Director of Lateral Partner Recruiting

Director of Lateral Partner Recruiting & Integration – Transactional

Open to the following locations- Boston, Atlanta, DC, NYC, Houston, Chicago, Miami Dallas, McLean VA (Salary depending on location)

A leading global law firm is seeking a Director of Lateral Partner Recruiting & Integration to support the strategic growth of its Corporate, Finance & Restructuring, and Real Estate & Investment Funds practice groups across U.S. offices. This role partners closely with senior leadership to execute lateral partner hiring strategies, build strong talent pipelines, and ensure seamless onboarding and integration of new partners.

Key Responsibilities

Lateral Partner Recruiting

• Collaborate with senior leadership to develop and implement strategies for identifying, recruiting, and hiring top lateral partners aligned with the firm’s long‑term objectives.
• Build and maintain a diverse pipeline of prospective candidates through proactive sourcing, market research, and strategy sessions with practice group leaders.
• Serve as a primary liaison for candidates, search firms, and internal stakeholders to ensure a cohesive and professional recruitment experience.
• Strengthen and manage relationships with search firms to expand the pipeline and communicate strategic hiring goals.
• Oversee all aspects of interview coordination, including schedules, briefing materials, and candidate‑facing documents.
• Partner with leadership to prepare interview talking points, practice summaries, candidate memos, and integration outlines.
• Maintain robust market intelligence on partner movements and competitor trends to guide strategic decision‑making.
• Manage due‑diligence processes including conflicts checks, questionnaires, and related data analysis.
• Draft offer letters, compensation structures, and pro formas in collaboration with internal stakeholders.
• Coach and mentor recruiting coordinators, fostering high performance and continuous growth within the team.

Lateral Partner Integration

• Develop and execute customized integration plans for incoming lateral partners in collaboration with integration leads and firm leadership.
• Conduct regular touchpoints with new partners to support a smooth transition and address integration needs.
• Design initiatives to improve the onboarding experience and long‑term partner engagement.
• Coordinate with HR to ensure all onboarding processes and documentation are completed efficiently.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; JD strongly preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience, ideally within transactional practice areas or law firm partner recruiting.
• Exceptional communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence across all levels.
• Proven success managing complex, high‑volume projects in a fast‑paced legal environment.
• Deep understanding of the legal industry and lateral partner recruitment landscape.
• Strong analytical and organizational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities effectively.
• High level of professionalism, ownership, and attention to detail.
• Flexible, proactive, and comfortable adopting new systems and processes.