Overview of Law Firm Administration
The introduction to law firm administration
Essential to the smooth running of any firm is a law firm administrator. In the majority of large and mid-sized firms, the administrator is responsible for overseeing the business side of the firm. However, in small-to-mid-sized firms, administrators often wear many hats, including managing human resources, reception, facilities and technology.
"Law firm administration is a complex and multifaceted function of any firm," said Clare Fowler, director of professional development at Burns & Levinson . "Whether working in a large, medium or small firm, legal administrators are behind the scenes ensuring that the business side of the firm runs smoothly."
Law firm administrators are also responsible for the internal aspects of a firm’s accounting department, including billing and collections. Their daily tasks include paying the salaries of the firm’s attorneys and support staff. Law firm administrators are also responsible for managing a firm’s budget, leading and managing people and developing and implementing systems and policies.
Fundamental Duties of a Law Firm Administrator
The law firm administrator is responsible for managing office operations, overseeing staff, and coordinating with legal professionals to ensure that the firm runs smoothly and efficiently. They are key players in ensuring that all departments work together to achieve a singular goal. Additionally, they are responsible for the overall business development strategy, which may involve networking with clients and potential clients to identify new business opportunities.
A law firm administrator also manages the financial aspect of the firm from office budgeting to risk management and internal reporting to partners. With responsibility for accounting, they oversee all financial aspects of the firm, including payroll and employee benefits, information technology, business development, and vendor relationships. From practice growth to business plans, the administrator plays a pivotal role as they partner with the law firm’s managing partner, practice group heads, and the firm’s chief operating officer on a day-to-day basis.
By working closely with the firm’s partners, a law firm administrator makes strategic decisions in the financial and operational management of the firm.
Valuable Skills for a Law Firm Administrator
To be effective in this multifaceted role, it is essential that a law firm administrator understand the various aspects of their job and enjoy working in a dynamic role. The ability to "wear many hats" and shift focus from one task to another is important. Essential skills for a law firm administrator include leadership, communication, organization, problem-solving, and multitasking. While these skills are an essential foundation, successful law firm administrators require additional experience and knowledge across a range of specialized business functions.
The law firm administrator must be able to manage staff — often in a unionized environment — and foster a cooperative and efficient office atmosphere. The administrator must be able to delegate responsibilities to different staff members while ensuring accountability across the organization. Often tracking performance through such means as position descriptions and performance evaluations complicates this process.
The job involves considerable interaction with law firm partners and staff, as well as the occasional client, vendor, or outside contractor. Law firm administrators must be able to communicate with all levels of staff and management, have an understanding of the needs of the organization and be able to effectively convey that to their team, and must be able take criticism and offer constructive feedback. Collaborative problem-solving skills are an essential part of the administrator’s responsibilities.
Organizational skills are required, to keep track of multiple projects across a large organization. When managing administrative staff, the administrator is often responsible for delegating tasks and holding them accountable for meeting deadlines.
When it comes to the finances, a law firm administrator is tasked with overseeing the budget, making cost-cutting decisions and identifying times (and methods) to spend money on needed renovations or new hires. Law firm administrators are committed stewards of the firm, and must be able to implement the policies and objectives of the managing partner and board of directors while being fiscally responsible. The firms need administrators that will collaborate to facilitate the best results for a particular area or department. Additionally, the administrator must be adept at finding ways to save money, for example by reducing utility costs and consolidating vendors.
Law firm administrators can choose to become certified through the Association of Legal Administrators, which can show credentials and expertise in legal management, and network with other administrators by attending various ALA seminars, conferences and other events throughout the year.
Education and Professional Background
Typically, a law firm administration position requires proven success in a leadership or management role with at least five (5) years of administrative experience and a minimum of two (2) years’ experience in a management role at a law firm. A Juris Doctorate or a Master’s degree from an accredited college/university in business administration, human resources or related field is often preferred. Many law firm administrators possess training and certification from an established professional organization such as the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA) or National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA).
