Paralegal Services Leader - Operations & Talent

Akerman LLP; Dallas (TX); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Akerman LLP seeks an experienced Manager of Paralegal Services to partner with the Senior Director of Paralegal Services in leading and operating the firm's nationwide paralegal program.

This role provides day-to-day oversight of paralegals across multiple offices and practice groups, guiding staffing, development, utilization, and workflow optimization to align resources with client demands and strategic priorities.

Qualifications

• Minimum seven years in a law firm or corporate legal department with substantial paralegal experience.
• Minimum three years of leadership or management experience.
• Experience leading in a multi-office environment.
• Experience with workforce planning, utilization management, and performance management.
• Strong written, verbal, interpersonal, organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced professional services environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day leadership, coaching, mentoring, and performance management for the firm's paralegals.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and client-focused culture.
• Support employee engagement, succession planning, and career development initiatives.
• Partner with Human Resources on employee relations, performance management, and talent development.
• Monitor utilization, workload, productivity, and staffing across offices and practice groups.
• Promote firmwide resource optimization through cross-office and cross-practice utilization, workload balancing, and capacity management.
• Coordinate staffing for significant matters, transactions, trials, arbitrations, and special projects.
• Partner with attorneys and practice group leaders to align staffing resources with business needs and client demands.
• Analyze utilization and performance metrics to identify trends, capacity needs, and operational opportunities.
• Lead recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, and retention efforts for the paralegal team.
• Develop and oversee training, mentoring, and professional development programs.
• Promote knowledge sharing and best practices across offices and practice groups.
• Assist with the implementation of departmental policies, procedures, and service standards.
• Evaluate workflows and recommend process improvements that enhance efficiency, consistency, and service delivery.
• Support departmental budgeting, reporting, utilization tracking, and operational metrics.
• Serve as a liaison among attorneys, practice group leaders, Human Resources, and administrative departments to ensure responsive, high-quality support.

Skills

Leadership

Workforce planning

Utilization management

Workflow coordination

Performance management

Communication

Problem-solving

Education

Paralegal certificate

Job description

Akerman LLP seeks an experienced Manager of Paralegal Services to partner with the Senior Director of Paralegal Services in leading and operating the firm's nationwide paralegal program.

This role provides day-to-day oversight of paralegals across multiple offices and practice groups, guiding staffing, development, utilization, and workflow optimization to align resources with client demands and strategic priorities.