Managing Principal
Managing Principal at watsonep — Portland, Oregon, United States
- Company: watsonep
- Location: Portland, Oregon, United States
- Employment type: FULL_TIME
- Posted: 2025-12-22
About this role
WATSON EP | ENGINEERING AND PHILANTHROPIES
WATSON EP | LEGAL SERVICES
MANAGING PRINCIPAL | LEGAL SERVICES
Portland, OR | Full-Time | Managing Principal
About Watson EP Legal Services
We are a new consultancy, evolving into a significant practice, with 10+ significant cases in-pipeline ready for counsel engagement.
Revenue driven, Watson EP Legal Services is dedicated to promoting justice, securing reparation, and ensuring swift and effective resolution for clients facing some of the most complex and challenging legal situations. Our mission is grounded in dignity, accountability, and transformative impact — aligning with Watson Engineering & Philanthropies’ broader mission to advance public good.
We serve clients who have experienced discrimination, retaliation, malpractice, civil rights violations, and support both individual clients, multi/joined plaintiff and class action. Our work is fast-paced, client-centered, deeply ethical, and mission-driven.
The Role
We are seeking an exceptional Managing Principal to lead our Legal Services unit and help shape the future of our organization’s mission. This is a high-impact, high-visibility leadership role ideal for someone who thrives in complexity, operates with compassion and clarity, and brings both strategic thinking and operational excellence.
Current caseload includes one contracted client with high 7 to low 8 figure settlement potential, three 8 to 9 figure class actions, and roughly 10 other pipeline cases developed and ready for finalization and counsel preparation. Our class actions are bold. Applicants should be prepared to take on aggressive civil rights matters, with potential for outcomes that drive significant change in local and national policy.
We are in active intake with MSK and Willkie with our first client and need someone ready to step in and lead negotiations, secure litigation funding arrangements and oversee case coordination staff.
A non-disclosure may be required prior to interview.
Overview of Responsibilities
Lead and structure a department responsible for evaluating new client cases, coordinating and developing client intake processes, and ensuring high-quality client experience and effective and efficient outcomes.
Oversee case viability assessments, law-firm and litigation funder assessments and contractual engagements, contract negotiations, litigation budget development and oversight.
Staff management as needed.
Strengthen relationships with partner law firms, advocates, and external stakeholders.
Provide cross-cutting operational and administrative leadership supporting efficiency and quality.
Contribute to long-term strategic planning for Legal Services.
Preferred Qualifications and Experience
Ideal candidate understands building a department, long-term strategy development and execution, has extensive experience in law and will be able to step in and lead an evolving unit immediately.
A seasoned professional with 10+ years of experience.
A natural leader who can guide a team through rapid growth, intense caseloads, and emotionally complex work.
A systems thinker who can improve processes, anticipate needs, and drive innovation.
Someone who communicates with professionalism and clarity.
Deeply committed to justice, reparation, civil rights, and delivering work with excellence and efficiency.
Compensation & Benefits
Base range ($200K–$300K)
Total comp range ($700K–$1.5M)
We are an inclusive organization, practice and believe in non-discrimination.