Senior Specialist, Legal Lateral Recruiting

New York, NY

Summary

Premier, forward thinking, global, law firm seeks the best and brightest talent to join their Administrative Staff team. Their employees are the future of the firm, so they invest in their training and development. Their environment embraces and encourages positive-minded professionals who seek to be challenged and acquire knowledge and skills in an atmosphere built on teamwork. Highly skilled and knowledgeable Administrative Staff assist their attorneys in successfully meeting and exceeding client needs and are vital to the overall success of the Firm.

This role will serve as the primary point of contact for lateral recruiting of associate and counsel candidates, while providing support to the Senior Director of Legal Recruiting and the broader recruiting team.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with firm management and practice group leaders, as well as the Senior Director of Legal Recruiting, to identify lateral associate hiring needs and develop effective recruiting strategies.
• Manage the full lifecycle of recruiting for the firm’s lateral, judicial clerk, and 3L hiring, including candidate screening, interview coordination, candidate hosting, feedback collection, and maintaining accurate candidate records.
• Oversee all lateral recruiting communications and follow-up, including drafting correspondence and coordinating the distribution, collection, and review of evaluation feedback.
• Serve as a primary liaison to search firms and other recruiting professionals; communicate search criteria clearly and provide timely, thoughtful feedback.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with candidates, vendors, and firm attorneys, managers, and staff, ensuring a high level of service and responsiveness.
• Manage lateral recruiting materials, including reports, printed materials, website content, and online postings.
• Coordinate onboarding for lateral hires, including orientation with legal personnel, initiating conflicts checks, and managing background check processes through approval.
• Maintain and update recruiting databases, fee agreements, expense reimbursements, and reporting for lateral searches and placements.
• Provide support for additional recruiting initiatives, including law school recruiting, and the Summer Associate Program, as needed.
• Handle other responsibilities as assigned by management.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• 5+ years in legal or campus recruitment for a Big Law firm.
• Strong ability to manage multiple projects under tight deadlines and within budget.
• Self-starter; ability to remain self-directed and self-motivated with minimal supervision.
• Ability to work well in a team atmosphere.
• Flexibility to work overtime as needed (significant overtime during summer/fall).
• Must be open occasional (2-3 times a year) travel.
• Excellent time management and prioritization skills.
• Excellent PC skills.
• Makes appropriate and timely decisions within area of responsibility.
• Speaks and writes clearly and accurately; actively listens and responds to the needs of others.
• Without direction, anticipates needs and seeks alternatives to situations.
• Respond actively, thoroughly and courteously to the needs of clients and internal requests within the Firm; volunteers time and knowledge; works effectively and willingly with others.

Education/Certifications

Bachelor’s degree required.

Compensation: $125,000.00-$145,000.00, plus bonus

The firm offers a competitive compensation package comprised of base pay and discretionary year-end bonus for eligible employees. Benefits include, but are not limited to medical, dental, vision, disability coverage, life insurance, flexible spending plan and a 401K plan. The firm also offers generous paid time off and holidays. All decisions affecting employment at the firm are made on the basis of qualification, performance and other pertinent work-related factors, and without discrimination against any person on the basis of race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, veteran’s status, genetic information or any other legally protected status.