Director of Recruiting and Associate Advancement

Taft is seeking a Director of Recruiting and Associate Advancement to join our team

We are seeking a Director of Recruiting and Associate Advancement to join our team in the Chicago office.  All Taft employees operate under a “Client First” philosophy—in all things, we seek to provide exceptional services to our clients.  The person in this role will be critical in advising associates and integrating attorneys with their respective offices, practice groups and client teams, collaborating with Taft’s various support and operations specialists to meet the needs of the practice groups and clients, and communicating regularly with attorneys regarding office and departmental needs and the progress of ongoing initiatives.  The individual in this role will advise on matters related to associate development and advancement, associate evaluations, staffing assignments, attorney recruitment, talent management, firm citizenship, integration, and cross-collaboration.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Multi-faceted role that will support associates and associate-related strategies, goals, and objectives within assigned office(s) and/or practice groups.
• Manage the Chicago summer associate program and Chicago summer and lateral associate recruiting.
• Guide and mentor associates with integration into the firm and throughout their various career stages.
• Assist with associate staffing, mentorship, feedback and retention.
• Implement and execute integration and development plans for associates.
• Contribute to firm-wide initiatives and programs designed to enhance associate development, retention, and advancement.
• Monitor associate compliance with client, partner, and matter expectations; track workloads; and be mindful of associates’ strengths and goals.
• Maintain current knowledge of the firm’s policies and procedures with respect to attorney recruitment, orientation, work assignments, evaluations, mentor programs, and training and development with the objective to continuously obtain feedback on and evaluate these systems.
• Survey attorneys in practice groups and in firm management to identify professional development opportunities and areas for training and provide information and feedback to the Director of Attorney Learning and Development.
• Develop strong relationships with associates as well as the career service teams at local law schools, firm practice group leaders, partners and firm leadership to garner buy-in and ensure internal and external collaboration.
• Support practice group leaders and partners to strategically match associates to work opportunities with an eye toward achieving an equitable distribution of assignments consistent with client needs, associate goals, and the firm’s strategic initiatives.
• Work with the Professional Development Team to design and implement strategies and approaches for associate development that meet practice group and client needs.
• Facilitate and foster effective communication.
• Support firm-wide initiatives and programs designed to enhance associate recruiting, development and retention.
• Work with Professional Development, Recruiting, Client & Innovation Office, IT, Marketing & Business Development, General Counsel, Operations, HR, and other department teams as collaboration opportunities and needs arise.
• Some travel required.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements:

• Experience working in a professional services, legal, law firm or law school setting.
• Ability to assess and administer feedback with actionable direction and guidance.
• Strong communication and organization skills with superior interpersonal skills.
• Ability to quickly build trust and confidence and establish strong professional relationships.
• Superior judgment and ability to problem solve.
• Skilled in recognizing and attuning to the morale and culture among associates, practice groups, offices and of the firm as a whole.
• Collaborative mindset and ability to connect people internally.
• Ability to take initiative and build new processes and approaches.
• Client service mindset.
• Strong to advanced technology skills.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Analytical thinking skills, with the ability to adapt to changing demands and work well in a fast-paced environment.
• Enthusiastic professional who displays a high level of maturity, a confidential nature, and a proactive work ethic.

Education and Experience:

• JD required.
• 2 or more years as a practicing lawyer in a law firm setting and 2 or more years of career development experience
• Prior experience in an operations, talent management, and/or project management role.
• Prior law firm professional development and/or recruiting experience.

Interested candidates can apply here.

Taft offers competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefit package, including medical, dental, vision, life, long term disability, flexible spending, 401K, Paid Time Off, paid holidays, bonus and more. The salary range for this position is $175,000-$190,000.  Actual compensation offer to candidate may vary from posted information based on work experience, education, and/or skill level.

---

^{Taft is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The information in this posting presents general duties, tasks, and responsibilities but is not intended to be an exhaustive listing. Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP participates in E-VERIFY.}