Data-Driven Director of Practice Management

KAHANA & FELD LLP; Sacramento (CA); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

Kahana Feld LLP in California seeks a Firmwide Director or Senior Manager of Practice Management to partner with the COO and practice leaders. You will optimize attorney staffing and utilization, support matter and financial management, and drive firm-wide initiatives.

The role requires data-driven insights, strong legal operations knowledge, advanced Excel and dashboards, and the ability to lead cross-functional teams in a matrixed organization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s and law degree required; equivalent experience in law firm management, legal operations, professional services, project management, or practice management may be considered.
• Experience supporting insurance defense practice areas strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of practice management, matter staffing, attorney utilization, workload and capacity management, operational reporting, and cross-functional business processes.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage complex projects within a collaborative, matrixed organization.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted advisor and strategic liaison to the COO, practice leaders, and other firm leaders on practice management, operational, staffing, and resource matters.
• Partner with practice leaders to develop, execute, and monitor practice goals, strategic initiatives, and operational priorities.
• Review matters and consult with practice leaders regarding staffing, team composition, and attorney assignments throughout the lifecycle of a matter and an attorney’s experience with the firm.
• Monitor partner-to-associate ratios, attorney capacity, client needs, and firm business requirements to proactively identify practice areas and offices requiring additional attorney resources.
• Partner with Talent Acquisition and firm leadership to anticipate hiring needs and develop proactive attorney recruitment and staffing strategies.
• Monitor attorney workload, utilization, capacity, and productivity; identify trends and recommend resource adjustments or other appropriate interventions.
• Monitor compliance with matter budgets, billing requirements, client and carrier expectations, and internal operational standards.
• Collaborate with practice leaders, practice managers, and professional staff departments to support practice objectives and ensure effective execution of firm initiatives.
• Partner with practice leaders and practice managers to align matter management practices with client and carrier guidelines, expectations, and requirements.
• Identify, assess, and resolve operational issues; elevate matters requiring senior leadership attention and decision-making.
• Lead the implementation of practice management initiatives, training programs, and process improvements, including identifying skill gaps and coordinating with the Professional Development team and practice leaders.
• Establish and promote consistent execution of firmwide practice management processes, procedures, and standards.
• Provide cross-functional stakeholder coordination and communication support for practice management activities and initiatives.
• Support new-hire onboarding and lateral integration by coordinating with appropriate stakeholders and overseeing role-level support, where applicable.
• Lead, mentor, and develop the practice management team, including practice managers and practice management assistants.
• Collaborate with the Innovation and Emerging Technologies team to identify, evaluate, and implement technology, tools, and resources that enhance attorney and paralegal effectiveness and support practice-specific needs.
• Partner with the COO and relevant stakeholders to develop and enhance reporting that enables firm and practice leaders to make informed, data-driven decisions regarding practice, matter, staffing, and financial management.
• Support compliance with firm policies and operational requirements, including time-entry and other attorney productivity and administrative standards.
• Drive continuous process improvement, documentation, and standardization, including the development and maintenance of policies, procedures, workflows, and best practices for the Practice Management function.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.

Skills

Analytical skills

Project management

Communication

Stakeholder management

Data analysis

Excel

Leadership

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor’s and law degree

Tools

iTimekeep

Intapp

Finance reporting systems

Dashboards

Workflow platforms

Job description

Kahana Feld LLP in California seeks a Firmwide Director or Senior Manager of Practice Management to partner with the COO and practice leaders. You will optimize attorney staffing and utilization, support matter and financial management, and drive firm-wide initiatives.

The role requires data-driven insights, strong legal operations knowledge, advanced Excel and dashboards, and the ability to lead cross-functional teams in a matrixed organization.