Chief of Talent Strategy
Firm Description:
Our client is a fast-growing, full-service law firm with offices in Chicago and Milwaukee. With a foundation built by partners from top-tier international firms, our client offers sophisticated legal services across a broad range of corporate and litigation matters. The firm represents a diverse and engaging client base, including private equity firms, founders, startups, venture capital investors, family offices, and public companies.
Position Description:
Our client, a growing and entrepreneurial professional services organization with a strong legal platform, is seeking a strategic and relationship-driven Chief of Talent Strategy to lead attorney talent management, recruiting, and retention initiatives.
This individual will play a critical leadership role in attracting top legal talent, strengthening the firm’s talent pipeline, supporting attorney development and career progression, and fostering a culture of professional excellence. The Chief of Talent Strategy will serve as a trusted advisor to firm leadership and collaborate closely with practice group leaders and administrative teams to ensure talent strategy aligns with both current needs and long-term growth objectives.
This is an exceptional opportunity to shape and build a comprehensive legal talent strategy within a fast-growing organization.
Key Responsibilities
Legal Recruiting & Talent Acquisition
- Refine and execute a strategic attorney recruiting plan across all practice areas and offices
- Lead full-cycle recruitment for partners, associates, counsel, and other legal professionals
- Build and maintain strong relationships with legal recruiters, search firms, and industry contacts
- Proactively identify and engage high-performing legal talent in target markets and practice areas
- Partner with practice group leaders to assess current and future hiring needs
- Oversee candidate sourcing, interviewing, evaluation, offer negotiation, and onboarding processes
- Deliver a high-touch, professional candidate experience aligned with the firm’s culture and values
- Develop recruiting metrics and reporting to track effectiveness, hiring trends, and competitiveness
- Monitor legal market conditions, compensation trends, and competitor hiring activity
Law School & Industry Relationship Management
- Develop and maintain relationships with leading law schools, career services teams, faculty, and student organizations
- Design and manage summer associate, internship, and entry-level recruiting programs
- Represent the organization at law school events, career fairs, networking functions, and industry conferences
- Establish partnerships with bar associations, legal organizations, and professional groups to strengthen the talent pipeline
- Build connections with affinity organizations that support attorney recruiting and development
- Coordinate attorney involvement in recruiting, mentorship, and campus engagement initiatives
- Enhance the organization’s brand as an employer of choice within the legal community
Attorney Talent Management & Retention
- Develop and implement strategies to support attorney engagement, retention, and career growth
- Partner with practice leaders on succession planning and identification of high-potential attorneys
- Lead processes related to performance feedback, career development, and advancement planning
- Support the integration of lateral hires to ensure long-term success
- Build programs that strengthen mentorship, engagement, and professional satisfaction
- Advise leadership on attorney development, performance, and career progression matters
Training & Professional Development
- Oversee attorney training and development programs across all career stages
- Partner with leadership to define competency models and development pathways
- Manage continuing education and professional development initiatives
- Coordinate external speakers, workshops, and training resources
- Evaluate training effectiveness and drive continuous improvement
Collaboration
- Partner closely with practice group leaders, executive leadership, and administrative teams
- Collaborate with Human Resources, Marketing, and Operations on firmwide initiatives
- Promote a culture of professionalism, collaboration, accountability, and continuous development
Qualifications
The ideal candidate will be:
- A highly credible relationship builder with strong connections across the legal industry
- Well-networked within law schools, bar associations, and recruiting communities, particularly in key strategic markets
- A strategic thinker who is also hands-on in execution
- Passionate about talent development and attorney success
- Skilled at balancing business priorities with people-focused leadership
- Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, growing organization
- Committed to delivering an exceptional experience for candidates and internal stakeholders
Required
- Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred
- 7–12+ years of experience in legal recruiting, attorney development, talent management, or a related professional services environment
- Strong understanding of law firm economics, practice group structures, and attorney career progression
- Demonstrated success recruiting legal talent across practice areas and experience levels
- Established network within the legal recruiting and law firm community
- Experience working directly with senior leadership and practice group leaders
- Strong project management and organizational skills
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion
Preferred
- Experience in a mid-sized or large law firm environment
- Experience managing law school recruiting or summer associate programs
- Background in attorney training, leadership development, or mentoring initiatives
- Familiarity with performance management and succession planning processes
- Relevant certifications (e.g., SHRM, HRCI, coaching or attorney development credentials)
Meet Your Recruiter
Jillian Dent
VP, Attorney Recruitment
