Matter Practices Review Manager

Your role

The Matter Optimisation (MO) function at Linklaters, works closely with the Firm's Practice Groups to design and deliver high quality legal solutions for clients. The function is structured according to 3 global practice divisions: Corporate, Finance and Litigation, Arbitration & Investigations and Centres of Excellence (CoE) to ensure seamless alignment with Practices, adoption of optimised ways of working, effective best practice, and sustainable growth to meet clients' evolving requirements. The function comprises of several capabilities: Paralegals, Support Lawyers, LegalTech, Legal Project Management, Translation and our contract lawyer platform Re:link, who work together to maximise the client experience, whilst generating profitable revenue for the Firm.

The Matter Practices Review Manager role sits within the MO CoE, which is responsible for driving the design and adoption of best practice behaviours and optimised ways of working. The Matter Practices Review Manager is tasked with planning and executing the Firm's annual schedule of Matter Reviews on behalf of the Matter Practices Review Chair and Committee. The reviews serve as a quality assurance mechanism for reviewing best practices within the practice, leveraging insights from both practice and business teams, to evaluate ways of working to maintain quality, client service and financial performance. Using a range of datasets, metrics and interviews to delve into matter management and general practice behaviours, the reviews aim to identify best practice and mitigate potential risks. This is achieved by identifying areas for improvement or local best practices that can be acted on by the affected practice area and shared and incorporated into firmwide guidance.

The Matter Practices Review Committee comprises a group of partners who are passionately invested in ensuring that we deliver a high quality, consistent service for clients across the firm. They meet regularly and are closely involved with the strategy and delivery of Matter Practices Reviews.

The role will include but not be limited to:

• Developing the annual Matter Practices Review strategy and plan in partnership with the MPRC Chair and securing buy-in from the MPRC and ExCom.
• Building relationships across practice groups and business teams to ensure Matter Practice Review engagement and support.
• Gathering and analysing data and information on diverse areas of matter and practice management (e.g. financial performance, risk, people, technology and best practice adoption) to identify strengths and diagnose issues.
• Managing the execution of Matter Reviews and leading the cross functional review team, which may include providing training, briefing notes, and clear guidance.
• Collating findings and resolving complex problems to develop actionable recommendations for reporting to the MRC and practice group partners, as well as supporting the MRC in communicating both positive and constructive messages to practice groups.
• Collaborating with the practice and business teams to embed recommendations into practice business plans and facilitating a smooth handover to delivery teams.
• Monitoring the implementation of agreed recommendations to ensure completion and that strategically important improvements are incorporated into firmwide best practice.
• Developing a strategy and plan for scaling Matter Reviews globally, ensuring process standardisation (including a global scorecard for matter management best practices), and consulting with local practices and business teams to secure local support and align resource.
• Promoting awareness of the Matter Practices Review process, its achievements, and its impact.

Your experience

• 2.1 degree (or equivalent) and more than five years' experience in practice management or a comparable role within a law firm or professional services environment. Experience with audit processes, or direct involvement in conducting audits within legal practices, would be advantageous.
• Highly motivated professional with a proactive and collaborative approach, and a proven track record of successfully driving change in dynamic, fast-paced environments with evolving requirements and shifting priorities.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and influencing skills, with the ability to build trust, engage, and collaborate effectively with stakeholders at all levels, fostering strong support and alignment for initiatives.
• Strong data analysis and interpretation skills, with proven experience in using a range of techniques and tools to gather and analyse data effectively. Capable of generating meaningful insights from both qualitative and quantitative business data across areas such as matter and practice financials, risk and compliance, people and wellbeing, and broader ways of working. An understanding of the key drivers of success for clients and the firm would be advantageous.
• Demonstrable experience of leading diverse, cross-functional teams, aligning efforts with broader business priorities to deliver complex initiatives on time and to the highest standards.
• Proven experience in driving improvements by applying complex problem-solving skills and sound judgement, including the ability to identify best practices, diagnose multifaceted issues, perform root cause analysis, and develop strategically aligned, actionable recommendations that enhance operational efficiency.
• Experience in strategic planning for global initiatives and driving change management efforts, that deliver global consistency and sustained adoption of change.
• A strong candidate will have a good understanding of the potential impact of developments in the delivery of legal services (including AI) and be able to horizon-spot emerging issues and opportunities that are relevant to practice groups.

Linklaters

Linklaters is a global law firm, with 31 offices in 21 countries worldwide.

We are one of The Times' Top 50 Employers for Women, a Working Families top 30 employer, recognised by Stonewall as the leading employer for LGBTQ+ inclusion, and by the Social Mobility Employer Index as a top employer for advancing social mobility.

Linklaters is a people business. Being best in class in the eyes of our clients means that our people must be exceptional.

We look not only for brilliant minds, but for people who will thrive in our environment: people who love working collaboratively and demonstrate the innovative, efficient, agile, entrepreneurial, and responsible mind-set we aim to bring to every interaction.

Ours is an environment of outperformance. We achieve this not with targets and incentives, but by fostering a positive, supportive, fair, and open atmosphere.

We respect and value difference but insist on inclusivity. We celebrate all aspects of diversity and challenge any form of bias, because we want everyone to feel that they belong. This is vital to our ability to work as one team, with a common mind-set.

We recognise that one size does not fit all. Our goal is to embed flexibility across our firm by giving everyone the opportunity to work in an agile way, whether as a regular pattern or on an ad hoc basis, and we will be happy to discuss this further. We also recognise that women and other under-represented groups, especially, may hesitate to apply if they feel they may not meet every requirement listed despite being excited by the role. If this sounds like you, we'd really encourage you to apply.

What sets us apart

At Linklaters

• We offer a truly global work experience and the opportunity to be involved in strategic projects that drive innovation and shape the future of our business
• We belong to a firm that embodies its corporate social, environment, and governance responsibility commitments
• We celebrate diversity, equity, and inclusion so our people can bring themselves to work
• We advocate speak-up culture to empower our people in sharing their voices and an open-door policy to ensure they are listened to
• We invest in custom-fit career paths for our people in line with their talents and aspirations
• We provide agile working solutions to meet the changing needs of our people and our business
• We are committed to people first relationships based on mutual trust, respect, and appreciation
• We support the health and wellbeing of our people, providing a safe space to talk about emotions and mental health with access to expert advice as needed
• We invest in developing leaders of the future who demonstrate emotional intelligence and a passion to discover, coach and develop the talents of others