U.S. Lateral Partner Recruitment and Integration Senior Manager

A&O Shearman is a new global industry-leading law firm, with nearly 50 offices in 29 countries worldwide.
Our fluency in English law, US law, and the laws of the world’s most dynamic markets, enables us to provide unmatched insight and seamless delivery to clients. We work on challenging and important deals and disputes that have the potential to shape the future.
We offer exceptional opportunities for our people; opportunities to work for the world’s leading businesses; to transform the status quo, and to deliver your best work, helping you and your career to thrive, while delivering unparalleled outcomes for our clients.
Whether you're helping clients solve complex challenges, transforming the ways we manage our business, or ensuring the smooth-running of our operations, this is an environment where you can belong and excel. We provide first-rate training and development, we are committed to an inclusive environment, and we provide support and ways of working that help you optimize your wellbeing.
What truly defines a career with us? We recruit the best and ask for the best of you. And together, we will redefine success.

Department purpose and structure

The HR team at A&O Shearman provides a first-class service to the business, offering strategic HR business advice at the partner level and quality support services in the full range of HR functions through specialist teams such as, learning & development, resourcing, reward, employee relations advice, inclusion, payroll, systems and HR administration.

Role purpose

The Senior Manager, U.S. Lateral Partner Recruitment & Integration serves as the firm's strategic leader for lateral partner talent acquisition and integration across the United States. This role is responsible for supporting the development of the firm's lateral partner recruitment strategy, partnering closely with firm leadership to identify, attract, assess, and successfully integrate high-performing partner talent aligned with the firm's growth objectives.

As a trusted advisor to Practice Group Leaders, Executive Leadership, and Human Resources leadership, the Senior Manager drives the end-to-end lateral partner lifecycle, from strategic workforce planning and market intelligence through recruitment, onboarding, integration, retention, and long-term partner success. The role provides strategic oversight of recruitment operations, governance, reporting, vendor management, and process excellence while leading a high-performing team and influencing talent strategies globally.

The Senior Manager plays a critical role in advancing the firm's competitive position in the legal market, ensuring exceptional candidate and partner experiences, and delivering measurable business outcomes through successful lateral partner hiring and integration.

Key elements of the role include:

• Execute the firm's U.S. lateral partner recruitment and integration strategy in support of the firm's long-term growth objectives and market expansion priorities.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to executive leadership, practice group leadership, and key stakeholders on partner talent acquisition, market trends, organizational planning, and competitive intelligence.
• Establish and continuously enhance recruitment, onboarding, integration, reporting, and operational frameworks that drive efficiency, scalability, and business impact.
• Will play a role in supporting and developing recruitment and integration professionals while fostering a culture of excellence, innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Utilize data, analytics, and market intelligence to influence hiring decisions, evaluate return on investment, and guide strategic workforce planning initiatives.
• Represent the firm externally with search firms, industry organizations, and market stakeholders to enhance visibility and strengthen access to premier partner talent.

Key relationships

• Director, U.S. Recruitment
• Chief Human Resources Officer – Americas
• U.S. Human Resources Team
• U.S. Practice Group Leaders and Partners
• U.S. Business Teams including Finance, Marketing & BD, IT, and the Business Acceptance Unit
• Global COOs, Recruitment, and HR teams

Job description

Strategic leadership & talent acquisition

• Execute the U.S. lateral partner recruitment strategy in alignment with firm priorities, growth objectives, and practice-specific expansion plans.
• Partner with Executive Leadership, Practice Group Leaders, and Business Services leadership to assess talent needs, succession considerations, strategic growth opportunities, and market positioning.
• Provide thought leadership and strategic recommendations regarding hiring trends, compensation competitiveness, geographic expansion opportunities, and partner acquisition strategies.
• Provide oversight into highly complex and confidential partner recruitment matters, including senior strategic hires and multi-partner acquisitions.
• Build and maintain relationships with key search firms, industry leaders, and market influencers to strengthen the firm's lateral hiring pipeline.
• Guide stakeholders through candidate evaluation, business case development, cultural assessment, conflicts review, financial analysis, and offer negotiation processes.

