Director of Practice Group Performance Management – Litigation

Thompson Coburn LLP

St. Louis (MO)

Hybrid

USD 180,000 - 240,000

Full time

3 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Vision Insurance

Dental Insurance

Life Insurance

Short & Long Term Disability Insurance

Paid Parental Leave

401(k) Profit Sharing plans

Parking/Transportation Stipend

Section 125 Plan (Pre-tax premiums and

medical reimbursement

Paid Holidays

Paid Time Off (PTO)

Annual Discretionary Bonus

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Employee Wellness Program

Tuition Reimbursement

College Savings Plan Deductions (529 …

Long Term Care

Job summary

Thompson Coburn LLP, a large, multi-state law firm, seeks a full-time exempt Director of Practice Group Performance Management – Litigation in St. Louis. The role supports performance and profitability of the Litigation Department through strategic, financial, and operational initiatives, partnering with LDLs and PGLs.

After training, a hybrid-remote schedule is available. Responsibilities include developing strategic plans, budgeting, and monitoring metrics, plus leading legal project and

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required.
MBA, JD, or other advanced degree preferred.
Minimum of eight (8) years of experience in law firm management or professional service operations required.
Experience with legal billing practices, financial or budget reporting, and Microsoft Office applications required.
Experience with strategic planning, process improvement, client service prioritization, and multi-office environments preferred.
Minimum five (5) years of experience in managing people and projects.

Responsibilities

Develops and executes Practice Group Strategic Plans in partnership with PGLs and in alignment with Firm and Practice Department Strategies.
Monitors Practice Group strategic plan execution and recommends adjustments, course corrections, or new initiatives as necessary.
Collaborates in the development of annual Practice Group performance budgets with input on headcount, expected hours, and billing rates.
Monitors Practice Group financial performance as reported through Financial Intelligence Platform focusing on direct margin and profitability.
Leads the implementation and adoption of legal project management and matter management practices to improve service delivery and profitability.
Provides performance-related coaching and feedback to direct reports and leads a team of up to three direct reports.

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

MBA, JD, or other advanced degree preferred

Minimum five (5) years of experience in managing people and projects

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Thompson Coburn, a large full-service law firm with offices in eight (8) cities across the U.S., is in search of a full-time exempt Director of Practice Group Performance Management – Litigation to join itsSt. Louis office.With over 450 attorneys and experience in 50 areas of law, Thompson Coburn is regularly recognized for providing clients with outstanding value and service. Driven by our core values of integrity, innovation and diversity, we collaborate and work in a welcoming, fast-paced, and inclusive environment.

Under the leadership of the Chief Operating Officer, this position will execute and oversee key strategic, financial, and operational initiatives that support the performance and profitability of the Litigation Department and the Practice Groups of the Litigation Department. The Director of Practice Group Performance Management will collaborate and partner with Litigation Department Leadership (LDL) and Practice Group Leaders (PGLs) to develop strategies to optimize Practice Group financial performance, and to ensure effective, efficient, and innovative Practice Group operations. After an initial period of training, this position is eligible for a hybrid-remote work schedule.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Performance

Responsible for the development and execution of Practice Group Strategic Plans in partnership with PGLs and in alignment with Firm and Practice Department Strategies.
Establishes performance objectives, key performance indicators, and success measures to track progress toward strategic goals.
Monitors Practice Group strategic plan execution and recommends adjustments, course corrections, or new initiatives as necessary to achieve desired outcomes.

Financial Performance

Collaborates in the development of annual Practice Group performance budgets with input on headcount, expected hours, and billing rates.
Monitors Practice Group financial performance as reported through Financial Intelligence Platform with a focus on Practice Group direct margin and profitability including revenue and direct expense contribution to identify opportunities for improvement.
Collaborates with appropriate Finance function management and leverages Financial Intelligence Platform to monitor and evaluate Practice Group productivity, AR management, WIP management, realization improvement, utilization, and time velocity against performance goals to proactively identify issues and opportunities for improvement.
Prepares rolling forecasts for the balance of the year with particular focus on the subsequent month to proactively get ahead of issues and identify opportunities for improvement.
Conducts monthly briefings with PGLs to advise on performance of Practice Group over the prior month and year-to-date providing insights, identifying highlights, and presenting opportunities for improvement and action plans with PGL participation.

