activity, collection progress, and account status.
• Coordinate with clients, partners, billing, collections, and administration to resolve outstanding items.
• Research and resolve invoice questions, budget alignment concerns, and payment barriers.
• Support electronic billing by addressing submission errors and rejections.
• Track accruals, budgets, and profitability concerns requiring escalation.
• Evaluate aged receivables and improve cash flow through stronger collections.
• Maintain visibility into client payment activity and execute collection strategies.
• Recommend improvements to workflows, reporting, and service delivery.

Education

High School Diploma

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Aderant

Intapp

Smartsheet

MS Project

Asana

Trello

Job description

DLA Piper is, at its core, bold, exceptional, collaborative and supportive. Our people are the backbone, heart and soul of our firm. Wherever you are in your professional journey, DLA Piper is a place you can engage in meaningful work and grow your career. Let’s see what we can achieve. Together.

Summary

The Client Accounts Project Manager, working in collaboration with and in support of the firm’s strategic initiatives, plays a key role in supporting partners who manage complex client portfolios. This position serves as a trusted liaison among partners, clients, and internal client administration, billing, collections, and accounting teams to support effective financial management, timely communication, and strong client service delivery.

Location

This position can sit in our Los Angeles, Palo Alto, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, or Seattle office and offers a hybrid work schedule.

Responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day engagement with designated partners, clients, and internal teams to ensure financial administration needs are addressed with accuracy, urgency, and professionalism.
• Convert detailed billing, receivables, and matter information into clear business updates, insights, and recommendations that support informed partner and client decision-making.
• Produce recurring reporting and financial commentary covering billing activity, collection progress, account status, and related performance trends.
• Drive follow-through on outstanding items by coordinating with clients, partners, billing personnel, collections staff, and client administration teams through resolution.
• Research and resolve invoice questions, charge allocation issues, budget alignment concerns, and payment barriers in coordination with appropriate internal and external stakeholders.
• Support electronic billing by helping address submission errors, reductions, or rejections.
• Track accruals, approved budgets, alternative fee arrangements, and matter-level financial activity to identify exceptions, emerging risks, or profitability concerns requiring escalation.
• Evaluate aged receivables and open balances, partnering with responsible parties to remove obstacles, strengthen collection efforts, and improve cash flow outcomes.
• Maintain ongoing visibility into client payment activity and help execute focused collection strategies that support annual financial goals.
• Recommend and implement practical enhancements to workflows, communication practices, reporting methods, and service delivery processes.
• Establish reusable guidance, operational standards, and knowledge-sharing resources that promote consistency across the department and support broader strategic initiatives.
• Complete additional responsibilities as requested in support of departmental and firm priorities.

Desired Skills

Strong understanding of legal billing, alternative fee arrangements, matter profitability, realization rates, and client service delivery models. Experience with billing, collections, client accounting, e-billing, budgeting, accruals, legal financial systems, and matter financial management. Ability to perform analysis and reconciliation between cross-jurisdictional billing and financial systems. Experience managing global retainers and multi-jurisdictional matters preferred. Familiarity with legal financial systems such as Aderant and Intapp preferred. Proficiency in project management tools such as Smartsheet, Microsoft Project, Asana, or Trello. Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite. Excellent communication, analytical, relationship-building, problem-solving, and leadership skills, with the ability to translate complex information into clear, actionable insights. Ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments, work effectively with partners, clients, and cross-functional internal teams, and drive consensus. Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, follow up consistently, and drive work to completion in a deadline-driven environment. Strategic mindset with a focus on continuous improvement, innovation, operational excellence, and high-quality client service.

Minimum Education

High School Diploma or GED.

Preferred Education

Bachelors Degree in Finance, Law, Business Administration or related field.

Certificates

LPM, LPP, LPA, or equivalent project management certification preferred. PMP certificate with legal experience also desirable.

Minimum Years of Experience

5 years’ experience in legal financial operations or project management.

Essential Job Expectations

While the specific job requirements of a DLA Piper position may vary depending upon scope of the job and area of specialty, there are certain universal requirements that are expected of all DLA Piper employees, which include but are not limited to: Effectively communicate, verbally and in writing, with clients, lawyers, business professionals, and third parties. Produce deliverables, answer phone calls, and reply to correspondence in an efficient and responsive manner. Provide timely, accurate, and quality work product. Successfully meet deadlines, expectations, and perform work duties as required. Foster positive work relationships. Comply with all firm policies and practices. Engage in both physical and sedentary activity, such as (a) working at a computer for extended periods of time, including on-screen reading and typing; (b) participating in digital/virtual conference calls; (c) participating in meetings as needed. Ability to work under pressure and manage competing demands in a fast-paced environment. Perform all other duties, tasks or projects as assigned. Our employees are expected to embrace and uphold our firm values as a part of our DLA Piper culture. We are committed to excellence in how we represent our clients and develop our people.

Physical Demands

Sedentary work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.

Work Environment

The individual selected for this position may have the opportunity for a hybrid work arrangement comprised of remote and in-office work, the requirement for which will be determined in coordination with the hiring manager or supervisor and may be modified in the firm’s discretion in the future.

Disclaimer

The purpose of this job description is to provide a concise statement of the work elements and to organize and present the information in a standardized way. It is not intended to describe all the elements of the work that may be performed by every individual in this classification, nor should it serve as the sole criteria for personnel decisions and actions. The job duties, requirements, and expectations for this position may be modified at the Firm’s discretion at any time. This job description does not change the at‑will nature of employment.

Accommodation

Reasonable accommodations may be made upon request to permit individuals with a disability to perform the essential functions and responsibilities of the position or to participate in the job selection process. If you have a request for an accommodation during the application process, please contact [e-mail].

Immigration

No immigration sponsorship is available for this position.

Salary

The firm’s expected hiring range for this position is $100,787 - $160,255 per year depending on the candidate’s geographic market location. The compensation offered for employment will also be dependent on other factors including the candidate’s experience, skills, educational and professional background, and overall qualifications.

Benefits

• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits, including medical/dental/vision insurance, and 401(k).
• Applicants who are not based in the jurisdiction in which this position is posted and who apply for this role are doing so voluntarily and are not eligible for relocation assistance. Any relocation benefits, if any, are provided only where a relocation is required at the firm’s direction and in accordance with applicable policy and law.

EEO/DEI

DLA Piper is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

DLA Piper is, at its core, bold, exceptional, collaborative and supportive. Our people are the backbone, heart and soul of our firm. Wherever you are in your professional journey, DLA Piper is a place you can engage in meaningful work and grow your career. Let’s see what we can achieve. Together.