Director of Professional Development and Resources

The Law Office Management Association (TLOMA); Guelph; Hybrid; CAD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A law firm in Ontario is seeking a Director of Professional Development and Resources to oversee recruitment and professional development programs. Responsibilities include managing continued learning for legal staff, supporting onboarding processes, and improving knowledge management. Ideal candidates should be lawyers with significant experience, excellent organizational skills, and proficiency in relevant technology tools. This role offers a hybrid working arrangement.

Qualifications

• Minimum 4-5 years of experience, preferably in private practice.
• In-depth understanding of law firm structure and performance management.
• Ability to engage different stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Oversee recruitment of Summer and Articling Students.
• Facilitate new hire onboarding and training programs.
• Support lawyers in meeting continuing legal education requirements.

Skills

Leadership

Recruitment

Professional Development

Organizational Skills

Discretion and Tact

Education

Law Degree

Tools

MS Office

Legal Practice Management Software

Job description

Director of Professional Development and Resources

SV Law has an exciting opportunity for a Director of Professional Development and Resources to join our team on a contract to cover a parental leave. The role will support both our Guelph and Elora offices with a hybrid arrangement available.

Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer and the Managing Partner, the Director of Professional Development and Resources is responsible for overseeing: SV Law’s Summer Student, Articling Student, and Associate recruitment efforts; the professional development and performance management of our Summer Students, Articling Students, and Associates; and SV Law’s knowledge management efforts.

Responsibilities

• Recruitment & Onboarding: In concert with the Lawyer Human Resources Committee, responsible for facilitating the recruitment of Summer and Articling Students.
• Recruitment & Onboarding: In concert with Practice Group Chairs and the Executive Committee, responsible for facilitating the recruitment of lateral Associates.
• Recruitment & Onboarding: Leads the facilitation of the new hire onboarding (orientation) program including software and firm policy and procedures.
• Recruitment & Onboarding: Ensures all resources are available for successful onboarding.

• Professional Development: Provides support and additional mentorship to lawyers and law students.
• Professional Development: Oversees training and needs analysis for all new hires and current lawyers to ensure they fulfil their requirements for their continuing legal education hours.
• Professional Development: Responsible for overseeing the design and implementation of the firm’s professional development curriculum, which focuses on skills-based learning and integrated business development programming to share knowledge and support sustainable practice growth.
• Professional Development: Provides support to Associates in preparing annual business plans.
• Professional Development: Facilitates performance reviews for the Associates based on the firm’s Associate core competencies framework

• Knowledge Management: Working with Practice Group Chairs and the Technology Committee to source and/or review potential new legal software.
• Knowledge Management: In concert with Practice Group Chairs, overseeing the collection and maintenance of annotated model precedents for the extensive precedents system used by professionals across the firm.

• Practice Management Support: Reviews dockets to ensure best practices are being followed.
• Practice Management Support: Ensures proper billing practices are being followed, and billing is done when appropriate.
• Practice Management Support: Reviews associate WIP and follows up where necessary.

• General Firm Support: Prepares and monitors annual training and development budget.
• General Firm Support: Prepares quarterly progress reports to Partners.
• General Firm Support: Completes special projects as required.
• General Firm Support: Participates on various firm committees as necessary.

What You Bring

• Lawyer with a minimum of 4-5 years of experience, preferably in private practice.
• In-depth understanding of law firm structure, performance management, legal practice management, CLE requirements, and recruitment.
• Interest in the professional development of others.
• Ability to engage different stakeholders, including Partners, on developing and executing plans.
• Highly organized and able to manage time effectively and efficiently.
• Professional and approaches the role with a high level of discretion, tact, and maturity.
• Proficiency with relevant technology tools (e.g. MS Office, document management systems, legal practice management software).

Interested candidates may apply in confidence by submitting a cover letter and résumé to: Tanya Postma, Chief Administrative Officer, [e-mail]

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those candidates selected for an interview will receive a formal reply.

No agencies or recruiters please.