Operational Performance

Leads the implementation and adoption of legal project management and matter management practices, processes and technologies to improve service delivery and profitability that are appropriate for the Practice Group including matter planning and budgeting.
Collaborates with Client Value Pricing and leverages Practice Group-specific resources that help lawyers scope and plan the matters, identify and communicate the expected cost and scope of legal work, spot risks for cost overruns, monitor run rate and leverage the Firm’s technology and knowledge resources to optimize legal service delivery.
Applies and advocates for legal project management best practices including matter scoping, budgeting, progress reporting, team and client communication and efficiency (including the application of technology and alternative staffing options).
Partners with a network of peers in Finance, Marketing & Business Development, Practice Development, Knowledge Management and other staff support teams to design and deliver innovative solutions to lawyers and clients and facilitates process improvement and innovation.
Advances and works in conjunction with other key stakeholders, on the evaluation, implementation, and application of technology, including AI enabled tools, across the department.
Coordinates with the Marketing and Business Development team to execute tactical business development plans, client targeting, and tracking of ROI for marketing and business development initiatives.
Supports the integration and onboarding of lateral hires, ensuring immediate alignment with Practice Group goals with focus on productivity and financial expectations.

Practice Group Performance Management Team Leadership

Provides performance-related coaching and feedback to direct reports. Formally reviews and evaluates the performance and work of team members; prepares performance evaluations and recommends compensation adjustments.
Provides leadership, direction, coaching, and performance management for a team of up to three (3) direct reports as the department scales, holding the title of Practice Group Performance Manager (PG Performance Manager).
Establishes goals, priorities, and development plans for PG Performance Managers, ensuring consistent support and service delivery across assigned Practice Groups.
Advises on the allocation of resources and workload management across the team to align with Practice Group priorities, strategic initiatives, and client demands.
Develops team capabilities in project management, financial analysis, data interpretation, process improvement, and technology adoption, including AI-enabled tools and analytics platforms.
Creates standardized methodologies, reporting frameworks, and best practices to promote consistency, scalability, and operational efficiency across all Practice Groups.
Collaborates with Department Leadership and PGLs to ensure appropriate staffing and deployment of Practice Group Performance Management resources in support of strategic priorities.
Fosters a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and client service excellence within the PG Performance Management team.

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities Required

Must possess a high level of professionalism and interpersonal skills so as to be able to work well with employees at all levels within the organization and maintain all information in the strictest confidence. Required to use tact and diplomacy when dealing with others.
Must possess attention to detail, the ability to balance multiple projects, and strong time management skills.
Must have the ability to reason and apply common-sense understanding to situations encountered.
Ability to process routine daily functions while being able to resolve sensitive issues and complex assignments utilizing above-average critical thinking skills.
Ability to analyze complex problems and develop practical, data-informed solutions.

Experience And Education Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required. MBA, JD, or other advanced degree preferred.
Minimum of eight (8) years of experience in law firm management or professional service operations required.
Experience with legal billing practices, financial or budget reporting, and Microsoft Office applications required.
Experience with strategic planning, process improvement, client service prioritization, and multi-office environments preferred.
Experience with technology adoption in the legal environment and demonstrated understanding of legal technology trends, including AI industry trends, workflow automation and process optimization.
Minimum five (5) years of experience in managing people and projects.

Thompson Coburn LLP is a large, full service, multi-state firm with offices in Birmingham, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, St. Louis, Southern Illinois, and Washington D.C. At Thompson Coburn, our behavior and the expectations we have of ourselves are guided by the values that we hold in the highest regard: integrity, a passion for excellence, a focus on serving the client, a value of diversity, innovation, creativity, trust, and loyalty. Within the Firm, we value each other as people and colleagues. In addition to the exceptional working environment and a competitive salary, Thompson Coburn provides the following benefit options to qualifying employees: