Practice Support Coordinator

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is a leading international law firm with more than 900 lawyers in offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. We are currently seeking a Practice Support Coordinator in our Client Value & Practice Management department, reporting directly to the Senior Practice Support Manager.

The Practice Support Coordinator reside in New York with the ability to work a hybrid schedule and will be responsibility for supporting our Firmwide Paralegal and Practice Support team across key areas of focus. The Practice Support Coordinator is expected to perform all responsibilities with a commitment to providing superior service to the firm’s attorneys, advisors and staff, and maintaining an atmosphere of teamwork and continuous improvement. Above all, the Practice Support Coordinator must fulfill the needs of the firm in a manner that is consistent with the Firm’s Core Values.

Key responsibilities of this position include:

• Coordinate the assigning of work to firmwide paralegals based on capabilities, availability and developmental needs.
• Monitor firmwide paralegal utilization, including pro bono, client development and other non-billable work and address productivity issues as appropriate,
• Monitor and address firmwide paralegal performance issues in real-time, including soliciting input from attorneys or other supervisors as needed.
• Plan and arrange meetings and calls to include monthly and ad hoc meetings with the paralegals.
• Assist with the coordination of the annual firmwide paralegal evaluation and compensation adjustment processes, including completion of evaluation forms and scheduling of performance evaluation meetings.
• Coordinate the tracking of evaluation messages and developmental goals as appropriate.
• Coordinate needs assessments for new firmwide paralegal hires and work with Senior Manager and Human Resources on recruitment and hiring. Coordinate onboarding and training of new paralegal hires and offboarding of departing paralegals.
• Work with Talent Management to develop and coordinate training programs for paralegals, including professional development and knowledge management topics. Regularly report on status and progress of Paralegal training curriculum to Practice Management team and prepare updates for Practices.
• Assist in arranging ad hoc, monthly and other periodic meetings, calls and other paralegal events.
• Create and distribute custom reports and dashboards relating to practice support.
• Assist in the coordination of communications, materials and technology tools related to the practice support functions (i.e., working with e-discovery, trial services, docketing, KM and innovation) and the firmwide Secondment process.
• Assist in the communication and coordination of best practices surrounding various market and regulatory driven changes within our practices, specifically Corporate and Funds.
• Coordinate with other business services teams in supporting the testing and exploration of AI or performance enhancement tools, including identifying Early Adopters groups to test and report on features to enhance efficiency.
• Coordinate meetings between Office of the General Counsel (OGC), Practice Management and other business services groups as it relates to the firmwide Secondment process.
• Coordinate the maintenance of the Practice Support and Secondment intranet resources.
• Conduct analysis of internal and external market data and field research to identify and implement improvements in paralegal and practice support operations, enhancing process efficiency and utilization firmwide.
• Assist Senior Manager and Pro Bono Counsel on the administrative management of the Pro Bono team, including weekly timecard and PTO approval, and coordination of the annual evaluation, bonus, and compensation process.
• Partner with the General Counsel’s Office and relevant business services teams domestic and internationally to coordinate the logistics and process documentation of secondments involving domestic and international timekeepers.
• Support cross-border and cross-practice communication and coordination of practice support and paralegal processes to ensure consistency, efficiency, and compliance with regional requirements and best practices.
• Assist with tracking and analysis of domestic and international KPIs and performance metrics to help inform strategic planning for global paralegal and practice support teams.
• Assist Senior Manager and Practice Management with additional projects and presentation materials as necessary.
• Establish strong rapport and relationships with paralegals, Practice Management team, attorneys, General Counsel’s Office and other business services personnel across different departments.

Qualifications (Experience, Knowledge, Skills & Abilities):

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• A minimum of three years of related practice support and experience, preferably in a law firm or other professional services firm.
• Thorough knowledge of MS Office, including Word, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint, as well as other relevant HR systems.
• Familiarity with AI tools and technology.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including strong oral and written communication skills and the ability to communicate potentially difficult, detailed and complex information to others with tact and finesse.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and adjust to changing priorities and deadlines in a professional and positive manner.
• Unfailing commitment to confidentiality and discretion; impeccable judgment, high integrity, independent thought and common sense.
• Strong service orientation, and an ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with users, peers, office and firm management and outside business partners.
• Ability to work well under pressure, facilitate solutions, and meet deadlines and milestones for projects assigned.
• Commitment to maintaining confidentiality of client and office information and adhering to the Firm’s Core Values.

The anticipated base salary range for this position in New York, NY is $75,000 - $85,000. The actual salary offered will be based on several factors, including, but not limited to, relevant education, qualifications, years of relevant experience, certifications or other professional licenses held, job-related knowledge and skills, business needs, and the location from which the work will be performed. Additionally, salary or hourly wages may be only part of the total compensation package, which may also include a full range of health and other insurance benefits, financial and/or other benefits (including 401(k) eligibility), a discretionary bonus, and various paid time off benefits. Additional information about benefits and rewards can be found here.