[Hiring] Paralegal Manager @Husch Blackwell

Role Description

The Paralegal Manager reports to the Director – Paralegals & Practice Professionals and is responsible for administering the Paralegal Program firmwide. The Paralegal Manager drives operational efficiency, fosters professional development, and ensures high-quality legal support for the Firm lawyers handling transactional, compliance, and litigation matters.

The ideal candidate will have experience with sophisticated multi-jurisdictional mass tort & complex product liability lawsuits as part of a collaborative team. This role will primarily support the Firm’s Complex Tort Strategic Business Unit and requires expertise directing large teams of paralegals handling high-volume litigation cases. Essential job functions include:

• Leadership
  • Stay informed of developments, legal industry and Complex Tort trends.
  • Lead and manage paralegals to ensure delivery of excellent services to stakeholders.
  • Demonstrate process improvement and workflow design acumen.
  • Solid understanding of business operations, project management methodologies and industry trends.
  • Collaborate with leadership and cross-functionally to provide support to the Practice Professional Program.
  • Assess opportunities to integrate automation and AI tools to optimize paralegal workflows.
  • Collaborate with leadership and cross-functionally to meet the Firm’s strategic objectives.
• Staffing
  • Oversee paralegal work allocation to ensure excellent legal support to the Firm’s attorneys.
  • Collaborate with the legal recruiting team to identify, interview and make paralegal hiring recommendations.
  • Facilitate paralegal departures and transitions, with the support of the People Business Partner and Practice Specialty Center Leaders.
  • Coordinate regular paralegal firmwide meetings and communications.
  • Participate in the onboarding of new hires, introducing them to Husch Blackwell’s culture, systems, and workflows.
• Training & Career Development
  • Collaborate with Practice Specialty Center Leaders and the Professional Development team to develop appropriate industry related training programs.
  • Manage the paralegal mentoring program.
• Performance Management
  • Collaborate with the Performance and Compensation team and Managing Directors on the Paralegals and Practice Professionals annual performance evaluations and compensation recommendations.
  • Provide consistent feedback to paralegals as part of their ongoing development.
  • Monitor adherence of Firm policies, legal standards and ethical guidelines while promoting consistency and fairness.
  • Foster a culture of accountability, efficiency, and client-centered service excellence within the team.
• Productivity
  • Monitor overall productivity, including utilization, overtime, and time entry compliance.
  • Develop, maintain, and continuously improve reporting methodologies related to performance metrics.
  • Identify inefficiencies and contribute to the implementation of improvements that enhance operational efficiency.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in legal studies, business administration, or related field; or combination of education and commensurate work experience required.
• Minimum 5 years of management experience in legal or Complex Torts.
• Minimum 3 years of Paralegal experience in corporate, regulatory, or Complex Tort litigation matters.
• Demonstrate strong judgement, organizational, and time-management skills.
• High level of professional integrity and ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, prioritization and communication skills.
• Experience with performance management and policy enforcement.
• Exhibit high emotional intelligence, discretion, and sound judgment.
• Proficient in project management tools and data interpretation.
• Collaborative approach and adaptability to evolving business demands.

Benefits

• Employees are entitled to compensation commensurate with skill and experience.
• The exact compensation will vary based on skills, experience, location, and other factors permitted by law.
• The expected compensation ranges for this position in various states and jurisdictions are as follows:
  • State of California: $120,000 - $244,000
  • State of Colorado: $110,000 - $196,000
  • State of Connecticut: $95,000 - $241,000
  • State of Illinois: $108,000 - $210,000
  • State of Maine: $81,000 - $188,000
  • State of Maryland: $116,000 - $176,000
  • State of Massachusetts: $120,000 - $229,000
  • State of Minnesota: $120,000 - $198,000
  • Jersey City, NJ: $130,000 - $236,000
  • State of New York: $111,000 - $241,000
  • State of Vermont: $118,000 - $227,000
  • State of Virginia: $78,000 - $227,000
  • State of Washington: $116,000 - $220,000
  • Washington, D.C.: $154,000 - $227,000
• The above salaries do not include a discretionary bonus, however bonus opportunities are non-guaranteed, and are dependent upon individual and firm performance.
• Full-time employees receive benefits including:
  • Medical and dental coverage
  • Life insurance
  • Short-term and long-term disability insurance
  • Pre-tax flexible spending account for certain medical and dependent care expenses
  • An employee assistance program
  • Paid Time Off
  • Paid holidays
  • Participation in a retirement plan program after meeting eligibility requirements
  • And more.