Whether a company has a General Counsel or attorneys on staff, the use of a legal operations manager can provide significant value.
The Legal Operations Manager will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the legal department. This includes, but is not limited to, managing budgets, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, and implementing process improvements to increase efficiency and effectiveness. This individual will work closely with the internal legal team / General Counsel or with the company’s leadership team to develop and implement strategies that support the organization’s goals.
The job description and responsibilities will vary from company to company. It is critical for legal operations to collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop and implement strategic initiatives. Whether the company is focusing on mergers and acquisitions, regulatory compliance, or litigation management working across departments is critical.
The background of a LegalOps hire can vary. This individual does not require a background in legal or have been a paralegal or attorney in the past. The person must have strong analytical and problem-solving skills, communication, and familiarity with technology. These are key attributes when creating a job description for a legal operations hire that will have a significant impact on your organization.
Legal Operations Focus Areas
The first legal operations hire should have experience and track record in the following areas:
- Identify and achieve cost savings
- Implement workflows and integrate technologies to create an efficient process
- Work cross functionally and have the ability to communicate legal terminology to stakeholders in simplified terms
- Manage multiple projects simultaneously
- Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders including outside law firms
The role of a legal operations individual is to ensure decision-making processes in the legal department are aligned to the organization’s overall goals and eliminating any roadblocks. This function can accelerate sales and reduce costs resulting in a win-win for any organization.