Am Law 200 firm

Recruiting a Director of Billings for a National Remote Team

Role: Director of Billings
Sector: Am Law 200 Law Firm
Location: Fully Remote (USA)
Team Size: 50+ reports
Search Type: Retained Executive Search
Appointment Type: Permanent
Lead Consultant: Simon Taylor

I was retained by an Am Law 200 law firm to lead the search for a new Director of Billings. The role carried responsibility for a team of more than 50 people working remotely across the United States and was a key leadership position within the firm's revenue function.
The previous Director had resigned and was working their notice period, so there was naturally a degree of urgency. However, the focus from the outset was on finding the right person rather than simply filling the vacancy quickly.

Understanding the Brief

My initial meeting was with the firm's CFO. One thing the client was particularly clear about from the outset was the level of leadership they were looking for. Technical expertise in billings and revenue management was a given. The successful individual also needed the experience and credibility to lead a team of more than 50 people working remotely across the country.

Just as importantly, they needed the presence to step into an established team and quickly earn the confidence of senior managers and stakeholders. The firm wanted someone who would be an obvious appointment in the eyes of the existing team.

Alongside the brief itself, I shared my view of the market, candidate availability and what would be needed to attract the strongest individuals.

Mapping the Legal Billing Leadership Market

Following the briefing, I conducted a nationwide market mapping exercise. The search focused on Directors and Senior Managers working within law firms of a similar size or larger. I was looking for people who had successfully managed sizeable billing and revenue teams, delivered operational improvements and demonstrated strong leadership within complex organisations.

One thing I've found with Legal Business Services searches like this is that the market narrows very quickly once leadership experience becomes as important as technical expertise. There were plenty of people with strong billing backgrounds, but far fewer who had successfully led large, geographically dispersed teams at this level.

The opportunity also needed to appeal to high-calibre passive candidates. None of the people eventually shortlisted were actively looking for a move, so it was important to present a clear picture of the role, the leadership team and the opportunity ahead.
The research identified approximately 100 potential candidates across the United States, all of whom were approached directly.

From that group, I developed a longlist of 15 candidates for discussion with the client. Following detailed conversations with the CFO and HR team, this was reduced to six individuals for interview.

Managing the Interview Process

Throughout the process, I worked closely with the firm's HR team. Communication was excellent from start to finish, which made scheduling and managing a multi-stage interview process straightforward despite the seniority of the stakeholders involved.
The interview process consisted of four stages:

• Initial interview with the CFO
• Interview with HR
• Interview with members of the Senior Leadership Team
• Final face-to-face meeting with the CFO and CHRO

Preparing Senior Candidates for Interview

One misconception in executive recruitment is that senior candidates don't need interview preparation. In reality, many experienced leaders have not interviewed for several years. Some have progressed through internal promotions, while others have secured positions through referrals and professional networks.

I worked with each individual to identify which examples from their career would have the greatest impact, how to communicate their achievements clearly and where they should focus their attention during interviews.

I also shared insight into the interviewers themselves, including their priorities and communication styles, and encouraged candidates to undertake thorough research on the firm before each stage.

Candidate Support and Feedback

After the first two stages, two candidates progressed to the final rounds. We remained in regular contact with all six candidates throughout the process, providing honest, constructive feedback after every stage.

These were established professionals who were already successful in their existing positions. While they were interested in the opportunity, none were under pressure to make a move. Our role was to ensure they had a complete understanding of the position, the leadership team and the firm's expectations so they could make a fully informed decision.

Both finalists were thoroughly briefed on the compensation package, reporting structure and remote working environment.

Offer Management and Referencing

One candidate emerged as the clear preferred choice and received an offer. At this stage, the process became a collective effort between our team, the client and the successful candidate. Because expectations had been managed carefully throughout and there had been transparency around the opportunity from the outset, the offer stage progressed smoothly without any counteroffer issues.

References were highly positive and we worked alongside HR to finalise the start date and contractual arrangements. The firm's HR team managed the onboarding process efficiently, reflecting the organisation and responsiveness they had demonstrated throughout the search.

The Result

Since the appointment, we have remained in contact with both the client and candidate. The new Director has settled into the role well and quickly established credibility with the team. They have built strong relationships with senior stakeholders and become an effective member of the leadership group.

Perhaps the most pleasing outcome is that they have become exactly the kind of appointment the client wanted from the beginning: a leader whose experience and track record were immediately recognised and respected by the wider team. Most importantly, they have brought the level of leadership and operational expertise the firm was looking for when the search began.

Why the Retained Search Was Successful

This assignment benefited from a retained search approach. The exclusivity gave us the time to map the market properly, engage passive candidates and provide the client with a complete view of the available talent pool.
It also allowed us to present the opportunity consistently across the market and make recommendations based on detailed knowledge of every individual considered.

The success of the search was also down to the partnership we built with the CFO and HR team. They were decisive, organised and highly responsive throughout. From the initial briefing through to the successful appointment, it felt like a genuine partnership, which played a significant part in delivering a successful outcome.

Looking to Hire a Senior Legal Business Services Leader?

If you're recruiting a leader across billing, revenue, pricing, legal operations or another Legal Business Services function, I'd be happy to have a confidential conversation about your requirements and share relevant insight into the market.

About Simon Taylor

Simon is Executive Director at Boston Hale and leads senior Legal Business Services appointments for Am Law 100 and Am Law 200 firms.

Having worked in recruitment since 2000, Simon executes retained and executive search assignments across Billing & Revenue, Pricing, Legal Operations, Practice Management and other business-critical leadership functions.

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