Job Summary:

The Director of Corporate Practice serves as chief-of-staff to the Global Chair of the Corporate Department and is responsible for all aspects of Practice Management in order to support the continued growth of the Department, comprising 420+ attorneys (which includes 102 partners and 15 Practice Group Heads) across 6 practice areas and 4 offices globally. Serves as a trusted advisor to the Chair, Practice Group Heads, Partners and Firm leadership and as the primary liaison to other Departments and the Firm's Business Services functions on behalf of the Corporate Department.

Job Relationships:

Reports to and interacts daily with the Chair of the Corporate Department. Interacts daily with Corporate Practice Group Heads, Partners and attorneys at all levels. Regularly interacts with Partners in other departments. Manages a team of Practice Managers, Coordinators and Assistants. Interacts frequently with senior Firm management and other Business Services professionals.

Job Responsibilities:

Operates at the Firm, Department and Practice Group levels in the following areas, working closely with the Corporate Practice Management team and other Business Services professionals to deliver the full range of support across the Department:

Strategic Planning

• Participate in key strategic projects (e.g., market intelligence, competitor analysis, workforce planning), including collaborating on cross-functional initiatives and ensuring alignment of business objectives and resources. Work cooperatively with other Practice Directors to drive initiatives across departments and ensure consistency of approach.
• Develop Department business plan, participate in Practice Group business plans and budget process, and advise on individual Partner plans working closely with Business Development and Marketing. Monitor progress and manage implementation.
• Act as Department liaison to the Firm's Business Services departments to ensure that Department priorities and needs are met, including working collaboratively to ensure appropriate allocation of resources and roles/responsibilities. Design and implement effective solutions as required.
• Monitor market trends and current research in order to make strategic and best practice recommendations regarding approaches and programs in all areas.

Talent Management

• Support Chair and Practice Group Heads on initiatives to build, develop and retain high-performing, diverse teams, including advising on a wide range of personnel matters. Monitor Department and Practice Group financials in order to spot opportunities and proactively address issues.
• Support lateral partner recruiting and integration, including preparing sponsor memos, developing and implementing integration plans and facilitating connections for lateral partners across the Firm.
• Support Practice Management team and staffing partners to ensure effective work allocation, meet client staffing needs and facilitate cross-PG and -department staffing as needed.
• In collaboration with Professional Development, design and implement professional growth and training programs, such as with respect to development plans, development competencies, diversity and inclusion, and real-time feedback among others.
• Working closely with Attorney Resources, lead key attorney support processes for Corporate special counsel and associates, including: (i) annual and interim evaluations, including advising on review and development messages and drafting reviews as needed; (ii) promotion process and pipeline initiatives, including drafting, or assisting in drafting, candidate support memos; (iii) annual compensation process and billing rate updates.
• Work closely with Attorney Recruitment on hiring needs and integration of new attorneys. Oversee Corporate participation in the summer program and manage first-year Corporate associate onboarding, orientation and training. Support the effective orientation and integration of lateral attorneys.

Internal Communications

• Draft communications and talking points for Global Chair, prepare other internal communications and develop Corporate Department programs (e.g., Corporate Briefings and Corporate Updates).
• Serve as liaison between Department and Firm leadership and attorneys, to ensure effective group communications. Communicate Practice Group activities, successes, needs and goals to encourage collaboration across groups and offices.
• Organize and create agendas for Department, Practice Group Head and other meetings.
• Act as point person to facilitate problem-solving, addressing any issues or attorney concerns.

Operations

• Establish policies and procedures within Corporate as necessary, provide input to Firm policies and facilitate implementation of Firm policies within Corporate.
• Oversee Corporate paralegal team, working with Paralegal Manager and paralegals, on work allocation as necessary, timekeeping, recruitment, development and performance management.
• Provide oversight and management of Department expenditures.

Qualifications:

Education: J.D. or other related graduate degree a plus.

Required Experience: 10+ years' experience at a top-tier professional organization and excellent written communication skills. Prior law firm experience as a practicing lawyer or in practice management, professional development or firm management and a solid understanding of the legal industry and law firm economics preferred. Familiarity with Corporate practice is preferred.

Skills: Ability to communicate effectively with all staff; act with a high degree of integrity, autonomy and independence, with a collaborative and client-service mindset; maintain complete confidentiality and exercise excellent judgment; work on numerous projects for different constituencies simultaneously; focus on high-level strategic priorities while also taking a hands-on approach to any task as needed with a "can-do" attitude; find creative solutions to problems; meet and foster high performance standards; demonstrate excellent attention to detail.

Attendance: All positions require punctuality and regular attendance.