Legal Administrator (Senior Level) Helbraun & Levey LLP – New York, NY

BOUTIQUE NYC LAW FIRM IS LOOKING FOR AN EXPERIENCED, PROFESSIONAL LEGALADMINISTRATOR TO JOIN OUR GROWING FIRM.

Helbraun & Levey LLP (the “Firm”) is NYC’s premier hospitality law firm and, despite Covid and its devastating effect on the hospitality industry, our 19-person firm is growing. We are looking for a Professional Legal Administrator to help us refine our administration, personnel, finance, facilities, and business systems.

We are tight knit group and we love what we do. We are looking for someone with significant hands-on law firm experience to join our team and bring us to the next professional level. You will handle key administrative and financial responsibilities and you will report directly to the Firm’s partners.

ABOUT THE FIRM

We represent owners and operators in the hospitality and cannabis industries, and in doing so, we work directly with hundreds of restaurateurs, chefs, hoteliers, caterers and cannabis professionals. We take a hospitality approach to our practice of law as we treat our clients and employees with great care and warmth. It is our mission to foster an open, inviting, and diverse firm atmosphere. We have been in business for 16 years and we have grown steadily since this firm was initially begun as a solo practice.

ABOUT THE POSITION

The Legal Administrator will work closely with the partners on firmwide strategy including setting financial goals, developing and analyzing financial and customer relations systems, and creating accurate financial reporting. The Legal Administrator will also handle all HR, PTO, scheduling, and employee benefit matters, acting as the primary liaison between the Firm and its employees, on the one hand, and its professional employer organization and benefit providers on the other.

The job will be an in-office position once Covid is under control but will be a remote position until such time as the Firm deems it safe to return to an office setting. Candidates must live within reasonable commuting distance of New York City, either in New York City or in the commutable Tri-State Area.

Please note: this is not a position for a Paralegal.

ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF THE JOB

Business and Strategic Planning – Collaborate with the Firm’s partners and section chairs to create an annual business plan and budget for each section. Work with the partners to improve financial controls and analyze key financial reports to identify inefficiencies in the firm and identify opportunities for improvement to the Firm’s growth and bottom-line.
Human Resources Management – Implement and enforce the Firm’s personnel rules and employment policies. Evaluate positions, workloads, and capacity to determine attorney and non-attorney hiring needs. Assist the partners in recruiting, interviewing, and screening applicants for attorney and non-attorney positions. Coordinate employee leave and position coverage, supervise payroll, and administer the Firm’s benefit plans.
Workflow and Business Systems – Create and improve critical business systems to ensure profitable operations. Ensure all systems are documented (policies, procedures, templates) and organized. Create an internal audit system to trigger alerts when systems are not working optimally, investigate the reason for the failures, and propose solutions (whether related to personnel, technology, workflow, etc.).
Vendor Management – Coordinate with and supervise bookkeeping and escrow accounting. Liaise with IT professionals, and other Firm vendors and professional service providers to facilitate the smooth operation of the back-end operations of the Firm.
Facilities Management – Refine and maintain the Firm’s technology infrastructure to minimize waste and maximize internal efficiencies within the Firm. Approve the purchasing of office equipment and supplies using the approved budget. Ensure emergency protocols are in place and staff are trained to execute them.

Candidates must demonstrate proven success in:

Helping law firm businesses navigate the complexities of rapid growth;
Navigating billable hour software, and assisting law firms in streamlining related protocols, and in training law firm personnel in proper and efficient utilization of such platforms;
Refining business processes to improve law firm profitability;
Using project management to ensure clients’ matters are handed appropriately, legal & ethical requirements are met, and clients receive excellent service;
On-boarding and training personnel in firm systems and operations, and ensuring compliance amongst firm personnel with such systems on an ongoing basis;
Managing human resource functions (recruitment, interviewing, onboarding, payroll, benefits administration, terminations and separations);
Understanding, preparing, and analyzing business reports, complete with budget variance, P&L, cashflow forecast, and summarizing and communicating related recommendations to firm partners;
Managing the Firm’s facilities, security, technology vendors.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION

The candidate must have prior experience working in a law firm setting, and must possess exceptional interpersonal skills, writing ability and problem-solving capabilities. Candidate must have the ability to thrive in a fast-paced working environment. Prior experience in operational process refinement, budgeting and financing, human resource systems and administration, legal billing software, and marketing is of the highest importance. While not a requirement, a strong preference is given to candidates who have prior experience working with CLIO (Manage) and/or CLIO (Grow).

COMPENSATION

Salary is dependent upon experience. The compensation package includes an incentive program commensurate with performance that will consider Firm growth and profitability.

TO APPLY, PLEASE EMAIL US YOUR RESUME AND COVER LETTER

This will be a multi-phase top-grading interview process; this allows us to get to know each other and make sure we are a good match. Applying now is the first step. If you don’t follow the instructions for applying, your journey stops here.

Send an email to hiring {at} helbraunlevey {dot} com. Attach your resume and a cover letter in PDF.

In you cover letter, please tell us the following:

Why you wish to apply for this position, and why you think you would be a good fit for the role.

Your personal philosophy surrounding customer service.
Any examples of entrepreneurial initiative that you have taken in your personal or professional life
Your experience, if any, in the hospitality industry, and the effect that it had on you.
Your favorite restaurant (pre- or post-Covid) and what makes it so special to you.

Helbraun & Levey LLP is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: Up to $150,000.00 per year

Benefits: