Senior Manager, Legal Project Management

Goodwin; California; On-site; USD 180,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Professional development

Wellness programs

Job summary

Goodwin’s Global Operations Team seeks a Senior Manager, Legal Project Management to partner with partners and fee earners across practice groups. You will drive matter delivery, commercial discipline, and client transparency, collaborating with the Head of LPM and Client Value & Pricing to embed LPM across the firm.

You will lead end-to-end LPM on high-value matters, shape scope, budget, and resourcing, and develop real-time dashboards for client transparency and risk management.

Qualifications

• 5+ years' experience in legal project management or related operations.
• Experience embedding LPM in nascent environments.
• Knowledge of Agile/Lean or Six Sigma methodologies.
• PMP or PRINCE2 or equivalent certification.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end LPM support on complex matters within scope and budget.
• Develop matter plans, budgets, and resource trackers for real-time visibility.
• Drive commercial discussions on scope, budget, and profitability.
• Mentor junior team members and help scale the function.

Skills

Legal PM

Stakeholder mgmt

Agile/Lean

Design thinking

AFAs/-cost control

Tools

Workflow automation

BI/Reporting

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.

As Senior Manager, Legal Project Management you will partner directly with partners and fee earners across assigned practice groups and sectors to drive matter delivery, commercial discipline, and client transparency — working closely with the Head of LPM and the broader Client Value & Pricing team to embed LPM into the fabric of how Goodwin delivers work.

What You Will Do

Strategic Partnership

• Build trusted advisory relationships with partners and senior associates, engaging at matter inception to shape scope, resourcing, risk mitigation, and fee structures.
• Collaborate with the Pricing team to deliver integrated pricing and project management solutions.
• Act as strategic partner to new business development, supporting client pitches, fee discussions, and acting as a voice of innovation and commercial rigor.

Matter Delivery & Commercial Discipline

• Lead end-to-end LPM support on complex, high-value matters, ensuring that work is delivered within scope, on budget, on time, while protecting matter profitability.
• Ensuring that matters are reviewed on completion to ensure capture of lessons and best practice.
• Drive commercial conversations around scope change, budget risk, and profitability, proactively identifying and addressing commercial issues before they elevate further.
• Develop and maintain matter plans, budgets, and resource trackers that provide partners and clients with real-time visibility of matter health.

Client Engagement

• Build direct client relationships with clients, supporting transparent communication on matter progress, budget status, and delivery timelines.
• Develop and utilize real-time dashboards to support client transparency and risk management.
• Articulate Goodwin's delivery performance in client-friendly terms through value reports and post-engagement reviews.

Innovation & Continuous Improvement

• Champion the adoption of AI, automation, and data tools to transform matter planning, tracking, and reporting.
• Contribute to predictive budgeting models and data-driven tools that improve matter forecasting accuracy.
• Embed design thinking and process improvement into how matters are scoped and managed, building scalable templates and workflows.

Building the Function

• As one of the first hires in a new function, you will help create the LPM operating model, toolkit, and ways of working – building intellectual capital that will scale across the firm.
• Develop frameworks, playbooks, and training materials that will form the backbone of the function's operating model.
• Mentor junior team members as the function grows, modelling excellence and fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation.

Who You Are

• 5+ years' experience in legal project management, legal operations, or a related role within a law firm, in-house legal team, or professional services environment.
• Demonstrated track record of embedding LPM in a nascent environment, e.g. where partners have not previously used LPM.
• Exposure to design thinking, Lean, Agile, or Six Sigma methodologies.
• Prior involvement in training, coaching, or change management initiatives.
• PMP, PRINCE2, or equivalent project management certification.
• Expertise in the fundamentals of project management and change leadership.
• Strong commercial mindset with deep expertise in AFAs, matter budgeting, profitability analysis and commercial risk management.
• Strong analytical and financial acumen. Comfortable interrogating data, building models, and making commercial recommendations.
• Hands‑on experience with legal tech platforms (e.g. workflow automation, collaboration, matter management, BI/reporting tools) and a genuine curiosity about AI and emerging tech.
• Exceptional stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and build credibility with senior partners and demanding clients.
• Ability to set a vision and bring others on the journey.

TV1

Benefits And More

At Goodwin, you will discover your next career opportunity with a rewarding compensation package and comprehensive benefits, including:

• 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: Up To $200,000.00