Professional Development Manager

About Us

Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C. (SDV) is a nationally recognized law firm dedicated exclusively to representing policyholders in insurance coverage disputes. With headquarters in Connecticut and offices in California and Florida, we handle complex, high-stakes matters across the country.

We are proud to be Mansfield Certified, reflecting our commitment to equitable talent practices, inclusive leadership development, and a diverse, collaborative workplace. At SDV, your ideas are heard, your growth is supported, and your impact is visible.

Role Overview

The PDM leads attorney and staff development across the firm - designing and delivering onboarding/integration, CLE and bar admissions compliance, mentorship programming, the Summer Associate Program, curricula for technical and client‑service skills, and association/membership management. The PDM provides skills and development insights to the Legal Operations Manager (LOM) to inform work distribution.

Core Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain level‑specific curricula (first‑year, mid‑level, senior; paralegal/assistant paths) for coverage law and litigation skills; measure impact and iterate.
• Maintain a learning roadmap aligned with firm strategy and competencies.
• Own end‑to‑end orientation for new attorneys and legal support; coordinate with HR on start logistics and with LOM to align early assignments to learning goals.
• Coordinate Caret Legal, Westlaw, and research tool training with SMEs.
• Plan and execute Summer Associate Program structure, rotations within the program, feedback, and events across offices; conduct mid‑ and end‑of‑summer reviews.
• Assist Talent Acquisition Lead in coordination of OCI logistics (scheduling, materials, school liaison). OCI interviews are conducted by attorneys (alumni preferred).
• Oversee firmwide CLE tracking and reporting; manage bar admissions, pro hac vice, and renewals via PD Coordinators; maintain a compliance calendar and documentation standards.
• Standardize mentorship cadence and expectations; design mentor training; ensure feedback loops inform curricula and coaching resources.
• Maintain a menu of vetted external education programs; manage professional association memberships and participation, aligning spend to development priorities.
• Lead the PD Coordinators; manage the PD budget (CLE, admissions, memberships, programming); report participation and outcomes.
• Own the lifecycle of all firmwide training resources, including creation, maintenance, version control, and retirement of outdated materials.
• Audit firmwide training content regularly to ensure accuracy, alignment with current legal standards, and consistency.
• Develop a centralized knowledge hub (templates, guides, playbooks, checklists, exemplars) and ensure easy access for attorneys and legal support staff.
• Partner with subject‑matter experts to update technical materials, ensuring content reflects evolving case law, coverage trends, and firm best practices.
• Design and coordinate internal training series (e.g., litigation fundamentals, coverage bootcamps, writing workshops, case strategy labs, leadership fundamentals).
• Recruit internal SMEs to deliver training, and support them in creating clear, high‑quality training materials.
• Manage all logistics for internal training sessions, including scheduling, communications, materials preparation, and follow‑up evaluations.
• Track attendance, engagement, and learning outcomes to inform curriculum refinement and leadership reporting.
• Identify, vet, and manage relationships with external training providers, including CLE vendors, writing/advocacy trainers, and professional skills consultants.
• Evaluate external programs for quality, cost‑effectiveness, and alignment with attorney skill‑building needs.
• Coordinate registration, budgeting, and communication for attorneys attending external CLEs, conferences, or workshops.
• Leverage external offerings to fill internal training gaps, ensuring a holistic and scalable development portfolio.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree; 5–7 years in attorney/staff development within a law firm or professional services environment.
• Demonstrated experience with CLE/admissions compliance and early‑career programs; strong program design, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation with year-end performance-based bonus.
• Generous PTO and hybrid work arrangements.
• Comprehensive health, dental, vision, and additional insurance options.
• 401(k) with firm match.
• Robust professional development, training, and advancement opportunities within a growing national practice.

Please apply directly via LinkedIn and include your resume. For additional details or to submit supplemental documents, you may also email: careers@sdvlaw.com.

Compensation: $115,000 – $140,000, commensurate with experience.

Recruiter submissions are not being accepted for this position.