About This Role
Planning and running the day-to-day operations of a wills and probate firm is the core of this management role. The Practice Manager will bring structure, accountability, and commercial focus to the business, ensuring efficient case progression, accurate and prompt billing, motivated staff, and strong financial and operational controls. This role suits an experienced, commercially minded individual from a legal background who can take ownership and drive measurable improvements.
Responsibilities
- Establish, implement, and monitor KPIs for individual team members and the practice as a whole
- Track caseloads, case progression, turnaround times, billing performance, and fee income
- Monitor individual productivity and ensure staff meet agreed performance targets
- Produce weekly and monthly management reports for the directors
- Identify underperformance, bottlenecks, and operational inefficiencies, implementing corrective action where necessary
- Introduce regular performance reviews and ensure accountability at every level of the business
- Take ownership of the firm's billing process, ensuring work undertaken is recorded, reviewed, and billed promptly
- Introduce consistent billing procedures across all wills and probate cases
- Ensure fee earners and case handlers regularly review files for completed work, outstanding charges, and opportunities to raise invoices
- Monitor client funds held on account, outstanding balances, aged debtors, and unpaid invoices
- Ensure appropriate interim billing, stage payments, and requests for funds on account are made in accordance with client agreements and applicable requirements
- Work with the directors and finance team to improve cash flow, reduce aged debt, and minimise unbilled work
- Implement regular billing reviews so that completed work does not remain unbilled and revenue is not unnecessarily delayed
- Ensure billing records are accurate, transparent, and supported by appropriate file documentation
- Lead, motivate, and manage the wills and probate team, creating a positive, professional, and performance-driven working environment
- Set clear expectations, responsibilities, and individual objectives
- Hold regular team meetings and individual performance discussions
- Support staff development through coaching, training, and constructive feedback
- Recognise strong performance while addressing underperformance promptly and fairly
- Manage workloads and allocate cases appropriately to ensure the team operates efficiently
- Promote teamwork, ownership, accountability, and high standards of client service
- Identify recruitment and training needs as the firm grows
- Oversee the progress of wills, probate, and estate administration matters, ensuring files move forward without unnecessary delays
- Introduce consistent processes for opening files, client onboarding, case reviews, billing milestones, and file closure
- Ensure case management systems are used effectively and that file information is accurate and up to date
- Monitor dormant files, delayed matters, and cases requiring management intervention
- Establish clear procedures for reviewing outstanding actions and chasing clients, beneficiaries, financial institutions, and other relevant parties
- Identify opportunities to improve workflows, reduce administrative duplication, and increase the number of cases managed effectively by the team
- Maintain high standards of professionalism, responsiveness, and client communication
- Monitor client complaints, service issues, and recurring operational problems
- Ensure clients receive clear information about fees, anticipated timescales, and case progress
- Introduce appropriate file audits and quality-control checks
- Ensure the firm follows its applicable legal, regulatory, data protection, anti-money laundering, and complaints-handling obligations
- Escalate material risks, complaints, and compliance concerns to the appropriate director or designated compliance lead
- Provide directors with clear weekly and monthly reports covering operational performance and financial results
- Report on fees billed and collected, work in progress, outstanding debts, caseloads, and staff productivity
- Assist with budgeting, resource planning, and forecasting
- Identify opportunities to improve profitability, increase fee income, and make better use of staff resources
- Recommend practical changes to improve the firm's overall performance
- Take ownership of agreed operational improvement projects and report on their results
Requirements
- Previous experience working within a law firm or legal services practice
- Experience in practice management, legal operations, team leadership, or a senior legal support role with substantial management responsibility
- A strong understanding of wills, probate, private client work, or estate administration
- Proven ability to manage staff, workloads, and performance against measurable targets
- Practical experience of billing processes, debt management, work in progress, and cash flow controls
- Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities
- Commercial awareness and a focus on improving profitability and operational efficiency
- Excellent communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills
- Confidence using case management systems, spreadsheets, and management reporting tools
- A proactive, hands-on approach with the ability to work independently and take ownership
Nice to have:
- Previous experience as a Practice Manager, Legal Operations Manager, Probate Team Manager, or Legal Office Manager
- Experience introducing KPIs, billing procedures, or operational improvements within a legal practice
- Familiarity with legal accounting procedures and client money controls
- Experience managing a growing or independently owned legal services business
- Experience working within an unregulated wills and probate practice, or an understanding of the distinction between regulated and unregulated legal services
Important Details
- Working arrangement: Office-based, full-time
- Reporting to: Directors / Senior Management
What Success Looks Like
Within the first six months, the successful candidate should have:
- Established clear KPIs and reporting for the team
- Implemented a reliable billing and cash collection process
- Improved visibility of unbilled work, outstanding invoices, and client funds held on account
- Introduced regular case reviews and improved case progression
- Established a consistent staff performance and team meeting structure
- Provided directors with reliable management information to support commercial decisions
- Delivered measurable improvements in productivity, cash flow, and operational control