Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is a leading international law firm with more than 900 lawyers in offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. We are currently seeking an Attorney Recruiting & Development Manager to join a dynamic team comprised of individuals who strive to provide a high level of client service in every aspect of their responsibilities and who are inspired to work together to develop innovative, first-of-class recruiting and development practices. This is a unique opportunity to play an important role in the recruitment and professional development efforts of lawyers practicing in the Houston office.

The Attorney Recruiting & Development Manager is responsible for managing all aspects of the firm’s attorney recruiting and development functions in Houston including developing the strategy for lateral attorney and law student recruitment in the market, overseeing the annual Summer Associate Program, acting as a key professional development resource to the lawyers in the region, implementing firm and office training programs, and supervising assigned department staff. The Attorney Recruiting & Development Manager reports directly to the Senior Manager, Attorney Recruiting & Development and Office Hiring Partner and resides in the Houston office. They are expected to serve as a positive role model and mentor, and to perform all responsibilities with a commitment to providing superior service to the firm’s lawyers, advisors and staff, efficient and effective departmental operations, and an atmosphere of teamwork and continuous improvement.

Key responsibilities of this position include: 

Attorney Recruiting

• Manage all aspects of the lateral attorney recruitment program for assigned practice groups including relationships with third-party recruiters and the development of a strong pipeline of talented and diverse candidates, as well as support for lateral partner recruiting.
• Oversee law student recruitment efforts including the annual on-campus interviewing program, recruitment events and the Houston Summer Associate Program.
• Administer and provide guidance during the office Hiring Committee meetings and hiring recommendations.
• Establish, maintain and build relationships with top-tier law schools.
• Stay current on firm policies and procedures to ensure a consistent implementation and keep apprised of market trends for legal recruiting. 

Attorney Training & Development

• Serve as a trusted resource for lawyers within the region by providing guidance regarding their professional development and career path.
• In collaboration with the legal personnel and development team, team and other business services groups, coordinate and support the annual lawyer/advisor evaluation process.
• Conduct lawyer exit interviews and collaborate with the firmwide team to compile and analyze the exit data quarterly for firm and office leadership.
• In collaboration with the attorney training team, coordinate and support the integration and onboarding of new lawyers joining the Houston office.
• Participate in the development and implementation of firmwide attorney development and office training programs for Houston office lawyers. Provide guidance regarding state bar dues, bar admissions and continuing education requirements for Houston lawyers.

Recruiting & Development

• Develop and maintain relationships with members of the office Associates Committee, Diversity Equity & Inclusion Council, and Women’s Resource Group, and collaborate on ways the department may help execute and support their recruiting and development initiatives.
• Identify opportunities to support and enhance the firm’s innovative recruiting and development initiatives, as well as efforts to maintain the firm’s position with the marketplace.
• Develop engagement strategies for associate retention.

Departmental

• Participate in scheduled Attorney Recruiting & Development Department meetings.
• Develop and maintain departmental budget in consultation with the Director of Attorney Recruiting.
• Supervise assigned department employees, including assisting them with professional growth.
• Manage firm-wide recruiting and development projects. 

Qualifications (Experience, Knowledge, Skills & Abilities):

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Minimum of seven years’ experience in legal talent in a law firm, with at least three years in a managerial role desired
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• High proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Outlook and Excel.
• Experience in working with attorney recruiting databases required.
• Strong service orientation and an ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with peers; lawyers; office, firm and practice management; and outside business partners
• Ability to work effectively and efficiently under pressure
• Ability to manage multiple projects with specific deadlines and adjust to changing priorities in a professional manner
• Strong organizational and project management skills
• Ability to use initiative and judgment to accomplish results
• Ability to work independently and with a team
• Ability to delegate and manage resources effectively
• Ability to read, comprehend and follow instructions
• Strong attention to detail
• Ability to use critique of work to improve performance