Legal Operations Manager
Location: Mississauga/Toronto Ontario, Canada (Travel required)
Job Type: Full-Time, Permanent
Reports To: Director of Operations
Experience Required: 2-3 years in legal operations, law firm management, legal administration, or a related field
Salary: 75,000 – 85,000
About the Role
Bluestar is seeking an experienced, highly organized, and results-driven Legal Operations Manager to oversee the day-to-day operations of Bluestar's law firms.
This position is responsible for ensuring that the law firms operate efficiently, consistently, and in accordance with established business processes, policies, and performance expectations.
The Legal Operations Manager will work closely with the Director of Operations, lawyers, paralegals, legal assistants, intake teams, finance, HR, technology, and other corporate support functions to ensure the firms have the infrastructure, processes, people, and systems required to deliver an exceptional client experience.
The ideal candidate understands that the role is not to manage the practice of law or provide legal direction to lawyers. Instead, the Legal Operations Manager is responsible for the business and operational environment in which the lawyers and legal professionals practice.
This individual will be expected to be highly visible, proactive, and hands-on, with a strong focus on accountability, workflow, productivity, client experience, people management, process improvement, and operational performance.
Key Responsibilities
1. Day-to-Day Law Firm Operations
Take overall responsibility for the day-to-day operational functioning of the assigned Bluestar law firms.
Responsibilities include:
- Ensure offices are operating efficiently and professionally.
- Establish and maintain consistent operational standards across locations.
- Monitor daily workflow and identify operational bottlenecks.
- Ensure employees have the resources, systems, and support required to perform their roles.
- Coordinate operational issues and ensure they are resolved promptly.
- Monitor office procedures and ensure compliance with internal policies.
- Work with the Director of Operations to implement operational priorities and initiatives.
- Maintain regular communication with lawyers and administrative teams regarding operational matters.
- Identify recurring operational issues and develop solutions.
- Ensure important operational tasks, deadlines, and initiatives are followed through to completion.
2. Lawyer & Practice Operations
Support lawyers in maintaining an efficient and productive practice environment without directing or interfering with the exercise of professional legal judgment.
Responsibilities include:
- Monitor operational aspects of lawyer workflows.
- Ensure lawyers have appropriate administrative and technological support.
- Identify workflow inefficiencies and recommend improvements.
- Assist with implementing standardized processes across practice areas.
- Monitor administrative follow-up requirements.
- Support lawyers in utilizing firm systems and processes effectively.
- Identify capacity, staffing, or workflow issues and escalate appropriately.
- Assist with implementing the Bluestar client service model across the firms.
- Ensure operational expectations are clearly communicated and consistently applied.
Important: This position does not provide legal advice, supervise the substantive practice of law, or direct lawyers regarding legal strategy or professional judgment.
3. Performance & KPI Management
The Legal Operations Manager will play a key role in monitoring and improving firm performance.
Responsibilities may include:
- Monitor operational and practice-level KPIs.
- Track lawyer productivity and utilization metrics.
- Monitor billable-hour performance and other production measures.
- Monitor time and collection realization metrics.
- Track consultation and client conversion metrics where applicable.
- Monitor cross-referral activity between practice areas and Bluestar service lines.
- Review accounts receivable and collection-related operational issues with Finance.
- Identify performance trends and areas requiring intervention.
- Prepare regular operational reports for the Director of Operations.
- Work with lawyers and managers to establish action plans where performance is below expectations.
- Follow up on agreed performance initiatives.
- Identify high-performing processes and opportunities to replicate them across offices.
4. Client Experience
Help ensure clients receive a consistent, professional, and high-quality experience across all Bluestar law firms.
Responsibilities include:
- Monitor client service processes from intake through completion of the matter.
- Identify client experience issues and recurring complaints.
- Work with intake and administrative teams to improve client communication and responsiveness.
- Ensure client-facing processes are consistently followed.
- Monitor response-time expectations and service standards.
- Work with lawyers and staff to address operational issues affecting client experience.
- Assist with implementing and maintaining the Bluestar Experience across the firms.
- Review client feedback and identify opportunities for improvement.
- Escalate significant client service concerns to the appropriate leader.
5. People & Team Management
Work closely with HR and the Director of Operations to ensure the firms have the right people, structure, and accountability.
Responsibilities include:
- Provide day-to-day operational leadership to administrative and support teams.
- Manage assigned employees and ensure expectations are clearly communicated.
