Chief Operating Officer at De Ford Law Firm

We are looking for an experienced Chief Operating Officer with expertise in professional services to work directly with the owner to oversee the administrative and business aspects of running the firm. Strong preference will be given to candidates who have held or are currently holding roles such as VP of Operations, Chief Operating Officer (COO), or Professional Legal Administrator (PLA). This position will be responsible for planning, organizing, directing, and controlling the day-to-day operations of the firm and for directing the implementation of firm systems.

The position encompasses a wide range of activities with involvement in all phases of administration, personnel, finances, facilities, and business systems. We need someone with the experience and maturity to work closely with the owner and key staff on strategy, policy, problem-solving, and decision-making.

Our Chief Operating Officer will be a superior executor who works as a collaborative strategic partner with the owner and C-Suite team. Acceptable candidates will have experience and the ability to manage an annual budget of $7.5M and directly manage a team of at least 30 with the autonomy to hire and fire.

The Chief Operating Officer role is a key executive of the senior management team, reporting only to the owner. Adaptability, time management, and diplomacy are key skills for a successful candidate. The goal of this position is to secure the functionality of the business to drive extensive and sustainable growth and achieve the business plan goals. You’ll have to maintain control of diverse business operations, so we expect you to be an experienced and efficient leader. If you have excellent people skills, business acumen, and work ethic, we’d like to meet you.

$150,000

• Execute the firm’s business plan and meet quarterly gross revenue and profitability metrics by effectively developing the six parts of the business
• Collaborate with the owner to design and implement business strategies, plans, and procedures
• Evaluate performance by analyzing and interpreting data and metrics
• Supervise the work of the non-lawyer support staff and vendors
• Lead recruitment, hiring, onboarding, performance feedback, evaluations, and general human resources operations, including payroll and benefits
• Ensure that the firm’s business policies and procedures are fully documented in writing, organized, deployed, and audited
• Oversee financial operations with mastery of financial reporting and accounting principles
• Employ best practices to properly resource and manage a fully remote staff
• Ensure the digital plant is fully functional, at all times, for the entire team
• Conduct ongoing risk assessments to ensure the firm properly mitigates exposure
• Manage project successfully by designing strategic tasks and leveraging process owners within set timelines
• Demonstrate effective and healthy leadership strategies that build a positive professional culture, promote retention of performing team members, and recruit ‘A’ candidates to open positions quickly

Education and Experience

• Degree in management, business management, human resources, or related field
• Prior experience running a professional services firm or a division or department of a mid-sized/large professional services firm with an annual budget no lower than $7.5M (law firm experience not required but is a plus)
• SHRM or HRCI certifications are a plus!

You must be able to show evidence of your prior success with:

• Managing a team of at least 30, with autonomy to hire and fire.
• Designing, monitoring, and reconciling a budget of at least $7.5 million (this is crucial)
• Comfortability in, and passion for, a high-growth, entrepreneurial environment
• Advising decision-making in a senior management role
• Designing, executing, monitoring, and achieving business plans
• Understanding key financial reports to monitor and drive the business
• Using Leadership Management Best Practices
• Assuring the quality of workflow systems
• Managing a wide variety of projects effectively
• Leading people effectively, including recruiting the right people, developing them into great team members, and retaining them over time. This includes ensuring that all federal and state HR laws are followed and risks are minimized.

We are a fast-growing and award winning family law firm serving family law, estate planning, probate and guardianship clients in Harris and Montgomery Counties in Texas. Our firm has a unique position in an adversarial system, empowering and educating clients to navigate their legal matters. We believe that the quality of our people and systems are essential in helping clients move through an uncertain and adversarial system whole.