Job Details

Legal Recruitment & Personnel Manager

Location: Northern California (Hybrid)

Onsite Requirement: 4 days per week

Type: Full‑Time

About the Opportunity

A prestigious international law firm is seeking a Legal Recruitment & Personnel Manager to oversee attorney talent operations across two Northern California offices. This role is ideal for a seasoned legal talent professional who thrives in a fast‑paced environment, enjoys building strong internal relationships, and can balance both strategic and hands‑on responsibilities within attorney lifecycle management and recruitment.

Role Overview

The Manager will lead attorney personnel processes, run key recruitment programs, manage law‑school and judicial‑clerk hiring, and oversee the summer associate program. This individual will also supervise a small local team and collaborate closely with firm leadership to support strategic talent initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

Attorney Personnel Management

• Lead evaluation, retention, promotion, and compensation processes for attorneys.
• Manage semi‑annual review cycles, including feedback summaries and follow‑up plans.
• Oversee onboarding, integration, transfers, promotions, and offboarding.
• Serve as the primary contact for attorney leaves of absence and flexible‑work arrangements.
• Provide guidance on employee relations matters and career development.
• Support internal committees, including diversity, parental support, and associate engagement groups.

Summer Associate Program

• Design and manage all aspects of the summer program, including orientation, programming, mentoring, social events, and evaluations.
• Collaborate with hiring partners and practice leaders to secure meaningful work assignments.
• Oversee the evaluation and offer processes.

Law‑School & Judicial Clerk Recruiting

• Lead on‑campus and in‑office interview processes.
• Support branding, outreach, and targeted law‑school communications.
• Manage all data, metrics, and reporting related to recruiting.
• Ensure consistent application of firmwide recruitment policies.
• Develop strategies for law‑student engagement and internship programming.

Lateral Attorney Hiring

• Partner with the lateral recruitment team to manage non‑partner lateral hiring and onboarding locally.

Team & Operational Leadership

• Supervise and develop two local team members.
• Oversee budget, headcount planning, and compliance reporting.
• Support implementation of firmwide talent initiatives across the region.
• Stay informed on industry trends and best practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• At least 8 years of legal recruiting, attorney personnel, or related law‑firm experience, including team management.
• Strong understanding of law‑firm structures, attorney development, and recruiting processes.
• Exceptional communication, relationship‑building, and organizational skills.
• Ability to balance multiple priorities in a deadline‑driven environment.
• Proficiency with talent‑management systems (e.g., LawCruit, viDesktop, Oracle) and strong Excel/PowerPoint skills preferred.

Who Succeeds in This Role

• A confident communicator who builds rapport quickly.
• Someone who enjoys both operational detail and strategic planning.
• A calm, solutions‑driven professional who can partner closely with attorneys and leadership.
• A talent leader who thrives within a collaborative, high‑performing environment.