Legal Bill Review Manager

Job Description

Overview of Citi Citi, the world leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and a presence in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions worldwide. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial productsand services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management. Citi enables clients to achieve their strategic financial objectives by providing them with cutting-edgeideas, best-in-class products and solutions, and unparalleled access to capital and liquidity. Role OverviewWorking closely with Citis Director of Outside Counsel Management and Head of Legal Bill Review, this position leads a team of legal bill review professionals to confirm that our legal suppliers are acting in compliance with Citis outside counsel terms ofengagement and matter specific engagement letters, standard billing guidelines, and/or customary and reasonable industry billing standards. This position will lead and participate in the legal bill review, audit and appeal process, directly making adjustments where appropriate and overseeing similar efforts by team members to ensure law firms comply with billing guidelines and to prevent/avoidinappropriate billing of time and services. This position will provide advice and counsel on opportunities to enhance Citis relationships with outside counsel and optimize its various billing structures and commercial terms. This position will also perform data analysis and review on a micro-and macro-levelaround external legal spend, its drivers and identify areas for enhancement. Must be rational, confident and comfortable explaining invoice adjustments and decisions related to invoice appeal resolutions with Citis in-house lawyers and law firms. Key Responsibilities

• Analyze and audit outside law firms billings against Citis billing guidelines and customary and reasonable billing standards in the industry to determine if adjustments or reductions are required. Items that may be identified in the legal invoice auditfor adjustments or reductions may include, but are not limited to, billing for time in excess of what was actually spent, inefficient/insufficient reporting descriptions; duplicate time charges; over-staffing - proper utilization of personnel, rounding oftime charges; excessive de minimis time charges; charges for overhead and mark-up on costs; etc.
• Develop, communicate and implement the legal bill review program strategy and guidelines to various stakeholders, including law firm partners and in-house attorneys.
• Prepare, present and lead implementation of legal bill review program across different practice areas and regions in Citi.
• Manage team of 3-4 legal bill auditors based in Citis Mumbai office, providing them with the strategy, structure, leadership and guidance to effectively execute the legal bill review program strategy and protect Citis interests.
• Identify and understand trends and activities driving Citis overall multi-million dollar legal spend and propose actions to address or leverage those trends as appropriate.
• Test the reasonableness and necessity of charges incurred by legal suppliers to confirm that invoices fairly reflect the basis for charges for Citis global network of law firms.
• Create reports and summaries of breaches of Citi policy and/or generally accepted industry billing standards.
• Work with Citi Attorneys and its legal suppliers to resolve appeals and other discrepancies.
• Train and/or advise Citi attorneys and external law firms on critical components and best practices around legal bill review.
• Liaise with the reporting, system administration and invoice operations support teams to resolve any invoice data and billing related issues.
• Leverage management information, analytics and technology to drive performance improvement and sharing observations and trends with the team and senior management.
• Identify new improvement or innovative opportunities and understand, assess and remove barriers to success. Maintains deep knowledge and familiarity with industry best practices and latest technologies, including but not limited to artificial intelligence,machine learning etc., that should be adopted at Citi.

Qualifications

• Significant legal practice and/or legal bill review experience in a large global law firm or global corporate legal department (preferably operating in the financial services industry).
• An ability to lead and influence people across cultures at a senior level using sound judgment, successful execution of strategies, and an understanding of how to operate effectively across diverse businesses.
• Practical knowledge of common legal matter progression (e.g., course of litigation, basic procedure in the US and/or UK, basic corporate or financial transactions).
• Knowledge of Uniform Task Based Management System (UTBMS) and Legal Electronic Data Exchange Standard (LEDES) is required.
• Prior experience using any Enterprise Legal Management (ELM) and eBilling software is required. Prior experience of using Passport platform will be an added.
• Exceptional data analytical skills, including advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Power BI will be an added advantage).
• Strong ability to analyze and organize data.
• Highly effective project and process management skills. Lean Six Sigma a plus
• High attention to details, excellent time management and critical thinking skills
• High social acumen and the ability to collaborate directly, daily and effectively across cultures, geographies, and time zones
• Superior attention to detail.
• Flexible, adaptable, responsive, and positive.
• Exceptional written communication skills, including advanced proficiency in Microsoft PowerPoint and Microsoft Word

Exceptional candidates who do not meet these criteria may be considered for the role provided they have the necessary skills and experience. Education

• Bachelors/University degree is required

What we OfferAs well as a competitive salary and consideration for a yearly discretionary bonus Citi offer;

• 23 days paid annual leave
• Award winning pension scheme,
• Life assurance and
• Private medical insurance with Bupa healthcare

In addition, we offer a competitive maternity, paternity and adoption leave scheme. We pride ourselves on our ability to offer employees a number of lifestyle benefits including; on site restaurant and coffee shops, online shopping and concierge service andsubsidised c