Open Positions: Professional Staff

Hanson Bridgett LLP is seeking a Director of Pro Bono & Social Impact to lead and expand the firm’s commitment to access to justice and community service. This is a senior leadership role for a practitioner who wants to do meaningful work at scale — building and running a pro bono program that is strategic, well-resourced, and deeply integrated into the firm’s identity.

The Director will serve as the firm’s primary architect and champion of pro bono and social impact, working closely with firm leadership, practice groups, and community partners to define and deliver on the firm’s obligations to the communities it serves.

This role offers the opportunity to work from a remote location on days when in-person attendance is not required.  In-person attendance may frequently be required for various programming and events, both at Firm offices and in external locations.  Occasional travel to other Hanson Bridgett office locations, as well as throughout the country for professional conferences and events, may be required.  All Firm employees who are designated as hybrid are expected to be available to attend in-person meetings, professional development sessions, departmental meetings, or to come to the office for other reasons, if the need arises. This position requires that the individual reside in California, and will have an assignment to one of Hanson Bridgett’s Office locations.

Essential Responsibilities and Duties

Pro Bono

• Develop a strategic plan for (a) increasing the participation rate of Firm attorneys in pro bono and social impact work, and average number of attorney pro bono hours worked; (b) increasing the participation rate of Firm professional staff in community service and volunteer work, and average number of staff volunteer hours worked; and (c) increasing the visibility and stature of the Firm’s pro bono, social impact, and community service work.
• Lead the Firm’s Pro Bono Committee to (a) evaluate existing pro bono relationships and identify areas for potential growth; (b) maintain existing pro bono partner relationships; (c) address staffing needs for pro bono matters; (d) plan Firm events to support and promote the pro bono program; (e) evaluate and approve other pro bono umbrella partnerships; and (f) prepare periodic reports to Firm Management
• In coordination with the CDEIO, source, evaluate, obtain, and staff mission-aligned, high-profile pro bono matters, including impact litigation and lobbying or policy initiatives
• Maintain Firm policy documents related to pro bono work
• Manage Firm partnerships with legal services organizations as sources of pro bono matter referrals
• Evaluate “one-off” pro bono requests for capacity and alignment with program guidelines
• Coordinate with various firm stakeholder groups (e.g., Sections, Markets, Committees, etc.) to develop tailored pro bono opportunities, and pro bono opportunities for First-Year Associate Program and Summer Associate Program
• On a limited and as needed basis, supervise conflict checks and other risk management protocols for new pro bono matters
• On a limited and as needed basis, supervise associates, senior counsel, and law students on pro bono work and/or coordinate supervision with a Firm partner involved in the work, including stepping in directly on specific matters where necessary (e.g., for court appearances, hearings, filings, client meetings, etc.)
• Maintain membership and leadership position(s) in professional associations related to pro bono practice or strategic external relationships; participate in continued professional self-development related to pro bono practice
• Attend conferences focused on pro bono practice to stay informed on relevant legal developments and identify new opportunities for expanding the Firm’s pro bono work
• Develop and maintain a repository of substantive pro bono practice resources
• Provide orientation to the Firm’s pro bono program to new hires
• Track pro bono matter hours and metrics for internal and external reporting
• Coordinate with the Director of Professional Development to provide continuing legal education opportunities in areas relevant to the Firm’s pro bono work
• Coordinate with the Marketing Department to promote the Firm’s pro bono work internally and externally, through articles, interviews, social media posts, panel presentations, speaking engagements, and award applications
• Coordinate with the Finance Committee and Accounting Department to accurately budget pro bono work and manage the annual pro bono budget

Non-legal Volunteer / Community Service

• Develop quarterly non-legal volunteer opportunities in each Market
• Assist attorneys with development of volunteer opportunities in partnership with Firm clients
• Maintain resources for attorneys to find additional community service opportunities throughout the year

Required Skills, Abilities, and Qualifications

• J.D. degree and active admission to State Bar of California required
• Five or more years in legal practice, including at least three years’ litigation experience
• Experience acting in a primary leadership role on legal matters, including supervising other attorneys
• Experience working with organizations involved in social impact and public interest legal work
• Demonstrated commitment to pro bono legal practice and community service
• Strong track record of organizational leadership and promotion
• Strong and persuasive oral and written communication skills, with experience in multiple communication modes
• Excellent listening and facilitation skills
• Demonstrated cultural awareness and agility; ability to build trust and credibility with internal and external stakeholders
• Ability to work both independently and with teams
• Ability to build strong and effective relationships with Firm attorneys, staff, and external stakeholders
• Strong project management and analytical skills, including experience preparing and managing project budgets
• Eagerness to expand legal knowledge base into new areas of substantive law

Compensation

The salary range for this position is $185,000 – $250,000 annually, commensurate with experience and qualifications. Hanson Bridgett offers a competitive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision coverage, 401(k) with firm contribution (profit sharing), paid time off, and support for continuing legal education and professional development.

The Manager, Legal Support, leads the design, delivery, and continuous improvement of the firm’s secretarial and administrative support model. This role ensures consistent, high-quality client service, strong practice alignment, and scalable operations by integrating technology and AI-enabled workflows into day-to-day service delivery. The Manager serves as the operational bridge between attorneys, administrative professionals, and cross-functional partners (IT, HR, Finance), driving adoption, standardization, capacity management, and talent development.

