FINANCE DEPARTMENT

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP is a premier law firm with market-leading practices, a global perspective and strong New York roots. Our clients look to us to bring a distinctively high degree of quality, intensity and creativity to resolve legal challenges effectively and cost efficiently. We believe in hiring talented and dedicated individuals as members of our administrative community. We draw on the strength of our culture and structure to deliver the best of our firm to our lawyers and clients through true collaboration. The firm is seeking a full-time Legal Project Manager to work closely with our finance and pricing teams, clients, and attorneys in the efficient management of legal matters. The Legal Project Manager will be expected to interact professionally with partners, clients and procurement teams and administrative teams. This is an exempt position and reports to the Associate Director, Legal Project Management.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Identify & develop LPM best practices, templates, tools & checklists to improve client service.
• Review & test legal technology options, while ensuring data governance and security.
• Support matter teams in responding to a client’s request for proposal (RFP) – including scoping and estimating a matter, drafting example LPM documents and creating a transparent communications and project plan catered to a client’s needs.
• Manage matters to project plans, with status reports, workstream, deadline & budget tracking.
• Provide financial projections and recommend action for changes in scope, time and cost.
• Actively collect/store feedback from matter teams/clients with the goal of continuous improvement.
• Act as an on-demand consultant to matter & admin teams for best practice guidance, innovative improvements and efficiency recommendations.
• Utilize genAI to gain efficiencies in daily tasks.
• Maintain repository for client Outside Counsel Guidelines (OCGs), create OCG summaries and update database / billing system with OCG rules.
• Participate in the creation and presentation of LPM training materials for client teams.
• Ad hoc projects and other duties as assigned.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Proactive, self-learner who is motivated & results-oriented with a positive, team-player attitude.
• Comprehension of/experience with law firm financial metrics and alternative fee arrangements.
• Knowledge of Aderant.
• Intermediate/Advanced experience with SQL.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to handle multiple tasks and heavy workloads efficiently.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Ability to communicate clearly and concisely with senior management, clients, and partners.
• Ability to boldly ask why, and, with tact, influence and propose alternative solutions.
• Experience with LLMs, NLP, machine learning and AI generally.

Requirements:

• Coursework/certification(s) in project management principles.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft tools, especially Excel, PowerPoint, PowerBI.
• Ability and willingness to develop a strong comprehension of the firm’s financial system.
• High level of attention to detail, accountability and initiative.
• Flexibility to work outside scheduled hours (9:30am-5:30pm EST) as required.

• Identify & develop LPM best practices, templates, tools & checklists to improve client service.
• Review & test legal technology options, while ensuring data governance and security.
• Support matter teams in responding to a client’s request for proposal (RFP) – including scoping and estimating a matter, drafting example LPM documents and creating a transparent communications and project plan catered to a client’s needs.
• Manage matters to project plans, with status reports, workstream, deadline & budget tracking.
• Provide financial projections and recommend action for changes in scope, time and cost.
• Actively collect/store feedback from matter teams/clients with the goal of continuous improvement.
• Act as an on-demand consultant to matter & admin teams for best practice guidance, innovative improvements and efficiency recommendations.
• Utilize genAI to gain efficiencies in daily tasks.
• Maintain repository for client Outside Counsel Guidelines (OCGs), create OCG summaries and update database / billing system with OCG rules.
• Participate in the creation and presentation of LPM training materials for client teams.
• Ad hoc projects and other duties as assigned