Talent Acquisition Manager

Large St. Louis law firm seeks Manager of Talent Acquisition. Candidate must have law firm experience. The Manager of Talent Aquisition is responsible for leading firmwide strategies related to recruitment, onboarding, integration, and employee engagement for attorneys, staff, and summer associates. This role works closely with the CHRO and firm leadership to align talent initiatives with business objectives and drive continuous process improvement. The ideal candidate brings a forward-thinking, data-driven approach to talent acquisition—leveraging technology, best practices, and innovative strategies to enhance efficiency, elevate the candidate experience, and strengthen the firm’s employer brand.g

This is an excellent opportunity for a legal recruiting professional looking to grow in a strategic leadership role with exposure to firmwide initiatives, cross-functional collaboration, and long-term career development.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Planning

• Design and implement a forward-thinking talent acquisition strategy aligned with firm growth.

• Partner with firm leadership to forecast hiring needs and build proactive talent pipelines.

• Identify and implement process improvements to streamline workflows, reduce time-to-fill, and enhance hiring manager and candidate satisfaction.

• Leverage data and market insights to forecast hiring needs, build proactive pipelines, and inform strategic decisions.

• Collaborate with Marketing to strengthen employer branding and digital presence across platforms.

• Analyze internal data and market trends to refine recruiting strategies and deliver key performance metrics.

Firmwide Talent Acquisition

• Lead full-cycle recruitment for attorneys and staff roles.

• Partner with Practice Group Leaders and department heads to define role requirements and success profiles.

• Manage relationships with legal search firms, law school career services, and other external partners.

• Oversee the SLIP (St. Louis Internship Program) internship program.

• Supervise and mentor one direct report supporting staff recruitment.

Partner & Lateral Hiring

• Manage the lateral partner recruitment process, including due diligence, internal coordination, and documentation.

Law Student & Summer Associate Programs

• Coordinate on-campus interviews, callbacks, and offer processes.

Candidate Experience & Onboarding

• Lead onboarding and integration for attorneys and staff.

• Design a streamlined, transparent recruitment process with clear timelines and consistent communication.

Engagement & Alumni Relations

• Collaborate with Marketing and Business Development to lead alumni engagement efforts, including events and communications.

• Support firm culture and retention through engagement initiatives and committee involvement.

Budgeting & Administration

• Develop and manage the annual recruiting budget.

• Provide strategic input and operational support to the CHRO and COO as needed.

Committee Involvement

• Associate Recruiting Committee

• Partner Counsel Recruiting Committee

• Retention Committee

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required

• Minimum of 5 years of legal recruiting experience

• Proven experience leading recruitment strategy and managing full-cycle hiring

• Familiarity with applicant tracking systems and HR technologies

• Strong leadership, communication, and relationship-building skills

• Experience managing direct reports and cross-functional collaboration

The role will also be responsible for measuring and improving:

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Time-to-fill and time-to-offer

• Offer acceptance rate

• Candidate and hiring manager satisfaction

• Diversity of candidate pipelines and hires

• 6- and 12-month new hire retention

• Cost-per-hire and budget adherence

• Conversion rates from internship and summer programs

• Internal mobility and promotion rates

• Maintain and report on partner recruiting metrics and pipeline activity