Essential Responsibilities and Duties

• Service Delivery & Client Experience (Operational Excellence)
  • Lead the day-to-day delivery of pooled secretarial and administrative services across practices and offices (as applicable).
  • Establish service standards (responsiveness, turnaround times, prioritization norms) and ensure consistent execution.
  • Manage escalations effectively, balancing attorney needs with firm-wide standards and capacity realities.
  • Partner with Practice Group Leaders to align service model with practice needs (litigation vs. transactional vs. regulatory, etc.).
• AI-Enabled Workflow Design & Process Improvement
  • Support the firm’s automation and AI efforts by continuously refining the secretarial work portfolio, identifying:
    • tasks appropriate for automation,
    • tasks appropriate for AI assistance,
    • tasks requiring human-only judgment and review.
• Technology & AI Adoption Leadership (Change Management)
  • Serve as the business owner for administrative technology and AI tools in the secretarial function, partnering closely with IT.
• Quality, Governance, and Risk Controls
  • Implement quality control standards for high-risk work (client-facing documents, filings support, deadlines, confidential data handling).
  • Monitor error patterns, root causes, and corrective actions; ensure learning is institutionalized (not dependent on individuals).
• Resource Planning
  • Work with the leads to manage pool capacity using transparent, equitable allocation practices that match work complexity to skill level.
  • Forecast demand cycles by practice (e.g., trial schedules, deal closings) and adjust staffing plans proactively.
  • Use data to manage utilization, turnaround times, backlog, and staffing ratios; propose structural changes as needed (tiers, specialties, shifts, coverage models).
• People Leadership
  • Coach and develop secretarial professionals and leads, setting clear expectations and accountability.
  • Own performance management: goals, feedback, recognition, corrective action, and documentation in partnership with HR.
• Management & Communications
  • Act as a trusted partner to attorneys and business professionals; communicate priorities, standards, and changes clearly and consistently.
  • Influence without over-relying on hierarchy set boundaries where necessary and reframe issues from “preference” to “service model”.
• Time and Attendance & Administrative Oversight
  • Oversee time and attendance compliance for the secretarial team, with particular focus on California meal‑period and overtime requirements.
• Recruitment and Onboarding
  • Supports the recruitment process for legal secretaries and assistants in coordination with HR and firm leadership.
  • Oversee onboarding and integration of new hires by coordinating training, assignments, and communication with relevant teams.

Required Skills, Abilities, and Qualifications:

• 5–10+ years of experience in legal administrative services, practice support, legal operations, or comparable professional services environment.
• 3+ years of people management experience (direct or matrix leadership).
• Strong understanding of law firm workflow and urgency drivers (deadlines, court rules awareness, transaction timelines, billing cycles).
• Demonstrated capability leading change (system implementations, process redesign, service model transitions).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in pooled/shared services models or centralized administrative operations.
• Exposure to legal technology and document ecosystems (DMS, document production, workflow tools, time/billing, intake systems).
• Experience partnering with IT on tool adoption, training, and governance.

Hanson Bridgett offers a competitive salary and benefits package. The annual salary for this California-based role is anticipated to be in the range of $140,000 to $165,000 and represents the firm’s good faith and reasonable estimate of possible compensation at the time of posting. Actual compensation is negotiable and will depend upon several factors, including but not limited to the candidate’s years of experience, qualifications, and skill set.

This position provides high-level administrative support to litigation and transactional trademark and copyright attorneys. Must have advanced knowledge of federal court protocols and rules. To succeed in this role, candidate must be independent, have can-do spirit and be able to manage multiple projects and tasks. Considerable experience in litigation, trademarks and trademark prosecution are essential in this role.

This role offers the opportunity to work from a remote location on days when in-person attendance is not required, and as agreed upon by the direct supervisor and assigned attorneys. It is an essential function of any remote role that the employee be available to attend in-person meetings, professional development sessions or to come to the office for other reasons, if the need arises. This position requires the individual reside in California, and will have a designation to one of Hanson Bridgett’s eight office locations.

Essential Responsibilities and Duties

• Prepare correspondence, memos, and other legal documents as directed.
• Assist with document review, proofreading and editing of legal documents.
• Conduct trademark investigations about adverse parties.
• Communicate with clients and trademark team about deadlines and filings.
• Ensure the orderly management of client files; transmit physical documents to records department.
• Create various spreadsheets and project sheets to track team assignments and client requests.
• Work closely with docketing specialist to ensure deadlines are properly calendared.
• Handle confidential information with discretion and maintain data integrity.
• Complete conflicts checks through electronic intake system and draft engagement letters.
• Coordinate meetings, appointments, conferences and travel arrangements.
• Prepare monthly expense reports for attorneys.
• Assist with preparation and filing of notices of opposition, petitions for cancellation, extensions of time to oppose and other ESTTA filings.
• Maintain electronic files and keep attorneys updated on case status.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records using iManage.
• Assist with billing and invoicing process
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Skills, Abilities, and Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience as a legal secretary in trademark law.
• Deep knowledge of trademark procedures, terminology, and concepts.
• Knowledge of court rules and civil procedures in Federal courts, including experience with e-filing; knowledge of TTAB filing procedures.
• Highly organized and able to handle a heavy IP desk, including managing calendars and prioritizing workload.
• Proficiency in MS Office Suite and legal software for document management.
• Strong organizational and time management skills with attention to detail.
• Clear and professional communication skills.

Hanson Bridgett offers a competitive salary and benefits package. The annual salary for this California-based role is anticipated to be in the area of $85,000 - $95,000, and represents the firm’s good faith and reasonable estimate of possible compensation at the time of posting. Actual compensation is negotiable, and will depend upon a number of factors, including but not limited to, the candidate’s years of experience, qualifications, and skill set.