Lateral Partner Recruiting and Integration 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 exceptional opportunities for professional achievement and career growth.

The firm is seeking an experienced and full-time Lateral Partner Recruiting Manager to join our Attorney Recruiting team.  This person will work closely with the Chief Attorney Recruiting Officer, the Director of Partner Recruiting, and Firm Management to shape and execute partner recruiting strategies and facilitate the seamless integration of our new lateral partners, ensuring their successful transition and long-term engagement within the firm.  The Manager serves as a strategic driver for all aspects of the lateral partner hiring process for multiple practice groups at a firmwide level (US, Asia and European offices), including outreach to search firms to identify partner candidates and all aspects of the relationship with the search firm, including the execution and recording of required agreements.

We seek creative, entrepreneurial candidates who will work collaboratively with a small team, while also handling individual responsibilities and adapting to rapidly changing priorities.  This is a high-visibility, high-impact role suited to a sophisticated legal recruiting professional who combines executive presence with operational rigor.

This position is available as a hybrid work schedule.

Strategic Recruiting & Pipeline Development

• Work closely with the Chief Attorney Recruiting Officer and Director of Partner Recruiting, Firm Management, Department Leaders, Practice Group Leaders and partners to develop and execute a firmwide lateral partner recruiting strategy aligned with annual and long-range business plans.

• Engage in proactive searches to identify and recruit lateral partner candidates.

• Build strategic relationships with search firms to advance the Firm’s recruiting strategies.

• Maintain deep market intelligence on competitive lateral activity, market compensation trends, and practice group dynamics across AmLaw top firms.

Candidate Engagement & Process Management

• Promptly respond to all introductions of partner candidates from all sources, including internal referrals.

• Research and evaluate introduced candidates and in collaboration with the Chief Attorney Recruiting Officer and Director of Partner Recruiting determine the appropriate initial screening process.

• Coordinate candidate due diligence processes including background and conflicts clearance.  Identify and resolve issues related to same.

• For active candidates, manage the composition of interview schedules, oversee the production of appropriate candidate materials including research and review of public sources of information, distribute materials and prepare interviewers to conduct candidate interviews; solicit candidate feedback and regularly provide internal and external updates on candidate progress.

• Manage recruiting timelines and communications across multiple simultaneous searches with precision and confidentiality.

• Manage candidate evaluation process and prepare candidate approval materials including board memorandums for offer approval process and member voting.

• Draft, review, and administer offer letters and lateral partner agreements in coordination with firm counsel.

Integration & Onboarding

• Design and lead integration program for incoming lateral partners, including collaborating with administrative departments on the development of and executing of customized integration plans tailored to each partner's practice and business development goals.

• Coordinate cross-functional onboarding touchpoints with Finance, IT, Marketing & BD, HR, and Practice Management.

• Facilitate introductions to key clients, referral sources, and internal stakeholders to accelerate business origination and relationship-building.

• Track integration milestones and partner-reported outcomes; escalate concerns and intervene proactively where integration challenges arise.

• Conduct structured check-ins at regular intervals during the first two years of a lateral partner's tenure; analyze retention data and recommend program improvements.

Data, Reporting & Process Excellence

• Maintain accurate records of all candidate activity in the Firm's recruiting platform (viRecruit and Workday).

• Produce reports for firm leadership on pipeline status, offer activity, integration outcomes, and diversity metrics.

• Benchmark the Firm's lateral recruiting and integration practices against AmLaw peers and recommend enhancements.

• Manage the lateral partner recruiting budget, including search firm fees, candidate travel, and integration programming.

• Train and mentor junior team members.

Required

• Bachelor's degree, or equivalent combination of education and experience; J.D. is strongly preferred.

• 7+ years of progressive experience in legal recruiting, with at least 3 years focused specifically on partner- or senior-level lateral hiring in a comparable law firm environment.

• Demonstrated track record of successfully closing partner-level lateral placements across multiple practice areas.

• Sophisticated understanding of law firm economics, partnership structures, lateral compensation frameworks, and partner business case analysis.

• Exceptional interpersonal and relationship management skills, with the ability to engage credibly with all levels of firm personnel as well as external clients, including search firm and candidates.

• High degree of discretion and sound judgment in handling sensitive candidate and compensation information.

• An analytical, organized, creative, and highly motivated independent thinker with a collaborative work ethic. 

• Strong project management skills; ability to manage multiple searches simultaneously under competing deadlines.

• Ability to understand unconscious bias and its effect on recruiting and hiring.

• Proficiency with legal recruiting databases and CRM tools.

Preferred

• An understanding of the Firm and its practice areas.

• Familiarity with lateral partner integration programming and structured onboarding.

• Experience working with diversity, equity, and inclusion goals in a professional services recruiting context.

• Knowledge of lateral hiring market trends in key Firm practice areas.

The primary location for this job posting is in Palo Alto, but other locations may be listed. The actual base pay offered will depend upon a variety of factors, including but not limited to the selected candidate’s qualifications, years of relevant experience, level of education, professional certifications and licenses, and work location. The anticipated pay range for this position is as follows:

Palo Alto, New York, San Francisco: $131,750 - $178,250 per year.
Century City, Los Angeles, San Diego, Washington, D.C.: $119,000 - $161,000 per year.

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).