- Participate in recruitment and selection of legal administrative staff.
- Assist with onboarding and training new employees.
- Establish clear performance expectations.
- Conduct regular employee check-ins and performance discussions.
- Identify training and development needs.
- Address performance concerns promptly and professionally in partnership with HR.
- Assist with employee scheduling, coverage, vacation planning, and resource allocation.
- Ensure appropriate staffing levels across offices.
- Help create a positive, accountable, and collaborative workplace culture.
- Recognize strong performance and encourage employee development.
6. Workflow & Process Improvement
Continuously identify opportunities to improve efficiency, consistency, and profitability.
Responsibilities include:
- Map and evaluate existing operational processes.
- Identify unnecessary steps, duplication, delays, and inefficiencies.
- Develop and implement standardized procedures.
- Create and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
- Identify opportunities to automate repetitive administrative processes.
- Work with Technology and Operations to improve systems and workflows.
- Ensure processes are consistently implemented across offices.
- Measure the effectiveness of operational improvements.
- Lead change management initiatives within the firms.
- Regularly review processes to ensure they remain effective and relevant.
7. Intake & Client Conversion
Work closely with the intake function to ensure prospective clients are handled efficiently and professionally.
Responsibilities include:
- Monitor intake workflows and service levels.
- Ensure leads and prospective clients are appropriately assigned.
- Monitor consultation scheduling and follow-up processes.
- Identify bottlenecks in the intake process.
- Review consultation conversion metrics.
- Work with lawyers and intake staff to improve conversion and client experience.
- Ensure intake processes are aligned with the firm's service standards.
- Identify opportunities for cross-referrals between legal practice areas and other Bluestar services.
8. Financial & Administrative Operations
Work collaboratively with Finance to ensure the operational side of financial processes is functioning effectively.
Responsibilities include:
- Monitor operational aspects of billing and collections processes.
- Work with lawyers and administrative staff to address billing delays.
- Monitor outstanding accounts receivable and escalate concerns.
- Ensure time-entry and billing processes are followed.
- Identify recurring billing and administrative issues.
- Work with Finance to improve collection workflows.
- Assist with budgeting and expense management where required.
- Monitor office-related expenses and operational costs.
- Identify opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce unnecessary costs.
9. Technology & Systems
Partner with the Director of Operations and Technology teams to ensure the firms effectively utilize their systems.
Responsibilities include:
- Ensure employees are properly utilizing required systems.
- Identify system-related operational issues.
- Assist with system implementations and upgrades.
- Participate in testing new technology and workflows.
- Assist with user training and adoption.
- Identify opportunities to improve automation and efficiency.
- Ensure operational processes are appropriately reflected within firm systems.
- Work with Technology to resolve issues affecting productivity.
10. Compliance & Risk – Operational Support
Support the firm's compliance and risk-management infrastructure without providing legal advice or assuming responsibility for professional legal obligations.
Responsibilities include:
- Ensure employees follow applicable firm policies and procedures.
- Maintain operational documentation.
- Support implementation of privacy, security, records-management, and other firm policies.
- Escalate potential compliance or risk concerns to the appropriate lawyer, Director of Operations, or other responsible professional.
- Assist with internal audits and operational reviews.
- Ensure required administrative processes are completed and documented.
- Work with appropriate legal and compliance personnel on operational requirements.
11. Office Management
Oversee the operational requirements of Bluestar's law firm locations.
Responsibilities may include:
- Office facilities and maintenance.
- Office supplies and equipment.
- Vendor relationships.
- Security and access procedures.
- Office moves, renovations, and openings.
- Reception and administrative coverage.
- Meeting room and shared-space management.
- Coordination of office technology and equipment.
- Health and safety-related operational matters.
- Coordination with building management and service providers.
12. Reporting & Communication
Provide the Director of Operations with clear, timely, and actionable information regarding firm operations.
Responsibilities include:
- Prepare weekly and monthly operational reports.
- Provide updates on KPIs and performance.
- Report staffing and capacity concerns.
- Escalate operational risks and significant issues.
- Track key initiatives and projects.
- Provide recommendations for process improvements.
- Maintain action-item and accountability trackers.
- Communicate operational priorities to firm employees.
- Ensure important information is communicated effectively between the law firms and Bluestar corporate functions.
13. Strategic & Special Projects
The Legal Operations Manager will participate in and may lead special projects assigned by the Director of Operations.
