Wilson Sonsini is the premier legal advisor to technology, life sciences, and other growth enterprises worldwide. We represent companies at every stage of development, from entrepreneurial start-ups to multibillion-dollar global corporations, as well as the venture firms, private equity firms, and investment banks that finance and advise them.

The firm has approximately 1,200 attorneys in 19 offices : 14 in the U.S., three in China, and two in Europe. Our broad spectrum of practices and entrepreneurial spirit allow our staff exceptional opportunities for professional achievement and career growth.

Wilson Sonsini is seeking a dynamic and energized Career Development Specialist to join our growing career development department in our Palo Alto office in a hybrid role.

This position is ideal for someone interested in helping junior attorneys grow and develop successful and rewarding careers.

This full-time, exempt position reports to the director of the career development team and will help manage Wilson Sonsini’s innovative Launch program, a unique work allocation and development program for junior corporate associates.

We are looking for someone who will thrive in this highly interactive role and who is flexible, creative, and collaborative.

The attorneys we work with are friendly and hard-working, and they depend on us to support them in their work for their clients.

This role will work with a wide range of groups and attorneys, as well as collaborate with teams in the professional development and attorney recruiting groups on diversity and inclusion efforts, training and development initiatives, and recruiting matters.

Primary Responsibilities :

• Handle staffing requests to meet client needs and attorney development goals
• Meet individually with the junior associates regularly to learn about their career goals, to relay project-based feedback, and to coach the associates on ways to address feedback
• Act as a sounding board for the junior associates on integration, workload, career development, work-life balance and other career-related matters
• Collaborate with other career development team members in supporting the attorneys
• Track and analyze work assignment data to ensure equitable access to and distribution of client opportunities
• Plan team meetings and group activities, like happy hours, panel discussions on career development topics, office hours with partners, and others
• Prepare quarterly reports on junior attorney productivity, assignments, and feedback
• Help with attorney recruiting and retention initiatives
• Other projects as needed

Desired Skills and Experience :

• Candidates encouraged to apply include
• Educational professionals with a passion for developing others
• Paralegals or development professionals with corporate transactional experience
• Motivated self-starter with a strong interest in attorney development and career coaching
• Strong client service orientation and ability to work well with attorneys at all levels
• Ability to work flexible hours (including evenings and weekends, as needed) in a fast-paced, environment
• Excellent judgment and discretion
• Highly organized and can work independently to drive projects to completion
• Tech savvy with solid Excel skills (beyond information tracking), or the ability to quickly learn
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
• Strong written and oral communication skills

The primary location for this job posting is in Palo Alto. The actual base pay offered will depend upon a variety of factors, including but not limited to the selected candidate’s qualifications, years of relevant experience, level of education, professional certifications and licenses, and work location.

The anticipated pay range for this position is as follows : $81,600 - $110,400 per year.

The compensation for this position may include a discretionary year-end merit bonus based on performance. We offer a highly competitive salary and benefits package.

Last updated : 2024-05-12