Attorney Career Development Manager

Wilson Sonsini is the premier legal advisor to technology, life sciences, and other growth enterprises worldwide. We represent companies at every stage of development, from entrepreneurial start-ups to multibillion-dollar global corporations, as well as the venture firms, private equity firms, and investment banks that finance and advise them. The firm has approximately 1,100 attorneys in 17 offices: 13 in the U.S., two in China, and two in Europe. Our broad spectrum of practices and entrepreneurial spirit allow our staff exceptional opportunities for professional achievement and career growth.

The firm is seeking a dynamic and emotionally intelligent Attorney Career Development Manager to join our growing career development team. This position will support our Regulatory Department and can be located in our New York, Palo Alto, San Francisco, or Washington DC offices. This hybrid role will follow the in-office norms of the groups in their office. This position is ideal for someone interested in helping attorneys grow and develop successful and rewarding careers.

In addition to helping attorneys with their development goals, this person will also collaborate with the professional development and attorney recruiting teams on diversity and inclusion efforts, training and development initiatives, and recruiting matters.

This full-time, exempt position reports to the head of the career development team. We are looking for someone who will thrive in this highly interactive role and who is flexible, creative, and collaborative. The attorneys we work with are friendly and hard-working, and they depend on us to support them in their work for their clients.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Meet individually with associates regularly to become a trusted advisor on their career development and goals, including career planning and management, time and project management, work/life balance, transition to/from leave and potential career next steps

• Collaborate with partners and the practice management director on staffing to meet client needs and attorney development goals

• Liaise with practice group leaders and career development members on an ongoing basis to monitor associate performance, identify candidates for advancement, and address performance or utilization issues

• Collaborate with HR, attorney recruiting, and professional development on attorney onboarding, integration, and retention programs

• Gather and summarize informal feedback on associate performance to assist the partners in identifying areas for development and improvement

• Collaborate with the practice group leaders, practice management director, and attorney recruiting on the firm’s strategic hiring goals

• Prepare reports on attorney productivity, engagement, and other matters

• Collaborate with the career development committee and HR on the associate review process to ensure the delivery of useful and meaningful performance evaluations

• Collaborate with professional development on training programs and initiatives to support attorney development

• Other projects as needed

Desired Skills & Experience:

• 3+ years in a law or other professional services firm is preferred

• Experience in staffing or coaching professionals is a plus

• JD and antitrust or privacy experience is strongly preferred

• Motivated self-starter with a strong interest in attorney development and career coaching

• Strong client service orientation with ability to influence and guide others

• Ability to work flexible hours (including evenings and weekends, as needed) in a fast-paced, environment

• Excellent judgment and discretion with respect to confidential and sensitive information

• Highly organized and can work independently to drive projects to completion

• Tech savvy with solid Excel skills (beyond information tracking), or the ability to quickly learn

• Excellent written and oral communication skills

• Demonstrated ability to organize and prioritize work in a dynamic and complex environment to meet deadlines and daily requirements

The compensation for this position may include a discretionary year-end merit bonus based on performance. We offer a highly competitive salary and benefits package.

Benefits information can be found here. Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE).