Practice Manager

Job Specification: Practice Manager – Wills & Probate

Location: North London

Working Arrangement: Office-based, full-time

Sector: Wills, Probate and Private Client Services

Reporting to: Directors / Senior Management

The Role

We are seeking an experienced, commercially minded Practice Manager to oversee the day-to-day operations of our wills and probate firm in North London.

The successful candidate will come from a legal background, having previously worked within a law firm, and will understand how legal practices operate, including case management, fee generation, billing, client service and staff management.

This is a hands-on management role for someone who can bring structure, accountability and commercial focus to the business. The primary objective is to ensure that cases progress efficiently, work is billed accurately and promptly, staff are motivated and productive, and the firm operates with strong financial and operational controls.

We are looking for an individual who takes ownership, identifies problems before they escalate and turns management information into measurable improvements in performance.

*Key Responsibilities*

*1. KPI Management and Performance Monitoring

• Establish, implement and monitor KPIs for individual team members and the practice as a whole.

• Track caseloads, case progression, turnaround times, billing performance and fee income.

• Monitor individual productivity and ensure staff meet agreed performance targets.

• Produce weekly and monthly management reports for the directors.

• Identify underperformance, bottlenecks and operational inefficiencies, implementing corrective action where necessary.

• Introduce regular performance reviews and ensure accountability at every level of the business.

*2. Billing, Revenue and Cash Flow Management

• Take ownership of the firm’s billing process, ensuring work undertaken is recorded, reviewed and billed promptly.

• Introduce consistent billing procedures across all wills and probate cases.

• Ensure fee earners and case handlers regularly review files for completed work, outstanding charges and opportunities to raise invoices.

• Monitor client funds held on account, outstanding balances, aged debtors and unpaid invoices.

• Ensure appropriate interim billing, stage payments and requests for funds on account are made in accordance with client agreements and applicable requirements.

• Work with the directors and finance team to improve cash flow, reduce aged debt and minimise unbilled work.

• Implement regular billing reviews so that completed work does not remain unbilled and revenue is not unnecessarily delayed.

• Ensure billing records are accurate, transparent and supported by appropriate file documentation.

*3. Team Management and Motivation

• Lead, motivate and manage the wills and probate team, creating a positive, professional and performance-driven working environment.

• Set clear expectations, responsibilities and individual objectives.

• Hold regular team meetings and individual performance discussions.

• Support staff development through coaching, training and constructive feedback.

• Recognise strong performance while addressing underperformance promptly and fairly.

• Manage workloads and allocate cases appropriately to ensure the team operates efficiently.

• Promote teamwork, ownership, accountability and high standards of client service.

• Identify recruitment and training needs as the firm grows.

1. Case Management and Operational Efficiency

• Oversee the progress of wills, probate and estate administration matters, ensuring files move forward without unnecessary delays.

• Introduce consistent processes for opening files, client onboarding, case reviews, billing milestones and file closure.

• Ensure case management systems are used effectively and that file information is accurate and up to date.

• Monitor dormant files, delayed matters and cases requiring management intervention.

• Establish clear procedures for reviewing outstanding actions and chasing clients, beneficiaries, financial institutions and other relevant parties.

• Identify opportunities to improve workflows, reduce administrative duplication and increase the number of cases managed effectively by the team.

1. Client Service and Quality Control

• Maintain high standards of professionalism, responsiveness and client communication.

• Monitor client complaints, service issues and recurring operational problems.

• En…