Paralegal Manager

Goodwin Procter Boston; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Professional Development

Employee Discounts

Job summary

Goodwin Procter is seeking a Senior Paralegal Manager for its Global Operations Team in San Francisco. You will lead paralegals and case assistants, transform workflows with attorneys and staff, and drive the adoption of AI-enabled processes across the practice.

You will partner with practice leaders and HR to align staffing, training, and development with client priorities, while maintaining high standards of service delivery and risk management.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of leadership experience in a large law firm or complex legal services.
• Experience managing legal professionals and driving operational change.
• Proven record of improving service delivery.

Responsibilities

• Lead assigned paralegals and case assistants with clear performance expectations.
• Provide coaching and feedback; develop talent; support succession planning.
• Own performance management with the Director and HR; drive continuous improvement.

Skills

Leadership

Process improvement

Legal tech

Change management

Staffing analytics

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Legora

Copilot

Litigation platforms

Job description

Join Goodwin’s Global Operations Team, and make a real impact on a global scale. At Goodwin, we work with some of the world’s most successful and innovative investors, entrepreneurs and disruptors in the life sciences, private equity, real estate, technology and financial industries, and where they converge. As part of the Global Operations Team – all business professionals at the firm – you’ll collaborate with colleagues from varied backgrounds and experiences, fostering an environment where cross-functional learning, networking, and collaboration are at the core of what we do. Here, we’re not just supporting a law firm; we’re partnering with attorneys and clients to deliver cutting-edge solutions in high-stakes litigation and dispute resolution, world-class regulatory compliance and advisory services, and complex transactions. Our commitment to integrity, ingenuity, agility, and ambition drives us, and we’re proud to have been recognised as the “Best Business Team” by The American Lawyer. This is your opportunity to grow professionally in a dynamic, global environment, surrounded by forward-thinking peers.

What You Will Do:

Technology, Process Improvement & Knowledge Sharing

Lead workflow transformation efforts by identifying friction points, repetitive work, and inconsistent practices, then by partnering with attorneys, paralegals, technology teams, and firm resources to innovate how work is assigned, completed, and supported.

Drive adoption of firm technology and AI tools by identifying high-value use cases, supporting experimentation, and embedding successful practices into daily workflows.

Evaluate opportunities for automation, standardization, and knowledge sharing that reduce manual effort, improve consistency, manage risk, and enable higher-value support.

Practice Partnership & Service Delivery

Build strong relationships with TIL leaders, partners, associates, and business stakeholders to understand practice priorities and client needs.

Serve as a strategic point of contact regarding paralegal capabilities, demand, headcount, talent needs, and opportunities to enhance services.

Translate emerging workstreams and stakeholder feedback into staffing, training, specialization, and workforce plans.

Identify opportunities for paralegals and case assistants to provide higher-value support while maintaining quality, responsiveness, and sound risk management.

People Leadership & Talent Management

Lead assigned paralegals and case assistants, setting clear expectations for performance, collaboration, accountability, and client service.

Provide regular coaching and feedback; identify development needs, high-potential talent, succession opportunities, and emerging skill requirements.

Own performance management in partnership with the Director and Human Resources, including annual reviews, advancement recommendations, and timely resolution of performance concerns.

Foster an inclusive culture of continuous learning, knowledge sharing, cross-office collaboration, and shared responsibility for team success.

Training, Recruiting & Onboarding

Develop training and experiential learning programs that keep paralegal and case assistant skills aligned with practice needs, technology, and industry standards.

Continue strengthening the Litigation Case Assistant program through structured training, career development, workload optimization, and improved utilization.

Partner with Human Resources, Talent Acquisition, and practice leadership on workforce planning, candidate selection, hiring, and consistent onboarding.

Provide orientation and practical guidance to new and lateral attorneys on Paralegal Services, staffing protocols, and effective use of the team.

Staffing & Operations

Oversee staffing and work allocation, balancing matter needs, workloads, utilization, specialization, and individual capabilities across offices.

Monitor productivity, demand, and staffing data to identify trends, address capacity constraints, and support workforce planning.

Partner with the Director and other Paralegal Managers to share resources and resolve operational issues.

Ensure consistent completion of administrative requirements, including accurate time entry and timecard approval.

Build practice- and industry-aligned communities that capture specialized knowledge, share templates and best practices, and reduce knowledge silos.

Track adoption and impact of improvement initiatives and use lessons learned to guide future changes.

What You Will Bring:

• 7+ years of progressive leadership experience in a large law firm or similarly complex legal services environment, with demonstrated success managing legal professionals, driving operational change, and improving service delivery.
• Bachelor's degree required; an advanced degree or relevant professional certification is a plus.
• Proven success leading process improvement, workflow optimization, or service delivery initiatives in a legal environment.
• Experience driving adoption of legal technology and AI-enabled solutions, such as Legora, Copilot, litigation support platforms, or comparable tools.
• Strong project and change management skills, with the ability to turn ideas into practical, sustained ways of working.
• Ability to use staffing, utilization, demand, and performance data to guide operational and workforce decisions.
• Excellent judgment, coaching, communication, and relationship-building skills, with credibility across attorneys, paralegals, offices, and business teams.

Benefits and More

• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Life and disability insurance
• Retirement & Savings Plan
• Emergency back-up child and adult care
• Paid vacation, sick time off, and holidays
• Professional development and career advancement opportunities
• Employee recognition and reward programs
• Employee wellness and assistance programs
• Employee discounts and perks
• This position is eligible for overtime: No

The Target Salary Range For This Position Varies By Location And Is Commensurate With Relevant Experience: $150,000.00 - $175,000.00

Professional career paths at Goodwin offer you more – and less – than you might expect. You’ll find less hierarchy and more meritocracy. You’ll have more chances to work across departments and offices, and fewer roadblocks to getting the job done. We believe people are happiest when they’re not limited by a ‘that’s how we’ve always done it’ approach, so we encourage a more imaginative and collaborative working environment.

Our Global Operations Team – what we call our GO Team – brings a level of professionalism, enthusiasm and commitment to work each and every day.

Goodwin embraces responsible and ethical use of AI in the Hiring Process.