Legal Project Manager

K&L Gates; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 128,000 - 217,000; Full time

Job summary

K&L Gates is seeking a Legal Project Manager to lead budgeting, scoping, and lifecycle management of high‑priority matters. You will work closely with legal teams, analysts, and leadership to deliver efficient outcomes and embed best practices across the firm.

The role involves training delivery, change management, and cross‑functional collaboration to improve processes and knowledge management. A JD or advanced degree is preferred.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in law, consulting, or project management.
• Master’s degree or J.D. preferred.
• Experience in a legal services environment a plus; translate PM methods to a legal setting.
• PM certification preferred.
• Comfort with Excel, SharePoint, and related tech.
• Experience in training, influencing, and change management.

Responsibilities

• Use PM techniques to manage matters through scoping, budgeting, planning, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Provide on‑demand support during lifecycle phases.
• Embed with the legal team to understand needs and drive solutions.
• Budget matters with Matter Planning Analysts using historical data.
• Collaborate with leadership on resource allocation and development.
• Develop and deploy firmwide training on Legal Project Management.
• Support training and implementation of PM-related technology.
• Coordinate with client internal legal operations teams as needed.
• Challenge status quo and support change management initiatives.

Skills

Legal project management

Budgeting

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Training delivery

Change management

Process improvement

Education

Master’s degree or J.D. preferred

Tools

Excel

SharePoint

Job description

We are seeking a Legal Project Manager to join the firm. The Legal Project Manager will be responsible for working closely with legal teams to manage a suite of high priority and complex matters at the firm. The role may also be called upon to consult on an on-demand basis at various stages of the life cycle of a matter (i.e. matter initiation, delivery, or evaluation). This role is part of the Matter Planning team and will work closely with analysts and others on budgeting and pricing as well as other initiatives related to process improvement and knowledge management. In addition, the person in this role will help with the development and implementation of Firmwide training on legal project management. This role is part of a highly cross‑functional team.

• Utilize proven project management techniques to support the efficient management of matters through all stages including scoping, framing, budgeting, planning, managing, monitoring, and evaluation
• Provide on‑demand support on matters that may need specific, limited, assistance during a particular phase in their lifecycle
• Become an embedded and trusted member of the legal team, understanding their needs and pain points and focusing on a solution‑oriented approach
• Work with the Matter Planning Analysts to budget matters by reviewing historical data and other key data points
• Work with practice leadership and human resources on issues of resource allocation and development
• Work closely with the Matter Planning team on developing and deploying firmwide training on Legal Project Management
• Support training and implementation of technology related to project management
• Liaise with client’s internal legal operations teams as needed
• Willingness to challenge “the way things have always been done” and support related change management initiatives

Experience & Skills Required

• 5 or more years within law, consulting, or project management
• Master’s degree or J.D. preferred
• Experience working in a legal services environment strongly preferred; ability to translate project management methodology to a legal setting required
• Formal project management certification preferred
• Comfort using Excel, SharePoint, and similar technology
• Experience in training, influencing, and change management a plus

Additional Abilities Required

• Assist with identifying opportunities for process improvement initiatives and knowledge management projects and, where appropriate, help develop and evangelize best practices
• Work closely with other administrative departments at the firm including practice support, IT, finance, professional development and marketing
• Confidence communicating with all levels of the legal team and client; including delivering difficult messages and challenging current assumptions
• Ability to deliver creative answers with pragmatic solutions
• Demonstrated interest and passion in ways to make legal practice more efficient and innovative
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with strong awareness of what type of communication is appropriate for what audience
• Comfortable operating in both structured and unstructured environments
• Understand and articulate the business case behind decisions in matter management
• Ability to encourage and build positive relationships and communicate (both verbal and written) effectively with all co‑workers and outside vendors

Compensation Salary $128,000 - $217,000

The compensation salary for this position will be determined during the interview process and will vary based on multiple factors, including but not limited to prior experience, relevant expertise, current business needs, and market factors.