Specialist, Events & Conference Services

Make an impact at Goodwin, where we partner with our clients to practice law with integrity, ingenuity, agility and ambition. We are in the business of building authentic, long-term relationships with our clients, who are some of the world’s most successful and innovative investors, entrepreneurs and disruptors in the life sciences, private equity, real estate, technology and financial industries, and where they converge. Our immersive understanding of these industries – combined with our expertise across high-stakes litigation and dispute resolution, world-class regulatory compliance and advisory services, and complex transactions – sets us apart. Our Global Operations Team – all business professionals of the firm – was named the “Best Business Team” by The American Lawyer.

The Events and Conference Services Specialist is responsible for planning, organizing and coordinating functions in configurable spaces in the firm’s California offices and off-site venues in California and surrounding areas. The Specialist will also plan, manage and execute webinars via the firm’s chosen technology (Zoom) in conjunction with internal stakeholders. You will lead multi-disciplinary teams to consistently create memorable programs that exceed expectations and conform to firm and building policies and standards. In addition, the Specialist will recommend and implement continuous process and systems improvements to enhance Conference Services operations and services.

What You Will Do:

Internal Event Space

• Lead planning and execution of internal meetings, events and programs (collectively “programs”) held in the firm’s California Offices in San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Los Angeles and Santa Monica.

• Manage all aspects of the meeting and event planning process from start to finish including but not limited to:

• Monitor reservations for large internal programs held in the firm’s California Offices made through the firm’s conference room scheduling system (EMS). Manage the intake process for each request.

• Communicate directly with internal and external clients to understand their needs and expectations for a successful program and communicate any constraints posed by firm or building policies and procedures and/or budget and other resource availability.

• Develop and provide cost estimates for internal and external clients, to ensure the program makes optimal use of the available budget and guide the client to stay within budget without compromising the quality of the program

• Create comprehensive program plans, including venue selection (if appropriate), catering arrangements, menu design, room setup, AV requirements and special requests

• Act as project manager to deliver program in budget, on time and meeting client expectations

• Assemble and lead internal team needed to successfully implement all aspects of each program. The team may include Offices Services, Reception and AV personnel

• Solicit, review and approve external vendor proposals as needed

• Secure and manage services provided by external vendors, including oversight of on-site labor.  These external vendors may include but are not limited to catering companies, bartending services, etc.

• Ensure required documentation is finalized and adheres to the firm’s policies and guidelines

• Maintain open communication with internal and external clients throughout planning and execution of the program

• Ensure all information related to each program is entered in the firm’s event software (EMS) in a timely manner for future reference by the Conference Services team

• Ensure all expenses are processed for payment, charged correctly and approved in a timely manner

• Gather feedback from key stakeholders, analyze feedback and conduct after action debrief with the Conference Services team and Events leaders to capture and address opportunities for improvement

• Prepare, share and file post-event function reports to create record of important accounting, attendance and logistical information

• Lead the events and activities portion of the weekly OPs meetings for each California office.

• Serve as firm-wide resource on California offices’ meeting space policies and services; Collaborate with Conference Services colleagues to propose, establish and document best practice procedures for use in all US offices

• Stay up-to-date with industry trends, technologies, and best practices in conference services

Webinars:

• Plan, execute and staff firm virtual events 

• Consult with internal stakeholder to determine virtual program needs and set up the event in Goodwin’s preferre