Sr. Manager Legal Recruiting
At a glance
Senior Recruiting & Talent Acquisition role at Goodwinprocter. San Francisco · full-time · $185,000–$220,000 base.
hrroles summary, based on the employer's posting.
What you'll do
- Shape associate hiring plans with California office and practice leaders, then guide candidates from sourcing through offers
- Build lateral talent pipelines through market research, targeted outreach and relationships with legal search firms
- Lead recruiting work across California offices, coach recruiting staff and improve shared processes and candidate service
- Run law school hiring and the summer associate program, covering interviews, offers, mentoring and development
- Coordinate hiring with internal teams and vendors, and present recruiting measures and market trends to leaders
What you bring
- A bachelor’s degree and at least eight years of law-firm legal recruiting experience are required
- You can use recruiting software and applicant tracking systems; LawCruit, Workday and Flo are preferred
- You have experience leading recruiting teams across offices and managing complex operations with consistent processes
Who this fits
This senior role suits a law-firm recruiter ready to lead people and hiring programs across California offices. Travel to other Goodwin offices and professional conferences is required when requested. The position is not eligible for overtime.
From the employer
Join Goodwin’s Global Operations Team, and make a real impact on a global scale. At Goodwin, we work with some of the world’s most successful and innovative investors, entrepreneurs and disruptors in the life sciences, private equity, real estate, technology and financial industries, and where they converge. As part of the Global Operations Team – all business professionals at the firm – you’ll collaborate with colleagues from varied backgrounds and experiences, fostering an environment where cross-functional learning, networking, and collaboration are at the core of what we do.
Here, we’re not just supporting a law firm; we’re partnering with attorneys and clients to deliver cutting-edge solutions in high-stakes litigation and dispute resolution, world-class regulatory compliance and advisory services, and complex transactions. Our commitment to integrity, ingenuity, agility, and ambition drives us, and we’re proud to have been recognised as the “Best Business Team” by The American Lawyer.
This is your opportunity to grow professionally in a dynamic, global environment, surrounded by forward-thinking peers.
The Senior Manager will be expected to provide strategic direction to and implement firm, multiple office, and industry focused recruitment plans; act as primary hiring contact for lateral associate and summer associate hires for their assigned office and act as firm-wide Legal Recruitment liaison for multiple Industry Groups (major practice groups).
What You Will Do:
Lateral Associate Recruitment
Lead the lateral associate recruiting strategy and execution for all California offices, partnering closely with office, practice group, and Industry Group leadership to identify talent needs and develop proactive hiring plans.
Build and maintain strong lateral associate pipelines across key practice areas, leveraging market intelligence, industry relationships, and targeted sourcing strategies.
Serve as a trusted advisor to firm leadership on lateral market trends, competitive intelligence, and recruiting best practices.
Manage the full lifecycle lateral associate recruitment process, including candidate identification, assessment, interviews and offer strategy.
Develop and maintain strategic relationships with local and national legal search firms, ensuring alignment with firm hiring priorities and quality standards.
California Office Oversight
Provide leadership and oversight for recruiting operations and initiatives across all California offices, ensuring consistent execution, service delivery, and candidate experience.
Manage, develop, and mentor recruiting professionals across multiple offices, fostering a collaborative, high-performing team culture.
Establish and implement best practices, workflows, and processes that drive operational efficiency, consistency, and scalability across the California region.
Law School Hiring & Summer Associate Program
Oversee the planning and execution of on-campus recruiting and law school engagement activities for California offices, including interview programs, callback processes, and offer management.
Oversee all aspects of the California Summer Associate Program, including hiring strategy, orientation, work allocation, evaluations, professional development, and engagement programming.
Manage mentoring initiatives and feedback processes to enhance development, engagement, and retention.
Collaborate with internal stakeholders to strengthen the firm's visibility, reputation, and recruiting presence at targeted law schools and within the broader legal community.
Oversee recruiting operations related to candidate management, interview coordination, evaluations, offer administration, and candidate communications.
Partner with Human Resources, Conflicts, Professional Development, and other administrative teams to facilitate hiring, onboarding, compliance, and integration activities.
Manage relationships with external vendors and service providers supporting recruiting programs and events.
Lead and participate in firmwide recruiting initiatives, process improvement efforts, and strategic recruiting projects.
Prepare and present recruiting updates, hiring trends, and performance metrics to office and firm leadership.
Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.
Who You Are:
Bachelor’s Degree and 8-10+ years of direct legal recruiting experience required within a law firm environment
Travel required to other Goodwin office locations and professional conferences, as requested.
Working knowledge of recruiting software and applicant tracking systems; LawCruit, Workday, and Flo expertise strongly preferred.
Exceptional planning and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and stakeholders simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
Proven ability to lead, develop, coach, and motivate high-performing teams across multiple offices and geographic locations.
Demonstrated success managing complex recruiting operations and driving consistent processes, service standards, and performance across a distributed team.
Strong project management and strategic execution skills, with the ability to lead firmwide initiatives, implement process improvements, and deliver measurable results.
Outstanding relationship management skills with the ability to influence and build credibility with attorneys, business professionals, firm leadership, and external partners.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; ability to interact effectively with candidates, all levels of firm personnel, and a variety of external entities.
Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with experience leveraging data, metrics, and market intelligence to inform decision-making and drive recruiting strategy.
Ability to exercise sound judgment, navigate ambiguity, and make thoughtful decisions in a highly collaborative and client-service-oriented environment.
Demonstrated commitment to fostering an inclusive, collaborative, and high-performing team culture.
Benefits and More
At Goodwin, you will discover your next career opportunity with a rewarding compensation package and comprehensive benefits, including:
Health, dental, and vision insurance
Life and disability insurance
Retirement & Savings Plan
Emergency back-up child and adult care
Paid vacation, sick time off, and holidays
Professional development and career advancement opportunities
Employee recognition and reward programs
Employee wellness and assistance programs
Employee discounts and perks