Senior Manager of Lateral Recruitment

WFB Perkins Coie LLP•Chicago, NY

30d•Hybrid

About The Position

Under the direction of the Senior Director of Strategic Lateral Growth & Integration, and in close collaboration with the Practice Group Chairs, the Senior Manager of Lateral Partner Recruiting is responsible for sourcing and recruiting lateral partners primarily into the East Coast and Chicago offices, consistent with the firm’s lateral hiring priorities and growth strategy. This position will work with other members of the Strategic Growth team to include Lateral Partner Recruiting Coordinators, Director of Growth & Competition Analytics and other sources of information to conduct market research and obtain competitive market intelligence. This position will both develop and deepen relationships with headhunters, counterparts in other firms and industries, trade groups and others, frequently communicating hiring priorities to identify desirable candidates. The Senior Manager will also collaborate with office leadership to ensure that the growth strategy is effectively implemented and remains in alignment with the practice group objectives. This role may expand over time to include other geographies or additional practices.

Requirements

Excellent oral and written communications skills
Excellent customer service skills
Excellent research skills
Knowledge of the legal profession and law firm structures.
Ability to work with Excel and Outlook.
Ability to organize and manage multiple processes and tasks with competing priorities; ability to multi-task with continued attention to detail; ability to drive processes and tasks to completion and to meet deadlines.
Ability to work well under pressure.
Strong problem-solving skills.
The ability to develop effective working relationships with all levels of firm personnel and outside industry professionals.
Proven ability to exercise discretion with confidential communications.
Requires bachelor’s degree or equivalent and a minimum of seven years of experience in attorney recruiting, attorney professional development, or relevant field, including working collaboratively in a multi-office law firm.
Experience overseeing attorney recruiting, lateral partner or associate recruiting, and new attorney pre-arrival and integration activities required.

Nice To Haves

Law Degree (J.D.) preferred.
Experience recruiting for multiple and different legal markets is helpful.

Responsibilities

Independently drive lateral candidate recruiting process and strategic search campaigns.
Facilitate decision-making throughout the hiring process.
Establish strong, effective relationships with third-party search firms.
Regularly communicate hiring priorities and strategy and help “sell” them on the firm, articulating the value proposition for various key hires.
Meet with practice group leaders and their designees to understand and identify the lateral needs, as well as assist in the development of strategic initiatives to grow the firm through lateral partner hiring.
Establish a trusted advisor relationship with practice groups and office.
Develop written descriptions and criteria for specific lateral searches when specialized expertise is targeted, to facilitate candidate submissions that best fit the defined need.
Oversee and facilitate interviews with lateral partner candidates.
Develop an interview team and optimal pairings for joint interviews based on each unique candidate.
Coordinate with the Director of Growth & Competition Analytics to evaluate and present data regarding potential merger/acquisition targets for the firm.
Work with the Lateral Partner Integration Team to ensure each incoming lateral hire smoothly transitions into the firm.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Be present at work during regularly scheduled working hours and as needed in the position, consistent with the firm’s attendance expectations.