Kelley Lugo

Global Director of Practice Operations, Real Estate, Law Practice

Hi, I'm Kelley Lugo. Welcome to my profile!

Kelley Lugo's Bio:

Kelley Lugo, Director of Practice Operations, US Real Estate, at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner. Results-oriented senior executive with demonstrated success in strategy, client service, business development, marketing, change and program leadership, operations and financial management in the professional services sector. 20+ year track record of effective communication, strong analytical skills, creative problem solving and the management of complex relationships in a matrixed environment. Consistent, action-biased leader with experience building and leading an effective team, mentoring and developing others, engaging very senior stakeholders, and directing change. Enthusiastic and adaptable team player with exceptional peer, upward and senior reviews.Additionally, Kelley serves on the Advisory Board of New American Pathways. At New American Pathways, our vision is to promote safety and stability, self-sufficiency, success, and service for individual refugees and refugee families in Georgia. We offer distinct program areas that focus on jobs, education, cultural integration, individual and female empowerment, building strong families and civic engagement. We serve over 5,000 refugees in Georgia every year.

Kelley Lugo's Experience:

  • Global Director of Practice Operations, Real Estate at BCLP - Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

    January 2026 - Present | Atlanta, GA

    I currently serve as the acting Department COO, leading operations for a global real estate practice of 350+ attorneys across the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East. As the senior operating executive, I am accountable for P&L performance, strategic execution, and the overall health and efficiency of the department. My work centers on strengthening operational effectiveness, accelerating revenue growth and profitability, and driving innovation across a complex, multinational platform.

  • Director of Practice Operations - US Real Estate at BCLP - Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

    November 2022 - October 2025 | Atlanta, GA USA

    I transitioned to BCLP to serve as the Director of Practice Operations for the U.S. Real Estate practice—an organization more than three times the size of the group I previously managed. In this role, I took on significantly broader operational and strategic responsibilities, overseeing a larger attorney population, a more complex portfolio of matters, and a wider geographic footprint. The move also gave me expanded exposure to global operations. I worked closely with the Department Chief Operating Officer on cross‑border initiatives, contributing to projects that aligned U.S. operations with the firm’s global strategy, improved consistency in service delivery, and strengthened collaboration across regions. This experience deepened my understanding of global law firm operations and positioned me to take on even greater leadership responsibilities within the department.

  • Director of Practice Management, Real Estate at Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP

    May 2021 - November 2022 | Atlanta, GA

    I served the US Real Estate practice in a "COO" role. In this role, I was responsible for overseeing business development efforts and client satisfaction, leading the strategic planning process and the execution of the developed plans, managing operational effectiveness, driving revenue growth and profit maximization, driving innovation and monitoring the effectiveness of the group’s hiring, training and retention of talent.

  • Senior Manager, Client Service and Business Development at Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP

    January 2010 - April 2021 | Atlanta, Georgia

    I guided the group’s business development, practice management, and marketing efforts. In business development, I led client‑focused initiatives, including client feedback interviews, opportunity research, RFP responses, and client presentations. In practice management, I worked with attorneys to develop and implement strategic business plans, managed the practice group budget, and supported the integration of lateral partners. In marketing, I partnered with the marketing team to identify and execute visibility‑building opportunities such as conferences, speaking engagements, articles, presentations, and collateral. I also served as the Business Development Training Lead for Eversheds Sutherland’s U.S. operations, collaborating with Professional Development and Practice Group leadership to create business development training for attorneys and providing one‑on‑one coaching.

  • Business Development Manager at Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP

    May 2008 - January 2010

    I served as the Business Development Manager for the Litigation Department, where I helped teams and individual attorneys uncover, develop, and prioritize opportunities to grow revenue in a cost‑effective and efficient way. I understood the firm’s resources and worked closely with department leadership to ensure attorney time and marketing support were used strategically. I also helped break down silos by facilitating communication among teams pursuing common clients, prospects, or industries. By partnering with attorneys and the marketing communications team, I strengthened the effectiveness of their business development efforts, both in deepening existing client relationships and building new ones.

  • Key Account Manager and New Business Development at MapleLoft Learning Innovations

    April 2006 - March 2008

    MapleLoft is a B2B provider of outsourced training solutions with a focus on introducing innovative technologies. In my role as Key Account Manager, I managed the company’s largest account and increased it by 45% by expanding the training program into additional departments and regions. I was also responsible for new business development, where I developed and executed a sales plan targeting C‑level executives at small to mid‑sized organizations ($50–500M in revenue) in the business services and technology sectors. I built a strong pipeline of opportunities through consistent cold‑calling and email outreach.

  • Senior Marketing Manager at Recall Corporation

    October 2001 - April 2006

    Led marketing programs, product introductions, market research studies, strategic planning processes, pricing initiatives, marketing communications programs, and sales training development. Recall was a $500M global B2B provider of outsourced information management solutions with operations in 23 countries at the time and has since been acquired by Iron Mountain.

Kelley Lugo's Education:

  • Emory University - Goizueta Business School

    MBA
    Concentration: Decision and Information Analysis

  • Hong Kong University of Science and Technology - School of Business and Management

    MBA-Semester Abroad

  • Emory University

    BA, Cultural Anthropology

Kelley Lugo's Interests & Activities:

Spanish language (intermediate), photography, hiking, yoga, adventure travel, cooking, karaoke