Examples include:
- Opening new law offices.
- Integrating acquired law firms.
- Implementing new technology.
- Restructuring administrative teams.
- Developing new workflows.
- Launching new client service initiatives.
- Improving financial performance.
- Implementing KPI programs.
- Supporting organizational changes.
- Standardizing processes across multiple law firms.
- Developing operational playbooks.
- Supporting growth initiatives.
Qualifications & Experience
Required
- 2-3 years of experience in legal operations, law firm management, legal administration, or a related operational leadership position.
- Primary office can be any of our offices, travel between our other offices is a must (Toronto, Mississauga, Hagersville, Collingwood)
- Demonstrated experience managing people and operational processes.
- Strong understanding of law firm workflows and administrative functions.
- Strong organizational and project management skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
- Strong understanding of KPIs, performance management, and operational reporting.
- High level of professionalism and discretion.
- Ability to work effectively with lawyers, legal professionals, administrative employees, and executives.
- Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office and business management systems.
Preferred
- Experience working with multiple law offices or locations.
- Experience in a multi-practice law firm.
- Experience working with personal injury, litigation, family, real estate, corporate, wills and estates, or other legal practice areas.
- Experience with legal practice management software.
- Experience with legal billing and accounting systems.
- Experience with KPI dashboards and performance management.
- Experience implementing technology or operational systems.
- Experience working within a professional services organization.
- Post-secondary education in Business Administration, Legal Administration, Operations Management, or a related field.
Core Competencies
Leadership
Provides clear direction, establishes accountability, and creates a culture of ownership and professionalism.
Operational Excellence
Consistently looks for ways to improve efficiency, consistency, productivity, and client service.
Accountability
Takes ownership of problems and ensures issues are followed through to resolution.
Communication
Communicates clearly and professionally with employees, lawyers, executives, and external stakeholders.
Problem Solving
Identifies root causes rather than simply addressing symptoms.
Organization
Can manage multiple offices, departments, projects, and competing priorities without losing track of details.
Business Acumen
Understands how people, processes, technology, revenue, expenses, and client experience work together to drive firm performance.
Change Management
Can introduce new processes and systems while gaining employee adoption and maintaining accountability.
Confidentiality & Judgment
Demonstrates excellent discretion when handling sensitive employee, client, financial, and business information.
Key Performance Indicators
Performance in this role may be evaluated against:
- Operational efficiency
- Lawyer and staff productivity
- KPI performance
- Billable-hour and utilization performance
- Time and collection realization
- Accounts receivable trends
- Client satisfaction
- Consultation close rates
- Cross-referral activity
- Employee retention and engagement
- Staffing and resource allocation
- Timely completion of operational initiatives
- Process improvement implementation
- SOP adoption and compliance
- Technology adoption
- Reduction in operational bottlenecks
- Office operating efficiency
What Success Looks Like
A successful Legal Operations Manager will:
- Ensure the law firms run smoothly on a day-to-day basis.
- Create consistent operational standards across offices.
- Ensure lawyers and staff have the support they need to perform effectively.
- Hold teams accountable to agreed operational expectations.
- Identify problems before they become significant issues.
- Use data and KPIs to drive operational decisions.
- Improve client experience and service consistency.
- Reduce administrative inefficiencies.
- Build strong relationships with lawyers and staff.
- Partner effectively with HR, Finance, Technology, Intake, and the Director of Operations.
- Create scalable systems and processes that allow the law firms to grow.
- Keep the Director of Operations informed without requiring the Director to manage day-to-day details.
- Become the primary operational leader and point of accountability within the law firms.
Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.
Bluestar Professional Services Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage all qualified candidates to apply. Bluestar Professional Services Inc. adopts an inclusive and accessible environment, and we are committed to providing support to applicants and firm members with disabilities. If you require accommodation at any time during the recruitment, selection, and assessment process, please let us know.
Pay: $75,000.00-$85,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company events
- Dental care
- Disability insurance
- Extended health care
- Life insurance
- Mileage reimbursement
- On-site parking
- Paid time off
- Vision care
Application question(s):
- Which location will you primarily work out of? (CANDIDATES WHO DO NOT ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED)
- Can you travel between all of our offices? (Toronto, Mississauga, Collingwood, Hagersville)
- Do you have 2-3 years experience working in legal operations, law firm management, legal administration, or a related field?
- Do you require any special work accommodations that we should be aware of?
Work Location: In person
