Legal Operations Specialist

A leading international law firm in Abu Dhabi is seeking a highly experienced Legal Operations Manager to drive operational excellence, legal workflow optimization, and technology transformation across the firm. Reporting directly to the Managing Partner, this role is critical in enhancing matter management, compliance, financial performance, and lawyer productivity while supporting exceptional client service delivery.

The successful candidate must have 7+ years’ experience within international law firms and a strong track record in legal operations, process improvement, legal technology, and automation.

Key Responsibilities

• Streamline and standardize matter intake, review, approval, and closing workflows
• Oversee document management, contract lifecycle, compliance, and knowledge systems
• Manage billing operations, time entry, invoicing, realization, and revenue tracking
• Develop and monitor KPIs including utilization, profitability, cycle times, and matter efficiency
• Implement and optimize legal technology platforms such as iManage, Elite 3E, Clio, CLM, DMS, e-billing, and reporting tools
• Drive workflow automation for templates, approvals, renewals, and repetitive legal processes
• Support AI-enabled legal research, document automation, and digital transformation initiatives
• Prepare SOPs, governance frameworks, and internal operational guidelines
• Ensure compliance with UAE regulations, AML obligations, data protection, and professional standards
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, pricing strategy, AFAs, write-offs, and cost recovery
• Manage vendors, consultants, and legal technology providers

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; LLB, JD, or Master’s preferred
• Minimum 7 years in international law firms is mandatory
• Strong expertise in law firm billing, compliance, legal workflows, and matter profitability
• Proven experience in legal analytics, automation, and process optimization
• Excellent stakeholder, project, and change management capabilities
• In-house legal department experience alone will not be considered

Preferred

• Prior UAE / Abu Dhabi law firm experience
• Cross-border corporate or commercial practice exposure
• CLOC, PMP, Lean Six Sigma, or similar certifications

How to Apply
Please submit your CV and a brief cover letter outlining your international law firm experience, legal operations expertise, and legal technology transformation achievements.