Paralegal Manager

Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP is a nationally recognized Am Law 200 law firm with over 500 attorneys servicing clients in 40 offices and 22 states seeking an experienced Paralegal Manager to join our Sacramento office. The Paralegal Manager oversees and manages an assigned group of Paralegals. The Paralegal Manager onboards, trains and supervises their assigned paralegal team and will be the first contact for any questions related to the paralegal role, offering advice and guidance on substantive work. Responsibilities include coordinating assignments and workflow, assisting with firm initiatives, coordinating and/or providing training, and maintaining direct daily contact with attorneys and support staff. This position reports to the Director of Legal Operations. Candidates must have substantive familiarity with the litigation process (i.e., case management, discovery, databases, privilege logs, court filings, e-filing, cite checking) and have the capacity to work both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, high-volume environment. Paralegals need well-developed Microsoft Office skills, the ability to solve problems, and communicate well with all levels of the FMG team.

The following set of success factors describe the characteristics of those who are successful in our Firm:

Helpful, Congenial, Personable, Positive
Unpretentious, Approachable, Respectful, Team Oriented
Accountable, Takes Ownership, Corrects Mistakes
Organized, Timely, Confidential, Responsive (within 24 hours)

Essential Job Functions:

Monitors and assigns paralegal support to specific matters, determining scheduling and support requirements while ensuring that all deadlines are met
Manages timekeeping of direct reports by reviewing and approving weekly timecards, PTO requests, and monitoring and managing overtime requests
Conducts performance reviews
Coordinates training regarding all paralegal skills and support applications (includes coordinating seminars and educational gatherings as needed and ensuring MCLE requirements are met)
Understand and able to perform basic employee relations
Recruit, interview, and hire Paralegals; review/vet resumes, conduct and coordinate interviews, and obtain final approval for hiring
Work closely with firmwide Directors and Managers to implement and improve Paralegal policies and procedures
Monitor costs and expenses to assist in budget preparation
Assists in analyzing and reporting on paralegals’ time to assess workload, productivity, and ability to meet ongoing Firm needs
Provides paralegal support to attorneys with case organization, document management, witness interviews, discovery matters, administrative tasks, and trials
Assists attorneys with the preparation of a civil case for trial
Obtains, reviews, analyzes, and summarizes legal and evidentiary documents pertaining to cases
Manages discovery process and conduct records management
Schedules depositions and other meetings with clients, witnesses, experts, opposing counsel, court reporters and others
Identifies, locates, interviews, and evaluates potential experts and sends expert packages to parties for review
Tracks requests for documents and regularly follows up on progress of receipt
Summarizes case records, create chronologies, and summarize discovery responses
Organizes and prioritizes numerous tasks and complete them under time constraints with minimal supervision and exceptional attention to detail
Performs legal research quickly and efficiently to inform attorney decisions
Organizes and maintains case files, coordinating with Legal Assistants and other staff
Regularly reviews files and proactively works to move cases forward
Ensures all functions are performed in accordance with applicable client guidelines
Keeps accurate time records and meet a 600 annual billable hours requirement
Maintains positive relationships with firm attorneys, co-counsel, clients, and vendors
Assist with special projects and additional duties as assigned.

Education, Experience, and Skills:

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required
Certificate in Paralegal studies required
5-7 years of litigation with some defense experience
Civil litigation experience required
Familiarity with performing legal and factual research tasks using web-based legal research services
Proficiency in an electronic file setting, comfortable with a paperless system
iManage experience
Must successfully pass a background/drug screen
Experience billing time in compliance with client guidelines and meeting a monthly billing target
Proficient in software programs such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Westlaw and Kofax PDF editor
Ability to work independently and as part of a team
Ability to organize and prioritize numerous tasks and complete them under time constraints
Familiarity with workflow, roles, and responsibilities of professionals on legal teams
Excellent communication skills and ability to work with a wide variety of people at every level of the organization
Consummate professional, even tempered, and problem solver
Experience in a leadership or management role a plus
Ability to manage changing priorities and pressure situations
Open to improving and eager to develop professionally

What we offer you

Competitive compensation
Comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision
HSA and FSA plans available for employees and dependents
Work-life balance
Generous PTO policy
401K plan including a 3% Employer Safe Harbor contribution
Firm paid life insurance and long-term disability
Employee Assistance Program
Year-end bonuses and referral fee programs

Actual base pay within the range will also be dependent on other factors, including but not limited to, relevant experience, internal equity, skills, qualifications, and other job-related factors permitted by law.

EEO Statement

Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP (FMG) is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees by maintaining a workplace free of discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or any other protected status as provided by law. FMG complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws. This position is subject to our drug‑free workplace policy, which includes the ability to pass a pre‑employment drug screen. Employees may be subject to reasonable‑suspicion drug testing in accordance with Firm policies outlined in the Employee Handbook.