Director of Human Resources

The Director of Human Resources oversees all aspects of the firm’s human resources function, including talent acquisition and management, compensation, payroll, employee relations, regulatory compliance, policy development and implementation, and benefits administration while aligning workforce initiatives with overall business goals. The Director of Human Resources must maintain employee confidence and protect firm operations by safeguarding confidential information.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Talent Acquisition and Management: Manage the full lifecycle for attorneys and professional staff, including recruiting, onboarding, performance management, employee development, and separations.
• Payroll: Work with finance department to prepare bi-weekly and semi-monthly payrolls ensuring compliance with local laws and regulations.
• Employee Relations: Manage sensitive employee relations matters, workplace investigations, disciplinary actions, conflict resolution, and performance improvement processes with focus on legal compliance and risk mitigation.
• Policy Development and Implementation: Develop, implement, and maintain HR policies, employee handbooks, operational procedures, and compliance protocols aligned with employment law and legal industry standards.
• Benefits Administration: Administer employee benefits programs, leave management, open enrollment, retirement plans and audits, paid time off programs, and compensation processes.
• Organizational Planning: Partner with Executive Director and Managing Member on budgeting, staffing strategy, and organizational planning.
• Vendor Management: Manage vendor and third-party relationships including payroll providers, benefits brokers, retirement plan record keepers and auditors, and recruiters.
• Reporting: Manage firm participation in mandated reporting and compliance initiatives, including EEO reporting, diversity metrics reporting, and client-driven workforce data and firm policy requests.
• Merger and Integration Management: Manage human resources and administrative integration for firm mergers and combinations, including onboarding and integrating employees, harmonizing policies and benefits, coordinating operational integration, and ensuring employment law compliance in newly established states and jurisdictions.

Education and/or Experience

• Associate or bachelor’s degree required, course study in Business, Human Resources, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum of five years of progressive Human Resources experience.
• Prior law firm experience preferred; other professional services experience also a plus.

Skills

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to interact with stakeholders at all levels

About Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice LLC

Founded in 1982, Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice (Baker Sterchi) is a civil litigation defense and trial law firm representing clients nationwide in high-exposure and complex matters. The firm’s practice includes commercial and business litigation, construction, employment and labor, insurance coverage and defense, professional and management liability, transportation, medical malpractice, product liability, law enforcement and civil rights defense, government liability, public-sector risk management and consulting, and related trial and advisory services. With attorneys licensed in more than half the states, Baker Sterchi advises and defends clients across the country and maintains offices in Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin. For more information, visit .