Practice Manager / Practice Advisor (1‑Year FTC) in City of London

Department: Practice Management

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: London

Description

Why Bates Wells? We’re an award winning, purpose driven City law firm. We were the first UK law firm to become a B Corp and are the highest scoring global law firm in the B Corp community. Globally recognised as the market leading UK firm for charities and purpose-driven organisations, our commercial teams are also using law as a force for good and driving change from the inside out. Our values are key to our success, and you’ll be able to make a real impact from day one. Come and join the firm who have a standout and authentic commitment to a triple bottom line, where we’ll never prioritise profit over people and planet.

The Practice Manager will support the Practice Director in providing business management support to our practice groups. The work is varied, differs between groups, and involves close collaboration with lawyers and colleagues across Business Teams. This is a 1‑year fixed‑term contract, starting in June.

Key Responsibilities

• Business management
• Partners' meetings: helping to prepare agendas and papers; note taking; tracking actions and giving reminders; inviting and briefing guests from other teams; general co‑ordination
• Department meetings: helping to prepare agendas; inviting and briefing guests from other teams; general co‑ordination
• Allocating legal work: if requested by partners or senior lawyers
• Department inductions: delivering to new joiners
• Process improvement: working with Practice Support Managers and other Business Teams
• Supervision arrangements: co‑ordinating and documenting changes for new joiners, promotees, returners etc., liaising with HR.
• Gathering feedback: for annual reviews in collaboration with HR.
• Team updates: preparing updates for the department on joiners, leavers, secondments etc.
• Secondments
• Managing client secondment requests end‑to‑end, including reverse secondments, liaising with the practice and other Business Teams.
• Resource sharing
• Coordinating resource‑sharing requests across practice groups, e.g. during busy periods or absence cover.
• Utilisation
• Monitoring utilisation across the practice, identifying trends and concerns to raise with supervisors or Heads of Department.
• Identifying reporting errors and working with colleagues to resolve them.
• Responding to queries from lawyers and partners about individual or team utilisation.
• Intranet
• Maintaining and improving the Practice Management team’s intranet pages.
• Projects
• Supporting the Practice Director on projects, including:
• Working with the Emerging Talent Manager on paralegal role design and resourcing
• Improving management information for the practice
• Streamlining communications from Business Teams to the practice

About You

You’ll have experience working as a Practice Manager or Practice Advisor, ideally gained within a law firm or professional services environment. Proactive self‑starter with a can‑do attitude. Well‑organised with excellent attention to detail. Comfortable navigating new areas and working fluidly with colleagues across functions. Able to build effective and trusting relationships quickly at all levels, from partners and directors to early‑career colleagues. Strong influencing skills, including the confidence to provide constructive challenge where appropriate and the openness to adjust approaches based on feedback.

What are we like to work for?

• Impact‑Driven Purpose: We align profit with social purpose to create lasting positive impact for our people, communities and planet.
• Committed to the Climate: Through our Climate & Nature Group, we reduce environmental impact and support a just transition to net zero.
• Championing Inclusion: We foster a diverse and inclusive culture where creativity and innovation thrive.
• Flexible and Hybrid Working: Our hybrid model supports balance, with at least two office days per week.
• Progressive Benefits: We offer sustainable pensions, IVF support, private healthcare and a range of wellbeing and personal‑development benefits.

At Bates Wells, equity, diversity and inclusion are part of who we are and how we work. As a B Corp and purpose‑driven law firm, we’re committed to building a workplace that is fair, inclusive and representative of all.