Legal Project Manager - Corporate

Clifford Chance US LLP offers a comprehensive benefits and compensation package. The salary range for this role is $130-170k. Actual salary will be commensurate with the candidate's qualifications and relevant experience

Who we are

We are one of the largest international law firms in the world. With over 30 offices across the globe, we strive to exceed the expectations of our clients, providing them with the highest-quality advice and legal insight, which combines the firm’s global standards with in-depth local expertise.

Our firm, work and people span jurisdictions, cultures, and languages. We offer our clients a truly international perspective. We believe every career should be rewarding and stimulating - full of opportunities to learn, thrive, and grow. That’s why we’re so proud of our inclusive, friendly, and team-based approach to work.

Our one firm global strategy is focused on targeted growth led by the needs of our core clients, those who we can best support with the breadth and depth of Clifford Chance expertise, across the sectors and geographies, which matter most to them.

You’ll find our clients in commercial and industrial sectors, the financial investor community, governments, regulators, trade bodies, and not-for-profit organisations. But no matter who they are or why they’ve reached out to us, we provide a world-class service every step of the way. And that’s possible thanks to the entrepreneurial spirit and conscientious approach to work that you’ll find across all of our teams.

Whichever area of the business you join, you’ll become an integral part an innovative, diverse and ambitious team of people. Clifford Chance is a place where the brightest minds and the best of colleagues meet.

The Role

Clifford Chance

Clifford Chance is the world's largest fully integrated law firm committed to leadership and innovation in legal service. We are global market leaders in all major areas of legal advice, and a significant element of our strategy is to attract and retain the best people by investing in, developing, and nurturing our talent.

Clifford Chance is committed to delivering our Clients the best-in-class legal service. We recognise that achieving this relates to the quality of our legal advice and how we provide our advice to Clients, which is why efficient and effective delivery is critical to our strategy. We apply innovative technology, embed a culture of continuous improvement, and deploy efficient resources to improve outcomes for the firm and our Clients.

Legal Project Management (LPM)

We have established a market-leading Legal Project Management team. Those who join our award-winning team become integral to shaping a rapidly evolving area of law essential to the firm's growth strategy.

Our LPMs are fully aligned and embedded within our priority Client relationship teams and our Global Business Units (GBUs). You will be aligned to one of our GBUs, impacting how we deliver high end complex legal advice to our biggest clients.

You will work on client matters and deals, as a core part of the client team recording time against those matters. You will track workstreams, work with clients, monitor resourcing, manage budgets, and integrate our innovative solutions into our largest and most complex projects. You will also bring new ideas and expertise to an evolving role within a rapidly changing legal market.

Who you will work with

You will work day-to-day on a range of projects (legal matters), working across multiple client / sectors at any one time. These multi-disciplinary teams will be made up of trainees, lawyers, partners, legal tech advisors, practice assistants, business development professionals, billing, and anyone else in the firm who forms part of a client matter or deal team.  The focus of each of the teams you work with is to serve the client, and to deliver excellent legal advice and guidance, and to conclude the matter successfully.

You'll need to establish strong relationships with Practice Area Leaders, Practice Area Managers, Business Development and a range of other internal stakeholders. You'll be able develop sustainable relationships, understanding stakeholder needs, identifying ways to address needs and demonstrate influencing skills to deliver the business objectives.

You will collaborate with other Legal Project Manager colleagues around our global network. You will also work closely with other members of the broader business professional community which includes Legal Technology Advisors, Resource Managers and Transformation Specialists.

What you will be responsible for

You'll support our partners working on some of the most complex matters with a chance to drive, deliver and implement outstanding project management on our largest legal matters.

What you will do

We are the front runners of innovation in the legal sector and everyone who joins our team becomes an integral part of shaping a rapidly developing area of law that is critical to the Firm's strategy.

• You will assist with the preparation of all project initiation documentation – such as prepare scope, resourcing and budget proposals for relevant matters or workstreams and then track progress against those proposals
• You will  dissect problems and processes and apply logical and analytical approaches to solving them
• You will positively influence the individuals you work with  (across a range of roles and seniority) to change and adapt their ways of working
• You will clearly explain theoretical concepts to senior stakeholders, including clients, and be comfortable amending your delivery approach and style
• You will manage effective planning:  over the short, medium and long term, then execute against those plans, such as documenting minutes, actions and tracking workstreams.  Throughout each project you will:
  • Continually assess and understand where issues are and how they can be addressed and then provide and implement pragmatic solutions to ensure the programme moves forward
  • Identify risks; such as conflicting deadlines, or a lack of skills, and then provide alternative solutions to mitigate the risk
  • Monitor accruals and manage the project against agreed budgets including scope change
• You will advise, recommend and engage with legal technology tools available, to provide support to efficiently manage your projects
• You will demonstrate advanced knowledge and skills of working with the Best Delivery technology and you'll be able to define requirements and set-up technology to support efficient delivery
• You will assess the activities required and ensure we are delegating appropriate tasks to Legal Project Analyst team to efficiently manage your projects
• You will take regular feedback and direction from your colleagues, and adjust and adapt your style and plans
• You will deliver presentations and facilitate workshops and form part of the client pitch teams
• You will work directly with Clients, positively representing Clifford Chance and as required working from Client site locations independently

Your Experience 

You will have either have a background in (i) project management or legal operations, ideally gained within a professional services or complex matrix environment, or (ii) you will have been a lawyer with experience of matter management.

A qualification or industry recognised certification in project management would be desirable, but is not essential, as we are happy to support team members with these qualifications.

Collaboration, influencing and internal networking are all key skills to make an impact as a Legal Project Manager within the Firm

How we will support you

As a Firm we make a significant investment in training and supporting members of the team through their careers at the Firm. We continuously develop careers structures to aid the skill development and progression of team members.

We offer assistance and funding for externally recognised project management qualifications including APM and others, as well as training in change management and technology. In addition to this, the nature of the work and interaction with the team will drive continuous on-the-job learning and you'll all have access to our global training and development centre, the Academy.

We have LPM teams in most offices and in every region across the globe. You will immediately become be a part of this global community with structures in place orchestrated to connect team members from around the world.

Wherever you join in our network, you will become a core member of the regional and global team. You will also have local support at the highest level from champion Partners and the Practice Area Manager.

The team is enriched by a wide range of knowledge and made up of people with vastly differing career backgrounds and experiences coming from the other professional services firms, within the legal industry and from corporates.

Hybrid Working

• Ability to work outside the core business hours as needed.
• Must be able to adhere and comply with the Firm's Agile Working Policy which requires employees to work from the office at least three days each calendar week.
• Must be independently legally authorized to work in the United States.

Equal Opportunities

At Clifford Chance, we understand that our true asset is our people. Inclusion is good for our team and their families, our firm and society. 

We are committed to treating all employees and applicants fairly and equally regardless of their gender, gender identity and expression, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour, national or ethnic origin, social or economic background, disability, religious belief, sexual orientation, or age.  This applies to recruitment and selection, terms and conditions of employment including pay, promotion, training, transfer and every other aspect of employment.

We have a variety of flourishing employee networks. These networks are a place for colleagues to share experiences and advocate for change wherever they see an opportunity for improvement.

Our goal is to deliver an equality of opportunity, an equality of aspiration and an equality of experience to everyone who works in our firm.

Find out more about our inclusive culture here

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