Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Career Services Leadership And Coaching Responsibilities
Timeline
Generic

Emma Aponte-Martinez

Staten Island

Summary

Experienced and highly organized leadership professional with a strong passion for Career Services, Learning & Development, and Talent Development. Strategic and relationship-driven, with a proven track record of supporting professional growth across legal and corporate environments. Adept at building and nurturing partnerships with internal stakeholders, alumni, clients, and external organizations to align talent with opportunity. Demonstrated ability to optimize office support operations, facilitate seamless cross-functional collaboration, and deliver high-level executive support in fast-paced, professional service settings. Experienced in coaching professionals, collaborating closely with marketing, business development, and learning teams. Committed to fostering inclusive, high-impact career pathways, enhancing organizational effectiveness, and serving as a trusted advisor within and beyond the firm.


Overview

17
17
years of professional experience

Work History

REGIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER

OFFIT KURMAN
05.2024 - Current
  • Oversees the daily business operations of the office to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.
  • Provides strategic direction and leadership to administrative and legal support teams, managing workflow, projects, and assignments.
  • Conducts regular team meetings to align priorities and performance.
  • Leads key HR functions including onboarding, team assignments, performance evaluations, and compensation reviews.
  • Partners with HR and external professional placement agencies on recruitment for open roles.
  • Serves as the primary liaison between office operations and senior leadership on administrative, operational, and facility-related matters.
  • Manages the integration of lateral attorney groups and their support teams, ensuring resource alignment and coordination with relevant departments.
  • Supports firm wide initiatives in collaboration with the Director of Administration and senior leadership, helping to standardize processes, improve efficiency, and drive change.
  • Partners with Real Estate and Operations leadership on space planning, office moves, refurbishments, including vendor RFPs and project management.
  • Acts as the onsite point of contact with property managers, building engineers, and security teams.
  • Supports major office-wide projects and programs, including IT, HR, Diversity, and Business Development initiatives.
  • Leads and participates in focus groups and task forces to support firmwide rollouts and strategic initiatives.
  • Champions innovation and continuous improvement in alignment with firm and industry goals.
  • Attends partner and attorney meetings and serves on internal committees as needed.
  • Maintains ongoing communication with the Director of Administration providing regular updates on office operations and initiatives.
  • Provides leadership, coaching, and development for a team of business professionals, ensuring regular feedback and performance management.

MANAGER LEGAL SUPPORT

DLA PIPER LLP (US)
02.2008 - 03.2024
  • Led the development of a scalable, modern support model tailored to the evolving needs of attorneys across diverse practice areas, increasing operational flexibility and service delivery efficiency.
  • Provided coaching and leadership oversight for all departmental employee relations matters in collaboration with HR and Office Administration.
  • Directed end-to-end performance management, including annual evaluations, merit-based compensation recommendations, corrective action plans, and ongoing feedback.
  • Partnered with Learning & Development and Talent teams to design and deliver practice-area-specific training programs, attorney onboarding initiatives, and firmwide professional development strategies.
  • Collaborated with firm leadership, including Office Managing Partners, practice group heads, and recruiting teams, to anticipate staffing needs, plan for future capacity, and implement workforce development strategies.
  • Designed individualized and team-based professional development plans for legal support staff and administrative teams.
  • Led associate onboarding and training programs in partnership with Talent Development and IT Training.
  • Managed office operations across four regional offices, ensuring appropriate staffing levels, reallocation of resources, and consistent service quality.
  • Oversaw budget development and administration for office operations and salaries.
  • Implemented coaching-based leadership strategies to support team morale, engagement, and retention.
  • Created and executed a professional development model for the Legal Administrative Team.
  • Managed all aspects of recruiting, interviewing, and onboarding for administrative positions.
  • Led internal communication and change management efforts during office moves, attorney relocations, and support staff reassignments.
  • Conducted quarterly and annual performance evaluations, collaborated with attorneys on development goals, and provided direct feedback and salary recommendations.
  • Maintained active engagement in professional associations, continuously integrating industry best practices, legal operations trends, and new technologies into office administration and coaching frameworks.
  • Facilitate personalized support through one-on-one outreach, development of tailored materials (resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, bios), and identification of key networking connections.
  • Lead end-to-end performance and talent management strategies, including conducting coaching sessions, mediating personnel issues, managing evaluations, and recommending developmental and disciplinary actions.
  • Build and maintain trusted advisory relationships with stakeholders across all levels.
  • Collaborate closely with Learning & Development, Professional Development leaders and Marketing teams.
  • Design and lead onboarding and training initiatives for attorneys and legal professionals.
  • Support firm partners in sourcing, vetting, and recommending appropriate candidates for client-facing roles.
  • Oversee professional development programming for legal support staff and administrative teams.
  • Spearhead internal communication and change management efforts during transitions.
  • Manage the operational and budgetary oversight of multiple regional offices.
  • Drive internal awareness and external engagement through collaboration on alumni newsletters, career-focused programming, and strategic content creation.
  • Champion a coaching-centered leadership style that enhances team morale, encourages open communication, and promotes retention.
  • Contribute to program reporting and data-driven decision-making through the design and execution of career services metrics and outcome analysis tools.
  • Maintain active involvement in professional networks to incorporate best practices, legal industry innovations, and evolving workforce trends into Career Services strategy and execution.

Education

Bachelor of Arts - History

St. Francis College
Brooklyn, NY

No Degree - Organizational Leadership

Regent University
Virginia Beach, VA

Skills

  • Business Partner to key stakeholders
  • Learning & Development Training
  • Meeting facilitation
  • Business operations management
  • Relationship building
  • Office administration

Career Services Leadership And Coaching Responsibilities

  • Facilitate personalized support through one-on-one outreach, development of tailored materials, and identification of key networking connections.
  • Lead end-to-end performance and talent management strategies, including conducting coaching sessions and managing evaluations.
  • Build and maintain trusted advisory relationships with stakeholders across all levels.
  • Collaborate closely with Learning & Development and Marketing teams to create firmwide programs.
  • Design and lead onboarding and training initiatives for attorneys and legal professionals.
  • Support firm partners in sourcing, vetting, and recommending appropriate candidates for client-facing roles.
  • Oversee professional development programming for legal support staff and administrative teams.
  • Spearhead internal communication and change management efforts during transitions.
  • Manage the operational and budgetary oversight of multiple regional offices.
  • Drive internal awareness and external engagement through collaboration on alumni newsletters and career-focused programming.
  • Champion a coaching-centered leadership style that enhances team morale and promotes retention.
  • Contribute to program reporting and data-driven decision-making through the design and execution of career services metrics.

Timeline

REGIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER

OFFIT KURMAN
05.2024 - Current

MANAGER LEGAL SUPPORT

DLA PIPER LLP (US)
02.2008 - 03.2024

Bachelor of Arts - History

St. Francis College

No Degree - Organizational Leadership

Regent University

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