Director of Attorney Development

Job Summary

Manage all aspects of the Firm’s legal professional and career development programs. Serve as the Firm’s contact with appropriate outside vendors and professional organizations, including NALP, ALA, Professional Development Consortium, ACLEA, and ALI/ABBA.

Position Responsibilities

General
 

• Develop and manage a competency-based program to enhance attorney and paralegal professional development; work with Manager of Attorney Recruitment to coordinate attorney orientation and integration programs; prepare, administer, and monitor annual Professional Development budgets; train and supervise administrative staff responsible for attorney and paralegal professional development; develop and oversee knowledge management tools related to attorney professional and career development; counsel associates and assist in resolving job-related developmental concerns; create and manage the Attorney Professional Development section on the Firm’s intranet; participate in professional association activities for professional development.
• The efforts of the Director of Attorney Development will be supported by a new Professional Development Committee, which is comprised of the Chief Operating Officer, Chief Marketing Officer, Director of Human Resources, and the Heads of the Diversity, Associate Development, and Attorney Recruiting Committees.

Professional Development
 

Professional Development Programs

• Develop a comprehensive strategic direction for formal and informal attorney professional and career development programs that are consistent with the Firm’s objectives. 
• Manage “Career Path” programming and counseling programs, including: promoting a work environment that helps attorneys reach their individual potential while maintaining a sensible balance between their professional and personal lives; developing career models for associates and other attorneys and consider new models for attorney hiring, including the use of flexible staffing strategies; working with each attorney to create and implement a professional development plan; develop and utilize a personal Career Assessment Questionnaire; focus on legal skills, business acumen, firm citizenship, management and business/client development skills; focusing on legal skills, business acumen, firm citizenship, management and business/client development skills; counseling individual attorneys on career development issues.
• Develop, implement, and manage a firm wide progressive, “building block,” skill-building attorney training program; manage attorney professional development in the areas of orientation, mentoring, work allocation, performance appraisals and training; serve as a resource to the Associate Development, Recruiting and appropriate Diversity-related Committees and make recommendations on training, mentoring and associate review processes; select and utilize technology appropriately to support learning, expedite evaluation procedures, track CLE credit and enhance communication throughout the Firm; establish a New Partner Development Program for non-percentage partners; coordinate overall Firm programs with specific departmental training programs; work with Department Heads to design and implement attorney training programs on an on-going basis; maintain records of CLE requirements as needed and/or required certifications and record training activities that fulfill them.

Associate Performance Evaluation and Compensation

• Direct the administration of the associate and non-percentage partner evaluation process; oversee evaluation procedures with partners to establish performance criteria and standards for advancement; collaborate with Firm management to design and implement a progressive, “building block” core competency plan and with Department Heads to design and implement specialized Department-specific progressive competency plans; develop, prepare and analyze reports and projections regarding compensation, hours, profitability and other issues for use by Compensation Committee; manage post-evaluation meetings with associates; evaluate effectiveness of evaluation process and recommend changes as appropriate;

Mentoring

• Manage the Firm’s formal mentoring programs, assisting the appropriate Committees in assigning mentors, training mentors and mentees, and monitoring the quality of the relationships; coordinate with the Personnel Committee and Associate Development Committee Chairs to develop and implement the key elements of firmwide associate and nonpercentage partner mentoring programs; formalize the institutional aspects of the mentoring program, coordinating with the Director of Human Resources, as appropriate; implement support networks for mentors, including mentoring training resources and meetings.

Diversity

• Oversee the fulfillment of the Firm’s diversity goals through monitoring the progress and advancement of minority and women attorneys; assist with planning and execution of programs, including social and cultural activities, to enhance the diversity of the Firm’s community; provide administrative support and counsel to leaders of Diversity-related Committees; work with the Diversity-related Committees to develop and enrich diversity initiatives and to monitor progress; identify strategies that support diversity initiatives to heighten awareness of issues of importance; design, develop and implement diversity training programs; facilitate mentoring, work flow and cross-marketing opportunities for diverse attorneys.

Qualifications

• College degree required; JD preferred;
• Prior professional development/training and counseling experience required in professional services industry; law firm experience preferred; 
• Experience with developing and managing professional and staff training programs; 
• Excellent planning, organization and writing skills; 
• Excellent interpersonal and oral communication skills, including conflict management and group presentation; 
• Demonstrated ability to work with and communicate with all levels of staff and management; 
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a team; 
• Demonstrated ability to make formal and informal presentations to management, peers or subordinates; 
• Understanding of current industry and market trends and philosophies; 
• Proficient with standard office software and technology. Responsible for the management/development of evaluation and training software systems and software project planning for the department.

Position will include travel to in-state offices.  We offer a competitive salary and excellent benefits package.  If you are interested in joining our team, please submit your résumé, cover letter and salary requirements to
humanresources@honigman.com.  Honigman is an Equal Opportunity Employer.