Partner integration & retention strategy

• Execute the firm's lateral partner integration strategy to maximize retention, performance, client transition success, and cultural alignment.
• Partner with firm leadership to establish integration goals, success metrics, and long-term development plans for incoming partners.
• Provide strategic oversight of first-year integration planning, stakeholder engagement, coaching initiatives, and performance reviews.
• Identify integration risks, develop mitigation strategies, and proactively address barriers to partner success.
• Analyze integration outcomes and retention trends to identify opportunities for continuous improvement and organizational learning.

Operational excellence & program management

• Execute governance frameworks, policies, metrics, and operational standards supporting all aspects of lateral partner recruitment and integration.
• Carry out the evolution of systems, technologies, AI-enabled solutions, and reporting capabilities to enhance effectiveness and scalability.
• Identify sources for executive reporting, talent analytics, market insight, and performance dashboard requirements for analysis and communication of the findings to relevant stakeholders to inform strategic decision-making.
• Manage relationships with external search firms and vendors, including performance evaluation, contract administration, spending oversight, and service delivery expectations.
• Drive firmwide and global initiatives related to lateral hiring, talent acquisition, and strategic workforce planning.

Leadership & people management

• Will play a role in supporting and developing recruitment and integration professionals while fostering a culture of excellence, innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Carry out objectives, standards, and development plans that support team growth and organizational success.
• Drive a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation, inclusion, and exceptional client service.
• Serve as a senior leader within the HR function and contribute to broader departmental and firmwide strategic initiatives.
• Act as a trusted advisor and escalation point for complex talent acquisition and integration matters.

Key requirements

Experience

• Minimum 10 years of progressive legal recruiting, executive recruiting, talent acquisition, or professional services experience, including significant experience leading partner-level recruitment initiatives.
• Demonstrated success developing and executing strategic talent acquisition programs within a national or global law firm or professional services environment.
• Experience leading teams, managing organizational change, and influencing senior stakeholders in a complex matrixed organization.

Leadership competencies

• Proven ability to influence and advise executive leadership and senior partners on high-impact talent decisions.
• Strong business acumen and understanding of law firm economics, strategic growth planning, and partner business case evaluation.
• Ability to translate market intelligence and workforce data into actionable talent strategies.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through ambiguity, manage competing priorities, and drive organizational change.
• Exceptional relationship management, stakeholder engagement, and executive communication skills.

Technical expertise

• Deep understanding of partner recruitment, integration, retention, and talent market dynamics within the legal industry.
• Knowledge of law firm financial models, compensation structures, due diligence processes, and partner evaluation methodologies.
• Strong analytical capabilities with experience leveraging data, technology, reporting tools, and AI-enabled solutions to support decision-making.
• Established network and credibility within the legal recruiting community and with senior search firm partners.

Equal employment opportunity, including veterans and disability A&O Shearman is an equal opportunity employer, including Veterans and Disability. Every individual has the right to work in a professional environment that promotes equal opportunity and prohibits discrimination and harassment. This policy applies to all aspects of an individual’s relationship with A&O Shearman, including, without limitation, recruitment, hiring, training and development, promotion, compensation, discipline, termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment. If you are vision‑impaired or have another disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act or similar law and wish to discuss accommodations related to applying for employment at A&O Shearman, please contact US HR Transactions at View email address on click.appcast.io or call View phone number on click.appcast.io and ask for HR Transactions.

This role is open to the New York, Washington, D.C., Houston, and Menlo Park Offices. For individuals assigned to or hired for this opportunity in New York, the estimated annualized base salary range for this position is $190,000-$236,000. For individuals assigned to or hired for this opportunity in Washington, D.C., the estimated annualized base salary range for this position is $176,500-$223,000. For individuals assigned to or hired for this opportunity in Houston, the estimated annualized base salary range for this position is $165,500-$210,000. For individuals assigned to or hired for this opportunity in Menlo Park, the estimated annualized base salary range for this position is $200,000-$250,000. The actual base salary offered will depend on the overall qualifications of the individual applicant for the position and other job‑related factors permitted by law. We offer a competitive compensation and benefits package which includes a discretionary bonus, paid leave, life, health, accident, and disability insurance; and a 401(k) plan.