Overview
Our client, a leading AM Law 50 firm is searching for a Director of Lateral Partner Recruiting in New York. The Director of Lateral Partner Recruiting will work closely with the Chairman, the Managing Partner and the Executive Committee to support the strategic growth of the firm through all aspects of lateral partner recruiting. Through executing the strategic lateral partner recruitment plans on a firm-wide basis, the Director of Lateral Partner Recruiting will play a key role in the firm's commitment to hire, develop and retain the very best legal talent that provides our clients with the highest quality work and service.
Responsibilities
- In concert with the Chairman, Managing Partner and Executive Committee, developing and implementing strategies to identify, recruit and hire top-talent in line with the firm's hiring standards and goals
- Executing recruitment plans to hire lateral partners for a diverse range of needs across the firm based on a meaningful understanding of the legal practices and departmental strategies across all offices
- Proactively executing innovative sourcing strategies across practices that produce and maintain a qualified and diverse pipeline of possible target candidates, including by participating in meetings with key partners in a practice to define target candidate profiles, building lists of possible candidates that fit within such profiles, and developing plans to recruit target candidates
- Managing and enhancing the Firm's brand and reputation with search firms by strengthening communications and relationships with recruiters
- Developing and maintaining search firm relationships to share the firm's goals, strategies and desired targets in each market in order to create a robust candidate pipeline
- Keeping informed of industry trends, and gathering market intelligence on other firms, potential lateral partner candidates and lateral partner recruiting best practices
- Creating and implementing a consistent lateral partner hiring and onboarding experience across all offices
- Identifying process improvements and continually refining standard operating procedures for the Lateral Partner Recruiting team
-Managing the firm's active partner candidate pipeline and process, including by:
- Reviewing candidate submissions
- Presenting qualified candidates to appropriate partners
- Advising on interviewers
- Managing interview schedules
- Collecting and summarizing feedback, as well as ensuring the team is documenting all chronology and commentary in the lateral partner recruiting portal
- Accurately tracking candidates in various stages of the process and generating status reports
- Running weekly meetings to provide updates to the Chairman, the Managing Partner and the Executive Committee on all candidates and facilitating the determination of next steps
- Handling all due diligence components of the recruiting process, including obtaining and analyzing information provided by candidates (including lateral partner questionnaires and supporting materials), liaising with the General Counsel's office with respect to conflict disclosures, using sound judgment in reviewing background check reports, and ensuring completion of reference checks
- Assisting with the preparation of lateral partner presentations for purposes of a partnership vote
- Communicating appropriately with internal stakeholders, as well as search firms and candidates to ensure Firm leadership is informed and there is a meaningful feedback loop
-Overseeing all aspects of lateral partner onboarding and contributing to the smooth transition and integration of lateral partners, including by:
- Sending notices to all stakeholders regarding a lateral partner's start date and generally keeping key members of senior management, partners and business services professionals informed of lateral partner recruiting activities to maximize positive experiences for newly hired partners
- Working in partnership with global Business Services teams (including GC's Office, Conflicts, Pricing, Client Operations, Records, Legal Support, Human Resources and Professional Resources) to manage all phases of the lateral partner onboarding to ensure that all necessary steps are completed prior to a new hire's arrival
- Overseeing the creation of a tailored operational onboarding schedule for lateral partners and monitoring their progress throughout the onboarding process
- Supporting the Leadership Development team on lateral partner integration efforts
- Serving as a primary point of contact for lateral partners in connection with the onboarding process
- Gathering, tracking and analyzing lateral partner recruiting statistical information, including for annual year-in-review summaries
- Working with management to obtain feedback and intelligence from newly hired lateral partners
- Managing junior members of the Lateral Partner Recruiting team
Qualifications
- Previous law firm recruiting and/or legal recruiter experience, at the partner level
- Industry knowledge of specific search firms and recruiters for law firm partners
- Understanding of legal industry trends and recruitment best practices
- Ability to maintain strict confidentiality
- Ability to think strategically
- Strong communication skills, with a focus on attention to detail, client service and responsiveness
- Strong analytical, organizational and tactical skills, with the ability to multi-task and prioritize projects in a fast-paced, detail-oriented environment
- Ability to demonstrate a results-driven approach in carrying out all responsibilities, while embodying Firm values and culture
- Committed professional who has a strong sense of ownership and has the ability to follow up and follow through
- A proactive learner with flexibility in adapting to new systems and processes
- Excellent interpersonal, networking and relationship management skills. Demonstrated ability to build effective working relationships
- A high level of professionalism, presence and credibility to interact and influence colleagues and attorneys across functional areas and seniority levels
- Capable of working flexible hours as needed
- Demonstrated high level of proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint