Chief Operating Officer

Company Overview

USA Employment Lawyers is a nationwide plaintiff-side class action wage and hour law firm focused on helping 100,000 workers recover unpaid wages by 2030. The firm is led by Jordan Richards, Esquire, a former prosecutor with extensive legal experience and a track record of achieving strong outcomes in multi-state cases. The organization is now seeking an experienced operator to strengthen the systems, team structure, standards, and accountability needed to scale with consistency, whether or not the CEO is present.

Why This Role Exists Now

The firm is at a point where it must either remain small or build the operational foundation to grow. It has institutional litigation financing, a defined expansion path, and the resources required to become a multi-seven-figure business within the next 24 months. The missing piece is a capable COO who can turn that plan into execution.

This is a rare opportunity to shape a growing firm without battling bureaucracy or waiting for authority to be granted. The mandate, resources, and upside are all in place, and compensation is tied to what you deliver.

Role Summary

The COO will report directly to the CEO and work alongside him on strategic execution. All other functions in the firm, including attorneys, paralegals, intake, client services, operations, and marketing, will report into this role. The expectation is not to monitor progress from the sidelines, but to build, run, and continuously improve the business every quarter.

The firm expects the operator model described in leadership books such as Fireproof and Rocket Fuel. The CEO serves as the visionary, while the COO translates strategy into processes, processes into standards, and standards into measurable outcomes without repeated prompting.

This is a fully on-site position in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Remote or hybrid work is not available.

Key Responsibilities

You will oversee the overall operational performance of the firm, including SOP creation and enforcement, KPI tracking, team accountability, and difficult performance conversations that many firms avoid. You will be responsible for identifying issues, addressing them directly, and resolving them without needing the CEO involved in every discussion.

You will also manage litigation team performance, intake pipeline efficiency, lead conversion systems, hiring and onboarding, staff development, separation processes, and financial discipline tied to growth planning. The role requires balancing operational execution with a strategic understanding of budgeting and scaling decisions.

Performance Areas You Will Own

• Litigation team results, including building a high-performing group that reduces the CEO’s workload and operates to a measurable standard.
• Attorney and paralegal performance management, including evaluating underperformance, coaching improvement, or replacing staff when necessary.
• Intake pipeline and lead conversion, with responsibility for spotting breakdowns and creating processes that improve conversion rates.
• Hiring, onboarding, development, and separation of personnel, with careful documentation and professionalism.
• Budget awareness and growth infrastructure, working closely with the CEO to support responsible expansion.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate has already led operations for a contingency law firm at this level, inherited a broken or underperforming operation, rebuilt it, and can point to measurable results. They are comfortable with direct communication, difficult personnel decisions, and holding every level of the organization to a high standard.

This person thinks proactively, builds systems before problems repeat, and takes ownership of outcomes. They should be comfortable being the primary point of accountability for the team, while treating every role with respect and keeping expectations consistent. Mission alignment is important, even if the person is not a lawyer.

Values and Working Style

• Finish what is started and consistently meet deadlines.
• Track the right metrics and use results to guide decisions.
• Keep improving processes, skills, and tools.
• Support the team and clients with loyalty and commitment.
• Own both successes and setbacks without making excuses.
• Act with integrity and follow through on commitments.

Requirements

This role calls for at least 15 years of operations experience, including a minimum of 5 years in a COO or equivalent position at a contingency law firm. Candidates should have a documented history of scaling a contingency litigation practice into the multi-seven-figure range from within the organization, not as an outside observer.

Experience with SOP and KPI frameworks in a legal environment is required, along with direct involvement in managing legal staff, owning intake performance, and improving lead-to-client conversion. Familiarity with legal operations software such as Clio, Litify, or similar platforms is also needed.

The position is for a non-attorney who leads the business side of the firm rather than legal practice. Candidates must be based in South Florida or willing to relocate there before starting.

Not the Right Fit If

• You are taking on a COO role at a contingency law firm for the first time.
• You need a fully built operating system handed to you before you can succeed.
• You are unwilling to make difficult personnel decisions early on.
• You prefer to escalate decisions upward instead of owning the outcome yourself.
• You are looking for a remote or hybrid setup.

Compensation and Benefits

The base salary for this position is between $150,000 and $200,000, depending on experience. In addition, the role includes performance-based bonuses tied to firm revenue growth, litigation team output, and intake conversion metrics. Strong performance can result in total compensation well above base pay in the first year, with upside increasing as the firm grows.

Benefits include employer-contributed health coverage, long-term disability insurance fully paid by the employer, a Simple IRA with up to a 3% employer match, and three weeks of paid time off each year. There is no equity component in this role.

Final Note

The firm is looking for someone who can build what is needed, run it with discipline, and help transform a strong firm into an outstanding one. Applicants are expected to explain which firm they scaled, what they inherited, what they built, and the results they achieved.