Chief Talent Officer

Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP is a national law firm headquartered in Chicago, with approximately 600 lawyers. Founded in Chicago in 1934, the firm now has 27 offices in 17 states.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

The Chief Talent Officer will lead and unify the firm’s end-to-end attorney talent strategy, spanning lateral and entry-level recruiting, integration, professional development, performance management, workforce planning, succession, and culture to drive measurable business outcomes in growth, profitability, client service, and risk mitigation. The CTO will serve as a strategic advisor to the Chair, Managing Partner, COO, and Management Committee, embedding talent and strategic plan priorities into industry team strategies, practice economics and client-service initiatives.

The CTO will align hiring strategy with the firm’s strategic growth plan. The CTO will build an integrated talent operating plan tied to the Strategic Plan’s growth, profitability, and succession milestones, with KPIs and reporting to the Management Committee.

Attorney Recruitment

The Chief Talent Officer will lead all aspects of attorney recruiting, including:

• Leading the recruiting process for lateral partners in coordination with firm leadership
• Overseeing hiring of entry-level and lateral associates in all offices in coordination with our Associate Hiring Committee
• Conducting hiring needs assessments and managing the requisition process
• Managing end-to-end integration programs with defined milestones for onboarding, client/matter ramp-up, cross-selling, and cultural assimilation, with time-to-productivity and retention targets
• Overseeing the onboarding and logistical integration of new hires
• Drafting offer letters and preparing lateral partner questionnaires (LPQs)
• Managing the candidate diligence process, conflicts of interest analysis, and financial analysis
• Serving as the primary contact between the firm and legal search firms, candidates, and law schools
• Managing the planning and administration of the Summer Associate Program

Talent Development and Retention

The CTO plays a critical role in talent development, compensation, and mobility across the firm. The position is responsible for:

• Determining how the firm trains and develops its junior, mid-level, and senior associates as well as counsel
• Assisting with Hinshaw University’s creation and management of legal talent development programs, including training, mentorship, and succession planning
• Evaluating and optimizing performance management and processes
• Developing long-term succession plans in alignment with attorneys’ career advancement and the organization’s future staffing needs
• Creating and implementing retention strategies to minimize turnover
• Reviewing, enhancing, and operationalizing performance management, mentoring, CLE, and career development programs to strengthen, leverage, utilization, realization, and long-term growth

Employer Branding and Reputation Management

Because CTOs are at the forefront of hiring, they also lead brand building and reputation management in the market, ensuring candidates are aware of the values and goals of the firm. The CTO will help showcase the firm to target candidates and build the firm’s brand to attract top legal talent.

Workforce Planning and Analytics

The CTO will establish workforce planning and talent analytics to align headcount, capability, and location strategy with demand trends, practice mix, and margin objectives. This includes providing insights on pipeline health, integration progress, retention and utilization, and developing change-readiness and skills initiatives to capture productivity from technology, including generative AI.

Qualifications

Required Experience

• 10+ years of progressive senior leadership in HR/talent within a law firm, including significant experience in attorney recruiting, lateral hiring, and professional development
• Strong understanding of legal industry talent trends, law school recruiting cycles, lateral hiring best practices, and attorney career trajectories
• Experience working collaboratively in a multi-office law firm environment
• Demonstrated expertise in talent acquisition and management strategies
• Strong knowledge of best practices as applied to the legal industry

Required Skills and Competencies

• Proven strategic thinking, drive, initiative, and results-focus
• Outstanding relationship-building skills with all levels of professionals, from associates to partners
• Excellent communication skills and ability to inspire confidence with partners and firm leadership
• Effective client service skills and the ability to set priorities and lead complex projects
• Data-driven orientation with proficiency in talent analytics, reporting, and KPI management
• Strong analytical skills and ability to interpret workforce trends and data
• High level of integrity and adherence to confidentiality standards

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, or a related field required
• Master’s degree in HR, management, or related field preferred
• Advanced degree or certifications (e.g., JD, MBA, SHRM-SCP) strongly preferred

This role can be in one of the following offices: Chicago, Boston, New York, Miami or Los Angeles.

As an EEO/AA employer, Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant’s age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran or disability status or any other factor prohibited by law.