Manager, Litigation & Corporate Paralegals

Simpson Thacher; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP in New York is seeking a Manager, Litigation & Corporate Paralegals to oversee staffing, utilization and day-to-day support for paralegal teams across corporate transactional and litigation practices. You will partner with attorneys and practice directors to manage workload balance and drive performance improvements.

This role also leads recruiting, onboarding and training, while driving process improvements and the adoption of automation and AI tools to enhance

Qualifications

• 5-7 years of experience at a law firm or professional services firm.
• Demonstrated experience managing staffing, resource allocation, utilization and workflow coordination in a fast-paced professional services environment.
• Strong leadership and people management skills, including experience with coaching, mentoring, performance management and employee development.
• Excellent judgment and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess competing priorities and make sound, timely decisions.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with attorneys, paralegals, clients and administrative leadership.

Responsibilities

• Staffing, Resource Allocation and Workflow Management for paralegals across Litigation and Corporate practices.
• Analyze reports to monitor paralegal time, capacity and availability for efficient matter assignment.
• Oversee assignment policies, time-entry compliance and time-off approvals; manage transitions and knowledge transfer.
• Lead recruiting, onboarding, training and performance management to support team effectiveness and engagement.

Skills

Staffing & resource allocation

Leadership

Communication

Project management

MS Office

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Job description

Job Summary & ObjectivesOverviewSimpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP is one of the world’s leading international law firms. The Firm was established in 1884 and has approximately 2,000 lawyers. Headquartered in New York with offices in Beijing, Boston, Brussels, Chicago, Dallas, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Luxembourg, Palo Alto, San Francisco, São Paulo, Singapore, Tokyo and Washington, D.C., the Firm provides coordinated legal advice and transactional capability to clients around the globe.Job SummaryThe Manager, Litigation & Corporate Paralegals is responsible for overseeing staffing, utilization, professional development and day-to-day operational support for the paralegal teams that support the Firm’s corporate transactional practices, such as real estate, mergers & acquisitions and executive compensation & employee benefits, and the Firm’s litigation practice. This role partners closely with assigning attorneys, Practice Directors and other Firm stakeholders to manage resource allocation, balance workloads across offices, support performance management and advance team effectiveness. The Paralegal Manager also leads recruiting, onboarding, training and engagement initiatives, while identifying opportunities to improve processes, strengthen communication and enhance workflows through innovation, including the integration of automation and AI tools.Essential Job Duties & ResponsibilitiesStaffing, Resource Allocation and Workflow ManagementSupport the Litigation and Corporate practice groups in resource allocation, staffing strategy and productivity managementCommunicate with assigning attorneys to respond to and clarify staffing requests, and coordinate with paralegals regarding capacity, bandwidth and overall workflowPartner with Practice Directors to manage utilization, workload distribution and cross-office collaborationAnalyze weekly and monthly reports to monitor paralegal time, capacity and availability, enabling efficient matter assignment, reallocation of work and effective load balancingOversee work assignment policies, procedures and systems, including assignment tracking, time-entry compliance and time off requests and approvalsManage departures and transitions, including work handoff, reallocation of assignments and knowledge transferServe as a point person for issue-spotting, problem-solving and resolution on staffing, workflow and team-related mattersHiring, Performance Management, Professional Development and Team Suppor tAssist with recruiting and hiring processes, including identifying hiring needs, interviewing, and selecting candidatesPlan and lead the onboarding and orientation of new paralegals to facilitate effective integration into the groupManage the performance review process for Litigation and Corporate paralegals, including the mid-year check-ins and year-end reviews, and contribute to a culture of feedback and coachingMonitor, escalate and address performance issues in coordination with relevant Firm leadership and Human Resources, as appropriateServe as a resource to paralegals by providing guidance, mentorship and connections to Firm and professional development resourcesIdentify training and development needs in line with specific practice needs and help design and implement substantive training programs aligned with Firm standardsConnect regularly with paralegals to monitor morale, solicit feedback and address concerns proactivelyDevelop and lead initiatives that foster team cohesion, engagement and meaningful connection across the groupClient and Stakeholder CoordinationLiaise with appropriate client or Firm contacts regarding staffing protocols, best practices and secondment coordinationCollaborate with Practice Directors and other Firm stakeholders to support operational goals and service deliveryOperations, Process Improvement and InnovationIdentify operational inefficiencies and recommend and implement process improvements to enhance service delivery and team effectivenessIdentify opportunities to leverage automation and AI tools to improve workflows, and help develop related training, governance and best practicesFacilitate communication across paralegal cohorts, including drafting and managing regular and targeted communicationsCoordinate group meetings, including developing agendas, identifying substantive topics and organizing presentationsReporting, Budgeting and Administrative SupportAssist with annual budget preparation, operational expense tracking and related reportingPrepare or contribute to management reporting on utilization, staffing trends, hiring needs and other key operational metricsPerform other duties as assignedEducationRequiredBachelor’s degreePreferredKnowledge of legal principles and practicesSkills and ExperienceRequired5-7 years of experience at a law firm or professional services firmDemonstrated experience managing staffing, resource allocation, utilization and workflow coordination in a fast-paced professional services environmentStrong leadership and people management skills, including experience with coaching, mentoring, performance management and employee developmentExcellent judgment and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess competing priorities and make sound, timely decisionsStrong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with attorneys, paralegals, clients and administrative leadershipAbility to work both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, demanding environmentStrong attention to detail and a high degree of self-motivation, with the ability to produce accurate, timely and complete work productStrong organizational and project management skills, with close attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneouslyStrong technical skills including proficiency in MS Office programs such as Outlook, Word, and ExcelMust be flexible and willing to work outside of core business hours as necessarySalary InformationNY Only: The estimated base salary range for this position is $150,000 to $175,000 at the time of posting.The actual salary offered will depend on a variety of factors, including without limitation, the qualifications of the individual applicant for the position, years of relevant experience, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held, and if applicable, the location in which the applicant lives and/or from which they will be performing the job. This role is exempt meaning it is not overtime pay eligible.Simpson Thacher will not sponsor applicants for work visas for this position.Privacy NoticeFor information about how Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP collects and processes your personal information, please refer to our Privacy Notice available at https://www.stblaw.com/other/privacy-notice .Simpson Thacher & Bartlett is committed to a collegial work environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. The Firm prohibits discrimination or harassment based upon race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, citizenship status, disability, marital or partnership status, sexual orientation, veteran’s status or any other legally protected status. This Policy pertains to every aspect of an individual’s relationship with the Firm, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, benefits, training and development, promotion, transfer, discipline, termination, and all other privileges, terms and conditions of employment.#LI-Hybrid