Ropes & Gray LLP

Lateral Partner Recruiting Manager

Job Locations US-MA-Boston | US-NY-New York
ID 2025-8685

About Ropes & Gray

Ropes & Gray is a preeminent global law firm. The firm has been ranked in the top three on The American Lawyer's prestigious A-List for eight consecutive years and #1 on Law.com's UK A-List twice in the past three years - rankings that honor the "best of the best" law firms.

The firm has approximately 2,500 lawyers and professionals serving clients in major centers of business, finance, technology, and government in Boston, Chicago, Dublin, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Milan, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Seoul, Shanghai, Silicon Valley, Singapore, Tokyo and Washington, D.C.

The firm has consistently been recognized for its leading practices in many areas, including asset management, private equity, M&A, finance, real estate, tax, antitrust, life sciences, health care, intellectual property, litigation & enforcement, privacy & cybersecurity, and business restructuring.

Ropes & Gray is an equal opportunity employer.

Overview

Reporting to the Director of Global Lateral Partner Recruiting, the Lateral Partner Recruiting Manager (“Manager”) will be responsible for managing aspects of the development, implementation and administration of firm wide policies, programs and procedures relating to the recruitment, evaluation, hiring and onboarding of senior lawyers.  The incumbent in this role will collaborate with and support Director of Global Lateral Partner Recruiting, the Policy Committee (“PC”), practice group leaders, specialty group leaders, office managing partners and other firm leaders in all aspects of the firm’s lateral partner and counsel recruitment efforts.

Responsibilities

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

  1. Work with the Director of Global Lateral Partner Recruiting, firm leadership, practice group leaders and office managing partners on strategy development and implementation of hiring priorities. Manage partner and counsel lateral hiring across all offices coordinating complex processes across multiple teams and stakeholders
  2. In collaboration with the Director, guide firm leaders on recruiting best practices and strategies with respect to particular candidates and market developments (e.g., hiring trends, the movement of key talent to competitors and scarce or hot skills), with a particular focus on peer firms and direct competitors.   Provide data-driven counsel to ensure successful hiring of top talent
  3. Collaborate with the recruiting team to establish and maintain relationships with key legal search firms, ensuring consistent messaging regarding the firm and its recruiting needs.
  4. In partnership with the Director,  develop and implement proactive search strategies to meet recruiting needs across all offices, including sourcing of candidates. Update firm leadership on search and candidate status by maintaining and update lateral partner pipeline reports.
  5. Conduct market research, create candidate target lists and work with practice group leaders/working groups to source and recruit candidates.
  6. In collaboration with the Marketing Communications department, develop marketing and media profile-raising campaigns and internal messaging to attract prospects and educate recruiters and external market.
  7. Ensure execution of all elements of the recruiting process, including due diligence, conflict disclosure, and business justification materials.  Act as a liaison to lateral partner and counsel candidates throughout the recruitment and onboarding process. Manage screening and full round interview process for lateral partner and counsel candidates in designated practices across all offices, including ensuring development of appropriate slates of interviewers for approved full round interviews. Ensure preparation of background materials for interviewers, as well as collection of evaluative materials.  Facilitate preparation of materials for Policy Committee review following full rounds of interviews.
  8. Work effectively with adjacent business support groups and their services in support of recruiting and onboarding process.    
  9. In close conjunction with Practice Development and Attorney Talent, develop and ensure implementation of onboarding and integration strategy for each lateral partner and counsel.  Facilitate implementation of integration processes, including development of integration plan by Practice Development and periodic check-ins. 
  10. In partnership with the broader Lateral Hiring team, ensure collection and analysis of recruiting data and results.
  11. Manage special projects and performs other work-related duties as assigned.

 

 

Qualifications

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS REQUIRED:

  • Bachelor’s degree required; JD preferred;
  • Minimum of eight (8) years of progressive experience in recruiting, operations or human resources, preferably in a law firm or professional services firm, OR experience practicing law, preferably in a multi-office setting with strong involvement in the firm’s recruiting function;
  • Previous experience managing an operational function required;
  • Demonstrated experience working across teams and leading projects/ processes;
  • Experience and interest in leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) tools and emerging technologies to enhance processes and data analysis. 
  • Demonstrate ability to build credibility and trusted relationships through clear communication, sound judgment, and a strategic approach to influencing decision-making at the highest levels of the organization.
  • Understanding of general legal recruiting processes and knowledge of mid-to-large sized law firms, particularly peer firms with global presences, and the legal industry as a whole preferred;
  • Proficiency in the use of computer programs including Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel) and database programs (e.g., LawCruit);
  • Excellent oral, written and interpersonal skills.

ESSENTIAL CAPABILITIES

  • Possess flexibility to enable prompt and positive response to shifting demands and opportunities.
  • Demonstrate great attention to detail; be well organized, resourceful and highly effective and efficient at marshaling multiple resources to get things done across a variety of constituencies.
  • Possess ability to interact effectively with all levels of firm personnel.
  • Must be team-oriented and willing and able to share information, goals, opportunities, successes and failures with the appropriate parties.
  • Able to work independently, under the direction of others, and as a part of a team.
  • Able to recognize confidential information and to maintain strictly the confidentiality of such information.
  • Able to work effectively in a culturally and educationally diverse environment.
  • Be proactive in learning and able to adapt to new systems and processes.
  • Able to perform under stressful conditions in a calm, thoughtful and professional manner.

 

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Incumbent is expected to work the hours necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of the position.  Some travel required.

The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job.  It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of essential functions, responsibilities or requirements.

Compensation and Total Rewards Package

Ropes & Gray is proud to offer a comprehensive Total Rewards package to our business support team members. The firm also offers comprehensive health and well-being benefits, personal and professional development, career growth opportunities and a collegial and supportive culture. The anticipated pay range for this role is listed below and represents our good faith and reasonable estimate of the starting salary range at the time of posting. In addition, this role is eligible for a discretionary bonus based on performance. The actual offered rate for this position will be determined based on job-related, non-discriminatory factors, including qualifications and experience, geographic location, education, external market data and consideration of internal equity.

 

Boston: $134,700 - $205,450

New York: $145,800-$222,350

 

Working Conditions

This position requires hybrid on-site presence as an essential function of the role. Consistent and predictable on-site presence is required for ongoing business continuity, professional development and effective collaboration with colleagues and management.

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