Legal Operations Specialist | Toronto ON

Our client is recruiting for a Legal Operations Specialist to join their team. In this role, the Specialist, Legal Operations works under the supervision of the Client Responsible Attorney for a key client. The Specialist is responsible for coordinating the matter intake processes and matter management of this portfolio and collaborating with key stakeholders to ensure compliance with the client terms.

This strategic role requires focus, flexibility, and the initiative to proactively seek and implement improvements for day-to-day client service delivery. You will support the key client and the legal team with all aspects of their practice management, operational and commercial excellence. We need a highly resourceful individual with a dynamic and professional presence, self-motivation, and strong project management skills.

Summary of Responsibilities:

Practice Management and Operational Excellence

- Deliver detail-oriented practice coordination and exceptional service for a key client, in line with client service standards
- Coordinate new matter intake, including liaising with business teams to manage conflicts, rates, and fixed fees, and establish best practices for efficient matter opening
- Manage and triage key client emails using efficient systems aligned with lawyer preferences
- Provide frontline assistance and issue resolution across all aspects of key client’s operations
- Understand the full legal matter lifecycle and related internal processes supporting matter progression to completion
- Act as liaison between the practice and business functions (e.g., legal operations, pricing, conflicts, billing/eBilling, collections) to streamline communication and drive efficiency
- Regularly review matters to provide lawyers with status updates, manage deadlines, and collaborate with stakeholders (client, lawyers, paralegals, assistants, and Business services teams) to ensure timely execution
- Apply project management skills to oversee all key client matters and workflows, track deadlines, and ensure timely, on-budget completion
- Represent the practice professionally in client interactions, including coordinating meetings, preparing reports, and triaging inquiries related to matter management and client terms
- Leverage legal technology to optimize productivity and client service (e.g., Iridium for metrics, budget management tools, billing/eBilling platforms)
- Proactively escalate complex issues or inquiries to the appropriate legal team member

The Specialist, Legal Operations will also perform billable work as required by the Client Responsible Attorney. Acknowledging there is an initial ramp-up period, the annual billable target of 600 hours will be flexible during the first 6-12 months. Subsequently, billing expectations will be reviewed annually, aligning with the practice’s business needs.

Commercial Excellence

- Act as commercial manager of key clients’ portfolio and all activities related to account and matter set up, client terms adherence, time recording, billing/eBilling, and collections
- Manage key client’s Outside Counsel Guidelines, share key terms and time entry best practices with the legal team, and ensure compliance by reviewing dockets and bills monthly
- Work with Legal Operations team to support the scoping and budgeting process, and develop and implement matter plans where required by key client’s Outside Counsel Guidelines
- Work closely with finance teams to ensure seamless billing for key client to adhere their guidelines
- Collaborate with the relevant business functions for account management such as rate renewals, fixed fee development, resolving issues with rate and invoice rejections, or tracking payments and managing collection of overdue accounts

Core Skills & Experience:

- Post secondary education in business or legal studies
- Project Management or Legal Project Management Certification, an asset
- Experience working in a Law Firm or applicable transferable experience in professional services roles in law, project management, or finance
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with ability to work with key stakeholders at all levels
- Advanced working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel
- Strong aptitude for learning emerging technologies in legal technology and data management, staying current with industry trends
- Superior organizational and problem-solving skills
- Ability to develop strong strategic/financial analysis skills
- Proven project and time management skills and ability to multi-task and manage a variety of concurrent projects
- A strong work ethic and commitment to excellence

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