Lisa Karic

Report directly to the Associate Director and Senior Director of Administration:

• Ensure strategic alignment with the organization's overall goals, policies, and directives.
• Serve as a key point of contact between the Practice Assistant team and senior leadership.
• Provide regular reports and updates on team performance, challenges, and achievements.

Manage Staff:

• Oversee the operations of over 160 Practice Assistants in New York and 15 in Boston.
• Provide daily administrative support to over 1000 attorneys.
• Ensure that staffing levels are adequate to meet the demands of the legal teams.

Recruiting:

• Lead extensive recruiting efforts for hiring new Practice Assistants.
• Review and evaluate resumes to select the best candidates.
• Conduct interviews and collaborate with attorneys to assess candidate suitability.
• Coordinate with Human Resources to finalize hiring decisions.

Onboarding and Feedback:

• Facilitate the onboarding process for new Practice Assistants to ensure a smooth transition.
• Provide continuous feedback to new hires to help them adapt to the firm's workflows and culture.
• Conduct milestone check-ins to monitor progress and address any concerns early on.

Performance Reviews:

• Draft detailed annual performance reviews for Practice Assistants.
• Develop and implement fair compensation packages based on performance evaluations.
• Address any performance issues and provide guidance for improvement.

Staff Supervision:

• Supervise all aspects of Practice Assistant staffing, including time management, assignment allocations, and coverage for short and long-term absences.
• Ensure personal, vacation, and sick leave are managed appropriately to maintain workflow continuity.
• Handle various ad hoc staffing requests and provide solutions to immediate staffing challenges.

Support and Troubleshooting:

• Offer comprehensive troubleshooting support to address any issues staff members may face.
• Provide counseling and mentoring to help staff members improve their performance.
• Foster a supportive environment where staff feel comfortable seeking assistance.

Attorney Liaison:

• Act as a point of contact for attorneys regarding Practice Assistant-related matters.
• Address attorney requests, questions, and concerns promptly and effectively.
• Facilitate communication between Practice Assistants and Human Resources when necessary to resolve any HR-related issues.

Efficiency Improvements:

• Continuously seek new methods to enhance efficiency within the Practice Assistant team.
• Promote interdepartmental cohesion by implementing streamlined processes and best practices.
• Encourage the adoption of new technologies and tools to improve productivity.

Team Events:

• Participate in firm-wide Practice Assistant Management team events to foster team spirit and collaboration.
• Contribute to the planning and execution of the annual retreat and other team-building initiatives.
• Assist with the roll-out of new initiatives and various ad hoc projects to support the team's goals.

• Expanded Role: Continued to build and add responsibilities as Supervisor
• Practice Assistant Management: Managed all aspects of the day-to-day activities of Practice Assistant staff
• Support to Associate Director: Took on additional responsibilities to provide support to the Associate Director
• Attendance Management: Oversaw daily attendance
• Desk Coverage: Ensured adequate desk coverage
• Timesheet and PTO Tracking: Approved timesheets and tracked paid time off
• Staff Support: Provided mentoring, counseling, and problem-solving
• Continuously sought new and improved processes to support staff
• Ad Hoc Projects: Assisted with conference center staffing and special projects within and outside of the Practice Assistant Department

• Manage Practice Assistant Staff: Oversee daily operations of the Practice Assistant team, including monitoring daily attendance, ensuring desk coverage, and approving timesheets
• Track PTO: Accurately manage and track paid time off requests, ensuring proper documentation and balance maintenance
• Staff Development: Provide ongoing mentoring, counseling, and problem-solving support to enhance team performance
• Continuously seek and implement process improvements to create a supportive and efficient work environment
• Ad Hoc Projects: Assist with conference center staffing and manage special projects within and outside the Practice Assistant Department, ensuring effective coordination and resource allocation

• Administrative Legal Support: Provided support for seven corporate attorneys
• Confidentiality: Maintained strict confidentiality of sensitive information
• Independent Administrative Tasks: Performed a full range of administrative support independently
• Liaison Duties: Liaised with Managers, Supervisors, and general staff of other departments
• Other Duties Included: Billing and Membership Tracking, Calendar Management, Attorney/Client Liaison, Expense Reports, Client File Maintenance, Various Research, Business Development Assistance, Event Coordination: Organized meetings, conferences, and events from beginning to end, PowerPoint Presentations, Practice Group Marketing, Agenda Preparation, Extensive Travel Coordination

• Team Leadership: Managed a team of 12, including Help Desk Analysts, Desktop Support Technicians, Systems Administrators, and Consultants
• Business Consultation: Gathered information from business units to understand needs, objectives, and long-term plans
• Determined appropriate technology solutions to address business problems
• Operational Oversight: Ensured applications, operations, and services exceeded Service Level Agreements and met business unit needs
• Work Scheduling: Prepared work schedules and expedited workflow
• Advised subordinates on policies, procedures, technical issues, priorities, and methods
• Process Improvement: Recommended procedural changes to save time, labor, and costs, and to improve efficiency
• Analysis and Reporting: Analyzed and presented information on business situations, production capabilities, and trends
• Contributed to the design and development of new software applications
• Problem Resolution: Reviewed and recommended solutions to technical problems and procedural issues
• Supervisory Duties: Conducted interviews, hiring, training, planning, assigning work, performance appraisals, and disciplinary actions
• Addressed complaints and resolved problems
• Training and Mentoring: Instructed new staff on departmental policies and procedures and trained them on protocols
• Liaison: Coordinated with Managers, Supervisors, and staff from other departments
• Hands-On Support: Fielded trouble tickets and acted as an escalation point for technology needs and customer service requests

• Software and Hardware Support: Provided quality support for an international law firm with over 1500 users
• Help Desk Management: Directed the help desk function and supported technicians with computer-related technology
• Supervision: Supervised help desk personnel in resolving system-related malfunctions and operational issues
• User Needs and Liaison: Ensured user needs were met and acted as a liaison with management for system development and maintenance
• New Systems: Developed and prepared user requirements for new systems
• Team Oversight: Oversaw the Help Desk team's performance, handling employee issues, training, and daily tasks
• Major Role in Rollout: Played a significant role in the firm-wide rollout from Windows NT and Lotus Notes R5 to Windows 2000, Outlook, Office XP, and CMS
• Account Management: Created and maintained user accounts in Windows NT, Lotus Notes, DOCS Open, and ACE database using Secure ID Technology
• Daily Duties: Provided customer service, telephone support for office applications, and handled help desk operations via Remedy
• Distributed second and third level calls to technicians, monitored closure of help desk calls, and maintained the Knowledge Base
• Training: Instructed new Help Desk and System Technicians in departmental policies and procedures
• Liaison: Coordinated with Managers, Supervisors, and staff from other departments
• Loaner Laptop Program: Supported the loaner laptop program, including installation, configuration, and troubleshooting
• On-Call Support: Provided second level support for software and hardware
• Documentation: Created and maintained documentation on various procedures and policies

• Provide administrative and clerical support to attorneys and the litigation team
• Prepare and manage legal documents, including correspondence, memos, and filings
• Maintain and organize client files and case records
• Schedule and coordinate meetings, appointments, and court dates
• Handle billing, expense reports, and timekeeping
• Liaise with clients, courts, and other legal professionals
• Conduct legal research and assist with trial preparation
• Ensure confidentiality and adherence to legal requirements