Issues Confronting Law Firm Administrators
One of the many benefits of working as a law firm administrator is that there is a wide variety of challenges to meet on a daily basis. One of the biggest challenges, though, is often managing complex technology integrations in the firm, which is a natural responsibility for firms of some size. A law firm administrator will be tested in his or her ability to work with various teams and departments to identify technological solutions to problems, and this requires foresight in the areas of IT and the administration of computer networks. Keeping an eye on the future is essential here, as keeping the firm’s network updated and secured is crucial. Therefore, the law firm administrator must be proficient in the ever-evolving field of cyber security, in order to protect the sensitive information in the firm’s database.
However, those in the position of law firm administrator may find the most challenging work of their jobs lies in learning how to deal with a large variety of personalities in the working environment. A law office administrator is not just responsible for keeping the lights on in the office, but is also responsible for keeping employee morale up and keeping track of all the various players in the office. Learning how to deal with people and keep the peace in the office is part of the job of the law firm administrator . How strong the relationships are among a law firm’s staff can often dictate how strong the firm is overall. Since profits in the legal industry are so important, a law firm administrator likely must be adept at putting out any metaphorical fires that pop up on a day to day basis, and take an active role in assisting the team at every level. That way, the law firm administrator can help to maintain strong momentum within teams, and increase the potential for profits from strong cooperation in the office.
One of the best ways to ensure that the office and the legal team runs smoothly is to keep communication flowing between staff and management, and between staff members. This is a strong asset for any law firm administrator, as it is his or her responsibility to ensure that this communication system is running as efficiently as possible. This may involve simply sending out emails to check in with specific employees, or it may involve regular meetings to monitor progress towards certain goals. Whatever the strategy of the law firm administrator, it should always involve keeping the lines of communication open, so that everyone who needs to be involved with the daily process is in the loop. This makes it easier to find solutions to problems as they occur, and to keep the team working as efficiently as possible.
Path and Opportunities for Advancement for Law Firm Administrators
Advancement opportunities for any position within a law firm are subject to the size and structure of the firm. For instance, in some smaller firms there may be just one law firm administrator, but in a larger firm, those who pursue long-term careers in this field may find themselves in charge of all non-legal staff in the administrative and operational aspects of the firm around the world and in charge of all of them, and/or may have responsibility for large off-shore entities.
As the responsibilities of law firm administrators continue to grow, so do opportunities for advancement. Law firm administrators tend to rise to managerial and executive committee polices, making is them formidable figures in the future of the firm’s operations.
Law firm administrators may also seek training and certifications relevant to their role through a variety of organizations, including the Association of Legal Administrators (ALM) and the International Operational Executive Committee (iOEC). These groups provide invaluable support to law firm administrators in their efforts to demonstrate competence in their chosen specialties. By joining and participating in specialized organizations, law firm administrators can signal their professionalism and expertise to current or prospective employers, but in addition, they may be called on to offer advice and services to other non-related organizations considering their own management or operational issues.
Professionals are urged to select specialties that really interest them. This will help them to develop skills more quickly through participation in related activities while honing their abilities and pursuing certifications, which requires active, hands-on work.
Summary
In conclusion, a law firm administrator has two primary roles: to provide leadership and to manage the operations of the firm. Whether a firm administrator is handling human resource matters, information technology issues, marketing strategies, financial management, implementing policies and procedures, or working as a member of the executive team, the administrator’s role is crucial to the management of a law firm. Part cheerleader, part human resources director, part office manager, part facilities manager, part financial manager, part information technology guru, part negotiator and part consultant , a law firm administrator wears many hats. One thing is clear – the administrator is not just "an office manager" and is certainly not "just an employee." The law firm administrator is a leader in the firm who is responsible for day-to-day management functions. The administrator works to implement the overall vision for the firm while focusing on the details of management. In order to be successful, a law firm administrator must work effectively with the governance of the firm, the partners, associates and employees, to create a solid team environment of experts focused on productive and profitable practice.