Chief Talent Officer

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Chief Talent Officer Job Details:

Snell & Wilmer L.L.P. is one of the largest law firms in the Western United States with 500+ attorneys throughout seventeen offices.  The firm is seeking to hire a Chief Talent Officer (CTO).  Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer (COO), the CTO will oversee the four core pillars of our talent function: Attorney Recruiting, Attorney Development, Paraprofessionals, and Diversity.  This executive role is pivotal in driving the firm's talent strategy, ensuring we attract, develop, and retain top legal and professional talent to support our business objectives. The CTO will collaborate closely with the Executive Committee and Practice Group Leaders to align talent initiatives with the firm's strategic goals, fostering a high-performance culture that emphasizes excellence, inclusion, and innovation.

While Phoenix, AZ is the preferred location, we are open to candidates located in other major markets where the firm has offices.

The ideal candidate is a seasoned professional, preferably a JD/attorney with extensive law firm experience, who excels in communication, understands the unique pressures of legal practice, and has a proven record of managing and motivating teams of professionals. 

Position responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

• Attorney Recruiting:
  • Develop and maintain relationships with Firm and Administrative Partners, Practice Group Leaders, Executive Committee Members, Office Administrators, and Hiring Committee members regarding ongoing legal personnel needs, challenges, and opportunities.
  • Provide strategic oversight and guidance covering the full cycle of law student and lateral attorney recruiting, including outreach, submission, review, feedback and analysis of candidates, presentation of candidate materials, interview process, due diligence process, offer letters, onboarding, and integration.
  • In close collaboration with firm leadership and practice group leaders, understand and identify lateral hiring needs and define and oversee recruitment strategies to meet those needs.
  • Partner with the Marketing team to elevate the firm’s brand and promote new lateral hires.
  • Develop and manage relationships with professional recruiters and law school career services departments.
  • Serve as a resource for the Strategic Growth, Hiring, and Attorney Development, and Inclusion & Belonging committees.
  • Participate in NALP meetings and other relevant professional organizations; follow industry updates and ensure compliance with industry standards.
  • Update Recruiting Prospectus regularly and track recruitment metrics such as time-to-fill, diversity hires, and retention rates to refine processes. 
    
    
• Attorney Development:
  • In partnership with the Director of Attorney Development, evaluate and assess, on an on-going basis, all aspects of the firm’s professional development program, including analysis of attorney performance, development opportunities, CLE, and other training resources.
  • Partner with the firm’s practice group administration and leaders to develop training curricula for associate attorneys, including programs on legal skills, business development, leadership, and work-life integration.
  • Support the firm's diversity and inclusion initiatives within the professional development program.
  • Make recommendations for future strategies, including wellness initiatives and workload management to address the pressures of legal practice and reduce burnout.
  • Oversee succession planning for key attorney roles, identifying high-potential individuals and providing targeted development opportunities.
  • Facilitate internal mobility, promotions, and transfers to optimize talent utilization across offices and practice areas.
  • Coordinate Q&A processes for attorney roundtable discussions and support mentorship programs.
    
    
• Talent Management:
  • Develop and maintain relationships with all levels of firm attorneys.
  • Partner with recruiting colleagues to develop and implement onboarding and integration strategies for each lateral attorney, assess progress, address issues and concerns and augment the approach, as necessary.
  • Oversee the associate evaluation process, formal annual reviews, and periodic check-ins for recent hires.
  • Design and develop metrics to measure lateral success.
  • Working with the firm’s HR department, provide administrative support for all Attorney HR issues, include improvement programs and document file as needed.
    
    
• Additional Responsibilities:
  • Assist the firm’s Senior Director of Paraprofessionals and provide alignment and assistance with the talent recruitment, retention, and development of the paraprofessional team.
  • Attend all Diversity, Inclusion, & Belonging Committee and WIN Committee meetings, including relevant subcommittee meetings.
  • Maintain department budget and oversee approvals for bar dues, CLE programs, meals, travel, recruiting, and attorney development efforts.
  • Provide administrative support to Executive Committee and Chief Operating Officer as needed.
  • Foster collegial work environment for Attorney Talent team, including managers and staff.

Experience and Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required; Juris Doctor (JD) preferred.
• At least 10 years of managerial experience leading attorney recruiting and professional development functions within law firms.
• Demonstrated leadership qualities, including excellent interpersonal and collaborative skills, strategic and innovative thinking, and an ability to persuade and influence.
• Strong understanding of law firms or professional services talent management and proven skills in recruiting, developing, and advancing attorneys.
• Proven experience with the ability to retain, develop and motivate exceptional talent development professionals.
• Strong managerial skills, including the ability to exercise discretion and independent judgment with respect to matters of significance.
• Executive presence, tenacity, integrity, and professionalism that will engender confidence with attorneys, administrative leadership, and prospective candidates.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to work effectively in a consensus-driven organization and to create consensus-based support.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Outstanding relationship-building skills with the ability to collaborate equally well with senior administrative managers and staff, partners, and associates across the firm.
• High proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Outlook, and Excel).
• Experience in working with attorney recruiting databases required.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple projects independently with specific deadlines and adjust to changing priorities.
• Ability to use initiative and judgment to accomplish results.
• Strong attention to detail.

Snell & Wilmer offers a competitive performance-based compensation and a generous benefits package starting on your first day. The benefits package includes medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, 401K/profit sharing, paid holidays, tuition reimbursement, paid time off including vacation time, personal time, and sick time where appropriate.   Snell & Wilmer values the principles of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging.  Be Seen, Be Heard, Be Valued, Belong.

We are an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.