Hybrid: This role can be hybrid from one of our office locations (San Francisco, Walnut Creek, San Rafael, Sacramento, San Diego, Fresno, or Los Angeles).

The Director of Recruiting is a senior strategic leader responsible for designing and executing a comprehensive, firm-wide talent acquisition strategy across attorneys and professional staff. Operating as a trusted partner to firm leadership, this role shapes how the firm identifies, attracts, and retains the talent necessary to sustain and accelerate its competitive position in the Am Law 200. The Director brings a deep command of the legal talent market, a sophisticated understanding of lateral partner dynamics, and the organizational influence to align recruiting with the firm's long-term strategic plan. This is a high-visibility role central to the firm's growth objectives, culture, and reputation as a premier employer in the legal industry.

Core Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership:

• Collaborate with Section Leaders, Department Heads, and Executive Leadership to shape long-term recruiting strategies aligned with the firm's strategic goals.
• Lead the integration of staff recruitment into the firm's broader talent acquisition framework, ensuring that both attorney and staff hiring meets the firm's evolving needs.
• Anticipate future hiring demands and implement proactive recruitment strategies to meet the firm's staffing goals across all levels, including attorneys, administrative professionals, and specialized roles.
• Foster strategic relationships with external search firms, recruitment networks, and industry leaders to position the firm as a preferred employer in competitive markets.

Attorney Recruitment

• Lead the Strategic Growth and Lateral Partner Recruiting Committee, driving the strategic identification and recruitment of high-value lateral partners, and ensuring alignment with the firm's growth objectives and culture.
• Manages all aspects of the lateral partner hiring process, including performing department/practice group specific needs assessments; engaging appropriate search firms; identifying partner candidates and appropriately vetting them; facilitating strategy meetings and calls with Section and Practice Group leadership.
• Develops and manages relationships with preferred search firms to promote the Firm and lateral opportunities; works with Practice Groups and Marketing to develop lateral recruitment collateral for search firms and candidates.
• Collaborate with Professional Development and Section and/or Practice Group Leaders to facilitate seamless integration for lateral hires and support their long-term success.

Professional Staff Recruitment

• Oversee the professional staff recruitment efforts, working closely with department heads to identify and address hiring needs in alignment with business goals.

Team Management
• Oversee and mentor the recruiting team, providing strategic direction and support for recruiting prioritization.
• Foster a high-performance culture focused on results, collaboration, and innovation in recruitment practices.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

• In collaboration with the DEI team, execute DEI recruitment initiatives, ensuring alignment with the firm's DEI goals and compliance with standards such as the Mansfield Rule.
• Work closely with the DEI team and firm leadership to implement programs that enhance diverse candidate pipelines and foster an inclusive hiring environment.

Recruitment Data and Trends

• Analyze internal and external recruitment data to identify trends, forecast hiring needs, and provide strategic insights to firm leadership.
• Monitor industry trends, including compensation, offer structures, and market demand, to ensure the firm remains competitive.

Employer Branding
• Enhance the firm's reputation as an employer of choice by collaborating with industry associations, law schools and professional organizations to increase visibility and promote the firm as a top employer in key talent pools.
• In collaboration and partnership with HR, design and optimize a best-in-class candidate journey from initial engagement through to onboarding, ensuring that every touchpoint reflects the employer brand and fosters a positive experience.

Budget and Resource Management

• Develop and manage the recruiting budget, ensuring resources are allocated efficiently to support recruitment goals and events.

Required Skills, Abilities, and Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in recruiting, preferably within a professional services or law firm environment. 5+ years of management experience.
• Bachelor's degree. A JD or advanced degree is a plus.
• Proven experience in developing, implementing, and iterating a strategic talent acquisition plan(s) that aligns to a firm's overall strategic plan.
• Strong leadership capabilities with an ability to influence and build trust across all levels of the firm.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of recruitment and talent strategy.
• Effective communication skills, both written and verbal, and interpersonal skills to effectively engage with firm leadership, candidates, and external partners.
• Proficient in applicant tracking systems and recruitment software.
• Strong analytical skills and experience with metrics-driven decision-making.

Salary

Hanson Bridgett offers a competitive salary and benefits package. The annual salary for this California-based role is anticipated to be in the area of $275,000 plus, and represents the firm's good faith and reasonable estimate of possible compensation at the time of posting. Actual compensation is negotiable and will depend upon several factors, including but not limited to the candidate's years of experience, qualifications, and skill set.