Pre‑Litigation Manager

The Ward Law Group, PL; Town of Florida (NY); On-site; USD 110,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental & Vision

Life Insurance

Short-Term Disability

Long-Term Disability

401(k) with Company Match

Paid Time Off

EAP

Job summary

The Ward Law Group, PL is seeking a Pre-Litigation Manager to lead and develop our pre-litigation department, overseeing attorneys, case managers, and support staff to ensure efficient client outcomes.

Ideal candidates have 5+ years in plaintiff personal injury, 3+ years in leadership, and are bilingual in English and Spanish. Strong knowledge of case handling, settlements, and KPI management is required.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of plaintiff personal injury experience.
• 3+ years of leadership experience managing attorneys, case managers, or legal operations teams.
• Bilingual English/Spanish required.
• Strong knowledge of personal injury case handling, liability evaluation, treatment, negotiation, and settlements.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the pre-litigation department for efficient client outcomes.
• Oversee attorneys, case managers, demand specialists, and support staff.
• Establish KPIs, monitor performance, and enforce department policies.
• Coach and develop team members; conduct performance reviews.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to improve workflows and client experience.

Skills

Bilingual English/Spanish

Leadership

Case lifecycle knowledge

Communication

Tools

Litify

Salesforce

SmartAdvocate

Job description

Company Description

Join an Award-Winning Personal Injury Law Firm

Company Description

Join an Award-Winning Personal Injury Law Firm

At The Ward Law Group, our mission is simple:

Changing Lives. One Client at a Time

Recognized as one of the Best Places to Work for consecutive years, we are committed to delivering exceptional legal representation while creating an environment where talented professionals can grow, lead, and make a meaningful impact every day.

We believe our people are our greatest asset. We foster a collaborative, innovative, and high-accountability culture where every team member is empowered to make informed decisions, continuously improve, and deliver exceptional results for our clients. Every role contributes directly to helping injured individuals navigate one of the most challenging times in their lives while supporting the continued growth and success of our firm.

Our Core Values

• Faith – We act with integrity, honesty, and purpose in everything we do.
• Accountability – We take ownership of our work, our commitments, and the results we deliver.
• Leadership – We lead by example, inspire others, embrace continuous improvement, and develop high-performing teams.
• Loyalty – We build lasting relationships through trust, respect, and dedication to our clients, teammates, and community.
• Service to Our Clients – We are committed to delivering compassionate, responsive, and exceptional service that maximizes every client's opportunity for success.
• Service to Our Teammates – We foster a culture of collaboration, respect, support, and shared success where every team member has the opportunity to grow and thrive.
• Service to Our Community – We believe in making a positive impact beyond the workplace by serving and strengthening the communities where we live and work.

If you are passionate about helping injured clients, thrive in a fast-paced, results-driven environment, and are committed to delivering exceptional client service while continuously growing your career, we invite you to join The Ward Law Group and help us change lives - one client at a time.

Job Description

The Pre-Litigation Manager is responsible for leading and developing the firm's pre-litigation department while ensuring exceptional client outcomes, operational efficiency, and team performance. This role oversees attorneys, case managers, demand specialists, and support staff responsible for managing personal injury cases from retention through settlement or litigation transfer.

The ideal candidate is a proven personal injury leader who understands case lifecycle management, settlement strategy, team development, KPI management, and operational execution. The Pre-Litigation Manager will be accountable for department performance, client satisfaction, settlement outcomes, attorney productivity, and adherence to firm processes and standards.

Key Responsibilities

Department Leadership & Operations

• Oversee daily pre-litigation operations and workflow management.
• Ensure cases progress efficiently through all stages of pre-litigation.
• Monitor attorney and case management productivity, workload distribution, and performance.
• Identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and operational risks and implement corrective action plans.
• Develop and enforce department policies, procedures, and best practices.
• Drive accountability through measurable KPIs and performance metrics.

Case Strategy & Settlement Oversight

• Review high-value, complex, and escalated personal injury matters.
• Assist attorneys with case strategy, liability analysis, treatment evaluation, and settlement planning.
• Review settlement authority recommendations and negotiation strategies.
• Ensure cases are worked aggressively to maximize settlement value while maintaining efficiency.
• Partner with attorneys to determine appropriate litigation referrals and case escalation decisions.

Team Management

• Recruit, hire, onboard, train, and develop attorneys, case managers, and support staff.
• Conduct performance reviews and provide ongoing coaching and feedback.
• Establish individual and departmental goals and ensure accountability for results.
• Address performance concerns and implement development plans when necessary.
• Foster a high-performance culture focused on ownership, urgency, service, and results.

Client Experience

• Ensure exceptional client communication throughout the case lifecycle.
• Monitor client satisfaction and resolution timelines.
• Assist in resolving escalated client concerns and service issues.
• Ensure case teams maintain proactive communication and responsiveness.

Performance Management & Reporting

• Monitor and report on departmental KPIs and operational metrics.
• Analyze settlement performance, attorney productivity, caseload management, and case progression.
• Conduct regular audits to ensure compliance with firm standards.
• Develop action plans to improve performance, efficiency, and profitability.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Intake, Demand Center, Reductions, Litigation, and Client Support teams.
• Work with firm leadership to identify growth opportunities and operational improvements.
• Support the firm's strategic initiatives and expansion efforts.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Florida or New York personal injury experience.
• Bilingual English/Spanish.
• 5+ years of plaintiff personal injury experience.
• 3+ years of leadership experience managing attorneys, case managers, or legal operations teams.
• Demonstrated success managing pre-litigation case portfolios at scale.
• Strong knowledge of personal injury case handling, liability evaluation, treatment management, negotiation strategy, and settlement processes.
• Experience managing KPIs, departmental performance, and operational workflows.
• Strong leadership, coaching, and employee development skills.
• Excellent communication and conflict resolution skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing teams of 15+ employees.
• Multi-office law firm leadership experience.
• Experience with Litify, Salesforce, SmartAdvocate, or similar legal technology platforms.
• Process improvement and operational management experience.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Settlement Performance

• Total settlement dollars generated.
• Average settlement value.
• Settlement growth trends.

Case Management

• Time-on-desk compliance.
• Case progression and cycle time.
• Litigation referral quality.

Operational Excellence

• Attorney productivity.
• Caseload balance and utilization.
• Task completion and workflow compliance

Client Experience

• Client satisfaction scores.
• Communication compliance.
• Complaint and escalation resolution.

Leadership & Team Performance

• Employee retention.
• Training completion rates.Performance improvement outcomes.
• Achievement of department goals.

Additional Information

Eligible employees enjoy a competitive benefits package, including:

• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
• Company-paid Life Insurance
• Short-Term Disability
• Long-Term Disability
• Supplemental Insurance Options
• 401(k) with Company Match
• Paid Time Off
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Join Our Team

At The Ward Law Group, every role contributes to changing lives.

If you're looking for an opportunity to grow your litigation career, maximize client recoveries, and work alongside a high-performing legal team, we'd love to hear from you.