Director of Operations and People

Role Overview

The Director of Operations and People serves as a senior operational leader and strategic partner to the Managing Attorney, responsible for ensuring the firm operates with the rigor, discipline, and cohesion of a high‑performing plaintiff‑side practice.

This role sits at the intersection of legal operations, people strategy, and business execution, overseeing the systems, processes, and talent infrastructure that support a growing class action and employment litigation practice. The Director of Operations and People translates leadership priorities into firm‑wide execution so that case acquisition, staffing, and internal workflows scale in a coordinated and sustainable way.

Acting as both an operator and integrator, this individual drives alignment across intake, pre‑litigation, litigation, marketing, Star Equities, and administrative functions, ensuring that teams are properly resourced, roles are clearly defined, and work progresses efficiently across the full case lifecycle.

In addition to operational leadership, this role oversees key people processes, including recruiting, onboarding, and performance management. The Director of Operations and People is responsible for building a repeatable hiring engine, strengthening organizational structure, and fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and high performance.

This is a high‑trust, high‑impact role that requires sound judgment, strong leadership presence, and the ability to operate seamlessly between strategy and execution. The ideal candidate brings deep experience in legal or professional services environments and has served as a right hand to senior leadership—someone who can bring structure to complexity, anticipate needs, and keep a growing firm moving at pace without sacrificing quality.

Core Responsibilities

1. Strategic Operations & Execution

• Translate the Managing Attorney’s vision and priorities into clear operating objectives, systems, and measurable outcomes.
• Oversee firm‑wide operations across legal and business functions to support consistency, efficiency, and scalability.
• Build and institutionalize operating frameworks that support high‑volume intake, case management, and related Star Equities workflows.

Outcome: A disciplined, scalable operating model that supports sustained growth and enables attorneys and staff to focus on their highest‑value work.

2. Case Lifecycle & Workflow Oversight

• Maintain visibility across the full case lifecycle—from initial inquiry and intake through resolution and closing.
• Ensure clear ownership, accountability, and well‑defined handoffs across intake, pre‑litigation, litigation, and supporting functions.
• Identify patterns that impact case flow, client experience, or revenue, and work with department leaders to implement practical improvements.

Outcome: Predictable, efficient case progression with timely movement through each phase and strong coordination between teams.

3. Organizational Leadership & People Operations

• Partner with leadership on hiring strategy, organizational design, and workforce planning across Setareh Law Group and Star Equities.
• Oversee core people operations, including recruiting, hiring coordination, onboarding, and a structured performance management cadence.
• Develop role profiles, interview guides, onboarding plans, and development frameworks that promote clarity, accountability, and growth.

Outcome: High‑performing teams with clear expectations, faster ramp‑up for new hires, and improved engagement and retention.

4. Executive Support & Cross‑Functional Alignment

• Act as a trusted advisor and right hand to the Managing Attorney, supporting prioritization, planning, and follow‑through on key initiatives.
• Drive alignment across departments (legal, intake, marketing, finance, operations) through structured communication, meeting rhythms, and clear action tracking.
• Serve as a central coordination point between leadership and department heads, ensuring that information and decisions flow effectively across the organization.

Outcome: Leadership operates with greater clarity and alignment, with a consistent view of priorities, status, and risks across the business.

5. Process Improvement & Scalable Systems

• Lead continuous improvement efforts across workflows, systems, and operational processes in both the law firm and Star Equities.
• Implement tools, automation, and AI‑enabled solutions that enhance efficiency and quality while remaining practical for day‑to‑day use.
• Standardize best practices, document procedures, and support adoption so that improvements are sustainable over time.

Outcome: A modern, systems‑driven organization that improves continuously and scales without unnecessary operational friction.

Experience & Profile

• 8–12 years of experience in operations, firm administration, or business management roles within a law firm or comparable professional services environment.
• Experience serving as a Director of Operations and People, Director of Operations, Firm Administrator, Chief of Staff, or similar role supporting a founder, managing partner, or senior executive.
• Familiarity with plaintiff‑side litigation, class action, and/or employment law workflows is strongly preferred, or clear adjacent experience with comparable complexity and volume.
• Strong grounding in legal operations and people processes, including hiring, onboarding, and basic HR practices; experience coordinating with finance/accounting on headcount and budgeting is a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to design, improve, and document processes in fast‑paced settings, balancing structure with pragmatism.
• Excellent communication skills and executive presence; able to build trust and influence across attorneys, staff, and leadership.
• Comfortable working with legal technology, case management systems, and productivity tools; interested in thoughtful use of automation and AI to support operations.

What Success Looks Like

• The firm operates as an integrated system, with clear roles, defined processes, and strong alignment between legal, business, and administrative functions.
• Case intake, staffing, and litigation workflows scale smoothly with growth, supported by reliable systems and well‑managed handoffs across the case lifecycle.
• Leadership has timely, accurate visibility into operational performance, key metrics, and emerging risks, enabling better decisions and less reactive management.
• Hiring and onboarding are coordinated and consistent, with new team members ramping up quickly and understanding expectations for their roles.
• Operational improvements and new tools are thoughtfully implemented and adopted, supporting a culture of continuous improvement and high performance.