Project Manager Management

Keith A. Kotler

** **** ***** **., ******** Rhode Island 02921 401-***-**** *****.******@*****.***

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kkotler

Summary

Senior administrator with a background in practice management, profitability analyses,

accounting and finance, and systems integration for a Global 100 law firm . Extensive experience

in operations, strategic planning, financial reporting and analysis, business modeling and

budgeting. Key skills include:

Leadership Finance/Accounting Management

Project Management OLAP (Online Analytical Processing) Business Intelligence

Experience

Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP, Providence, Rhode Island 1982 - 2012

(Formerly Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP

and Edwards & Angell LLP)

Global Director of Practice Administration (2009 – 2012)

Managed operations of all firm practice groups which included management of headcount, prici ng

and net financial contributions. Developed and managed departmental financial targets, staffing

requirements and utilization levels.

Implemented software that assisted leadership and department heads in determining

client/matter margins.

Developed tools to assist billing partners to properly price and staff specific matters to optimize

margin.

Participated in the firm's compensation committee and part of the team that converted partner

compensation from retrospective to prospective.

Director of Financial Planning and Analysis (2007 – 2009)

Managed all aspects of budgeting, variance analyses and reforecast s. Duties included

contribution analysis of potential firm acquisitions and de novo office initiatives. Managed all

accounting systems including those either acquired or developed within Europe, Asia and the

United States.

Project manager that selected and implemented an on-line budgeting module resulting in a

streamlined, user-friendly process that reduced budgeting staff by two and shortened the

budgeting cycle.

Director of Finance/Controller (2001 – 2007)

Managed all areas of accounting for the firm. Oversaw a department of 25 FTEs whose duties

included financial reporting, accounts payable, accounts receivable, trust accounting, and partner

compensation. Duties also included partnership taxes, providing final data to tax preparers and

independent auditors for the completion of partner K-1s, state estimated payments, partner

retirement plan contributions and all functions pertaining to the partnershi p tax return.

Successfully integrated the accounting systems of two acquired/merged firms.

Developed on-demand billing which shortened the Intellectual Property Department's billing

cycle resulting in earlier client payments.

Project Leader on financial reporting software that resulted in no additions to the financial

planning group.

Restructured firm's debt financing resulting in 50% savings on interest costs.

Systems Integrator (1997 – 2001)

Reviewed, selected and implemented new firm wide software which included the firm's

accounting, document management and litigation support software.

Project Manager for the accounting system conversion leading a team of five accounting and IT

professionals.

Successfully demonstrated to a client the firm's litigation support software capabilities which

generated millions of dollars in legal fees.

Prior Positions at Edwards & Angell LLP

Controller

Financial Analyst

Education & Memberships

BSBA Finance/Economics, Boston University - Boston, Massachusetts

Altman Weil seminar on Law Firm Management; Price Waterhouse seminar on Profitability;

Harvard Law School seminar conducted by Dr. Ashish Nanda on Law Firm Management

Member OLAP Professionals; International Legal Technology Association; Association of Legal

Administrators

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