Director of Lateral Recruiting Operations

Position OverviewOur client, a growing law firm with ambitious expansion plans, is seeking an experienced Director of Lateral Recruiting Operations to oversee and streamline its lateral partner recruiting processes. This individual will play a key role in supporting the firm's growth by managing recruiting operations, coordinating complex lateral hiring initiatives, and ensuring an efficient, organized, and consistent process from initial candidate consideration through partner integration. The ideal candidate brings a strong understanding of the legal recruiting landscape, exceptional project management skills, and the ability to work closely with firm leadership, practice group leaders, and administrative teams. This is primarily an operational and strategic coordination role, rather than a direct sourcing or business development position. The focus will be on managing recruiting workflows, improving internal processes, coordinating stakeholders, and ensuring the successful execution of lateral partner and practice group hiring initiatives.

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Key ResponsibilitiesLateral Recruiting Operations & Process ManagementOversee the day-to-day operations and coordination of lateral partner and practice group recruiting initiatives.Manage the recruiting process from initial candidate consideration through interviews, evaluations, offers, and onboarding.Develop and maintain organized recruiting workflows, procedures, candidate pipelines, and tracking systems.Coordinate multiple simultaneous searches, ensuring clear timelines, accountability, and consistent follow-up.Maintain accurate records, recruiting reports, and pipeline updates for firm leadership.Identify opportunities to streamline processes, improve communication, and increase operational efficiency.Partner Recruiting & Internal CoordinationServe as a central point of contact for lateral partner recruiting activities across the firm.Collaborate closely with firm leadership, practice group leaders, and administrative departments to support strategic hiring priorities.Coordinate interviews, meetings, evaluations, and internal approval processes.Organize and manage candidate materials, including resumes, lateral partner questionnaires, business plans, and financial information.Facilitate communication among recruiting, finance, conflicts, marketing, business development, and HR teams.Manage relationships and communications with external legal recruiters and search firms.Ensure a professional, confidential, and consistent experience for prospective lateral partners.Recruiting Strategy, Reporting & Process ImprovementSupport the execution of lateral recruiting plans aligned with the firm's growth objectives.Track recruiting activity, candidate progress, hiring timelines, and key operational milestones.Prepare recruiting reports, presentations, and updates for firm leadership.Coordinate market research, including lateral partner movements, target firms, and practice group opportunities.Evaluate and implement recruiting technology, CRM platforms, and AI-enabled tools to improve efficiency and information management.Establish scalable processes and standardized procedures to support the firm's continued expansion.Partner Onboarding & IntegrationCoordinate with internal departments to support the onboarding and integration of newly hired lateral partners.Manage onboarding timelines, documentation, and outstanding administrative requirements.Work with finance, conflicts, IT, marketing, and other teams to ensure a smooth transition.Identify opportunities to improve the consistency and efficiency of the partner integration process.
Qualifications8+ years of relevant experience in legal recruiting, lateral partner recruitment, recruiting operations, or a related function within a law firm or legal search firm.Demonstrated experience managing or supporting lateral partner recruiting processes, including candidate evaluations, partner questionnaires, financial reviews, and internal approvals.Strong understanding of law firm operations, lateral hiring practices, and the complexities of partner recruitment.Exceptional organizational, project management, and operational coordination skills.Experience working directly with law firm partners, practice group leaders, and senior administrative professionals.Ability to manage multiple complex recruiting initiatives while maintaining accuracy, efficiency, and attention to detail.Excellent interpersonal, communication, and stakeholder management skills.Proficiency with recruiting databases, applicant tracking systems, CRM platforms, and Microsoft Office applications.Ability to develop, improve, and implement recruiting workflows and operational processes.Familiarity with partner integration, conflicts procedures, and lateral onboarding strongly preferred.High level of professionalism, discretion, and sound judgment when handling confidential information.Proactive, detail-oriented, and comfortable taking ownership in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment.
The OpportunityThis is an opportunity to join an expanding law firm and play an important role in building and strengthening its lateral partner recruiting function. Working closely with firm leadership, this individual will have the ability to shape recruiting operations, improve internal systems, and establish scalable processes that support the firm's long-term growth. xzbcwsv The position is particularly well suited for an experienced legal recruiting professional who understands the complexities of lateral partner hiring and excels at operational execution, project management, and cross-functional coordination.