Director of Attorney Advancement

Friedman Williams; New York (NY); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Friedman Williams seeks a Director of Attorney Advancement in New York to lead the attorney advancement function, offering confidential career advising and coaching while developing and improving programs for attorneys throughout their careers.

The role emphasizes data-informed insights, onboarding and integration, and close collaboration with Firm leadership to drive engagement, mentoring, and professional growth across the firm.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years relevant experience, including meaningful experience in attorney development, professional development, legal talent management, career advising, or comparable functions within a law firm or similar legal environment
• JD strongly preferred
• Ability to build strong rapport and establish credibility and trust with associates, partners, Firm leadership, and business professionals
• Demonstrated ability to provide thoughtful, practical career guidance and coaching while exercising strong judgment and discretion in sensitive situations
• Ability to synthesize quantitative and qualitative information, identify meaningful patterns, and translate observations into practical recommendations and next steps
• Demonstrated ability to operate independently, identify needs proactively, and drive initiatives from concept through implementation while managing multiple priorities in a fast‑paced, service‑oriented environment
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, including the ability to tailor communications effectively to different audiences and inspire confidence among attorneys and Firm leaders
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with consistent attention to detail and follow‑through
• Sound judgment, discretion, and professionalism, with the ability to navigate sensitive matters, competing interests, and situations that may not have an obvious or predetermined solution.

Responsibilities

• Leading and guiding attorney advancement initiatives.
• Overseeing resources for attorney hours reporting, workload guidance, and data analyses for leadership.
• Managing affinity group programming and internal job board enhancements.
• Conducting exit interviews and synthesizing themes for leadership review.
• Developing attorney career communications and resources.
• Supporting mentoring programs and coordinating with Professional Development.

Skills

Attorney development

Career advising

Coaching

Professional development

Legal talent management

Education

JD

Tools

Outlook

Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Director of Attorney Advancement New York NY

Job ID: 21627

A law firm is hiring a Director of Attorney Advancement to lead the Firms attorney advancement function, with responsibility for confidential career advising and coaching as well as the development, execution, and continuous improvement of programs and initiatives that support attorneys throughout their careers. The Director will serve as a trusted resource to attorneys and Firm leaders, combining individualized guidance with data-informed insight and hands‑on ownership of programs central to the attorney experience.

Attorney Advising, Coaching, and Integration

• Serving as a primary resource for attorneys seeking career development guidance, including helping attorneys identify and pursue work opportunities within the Firms free market system and providing one‑on‑one coaching on goal‑setting, performance, professional development, and career trajectory
• Conducting regular informal and formal attorney check‑ins to stay attuned to attorney needs, identify emerging issues, and provide support and guidance as appropriate
• Supporting attorney onboarding and integration through targeted touchpoints, check‑ins, and other initiatives designed to help attorneys establish strong connections and navigate the Firm effectively
• Developing a strong understanding of individual attorneys experiences, goals, performance, and development needs and using that perspective to identify opportunities for individual support as well as broader programming or intervention

Attorney Advancement Operations and Programming

• Overseeing all aspects of associate hours reporting, including monitoring individual associate hours, identifying trends, advising associates on workloads, reviewing partner exposure and work allocation data, and producing hours analyses that inform leadership decision‑making
• Taking full ownership of the Firms affinity group programming, including coordinating events, managing logistics, liaising with group leadership, and driving new initiatives that support engagement and inclusion
• Managing and further developing the Firms internal job board, including curating and posting opportunities, expanding the boards reach and utility, and identifying new ways to connect attorneys with relevant positions and career resources
• Conducting exit interviews and synthesizing themes for leadership review.
• Developing audience‑appropriate newsletters and communications regarding career opportunities and related resources
• Supporting the Firms associate mentoring program by monitoring mentor and mentee connections, identifying pairings that may require attention, and coordinating with Professional Development as appropriate to encourage productive and sustained engagement

Attorney Advancement Strategy and Initiatives

• Identifying, developing, and leading firmwide attorney advancement initiatives, including assessing needs, coordinating with stakeholders, developing program materials and communications, managing implementation, and assessing participation and impact
• Building on the Firms associate core competencies framework, including driving awareness and adoption among associates and partners, integrating the competencies into career development conversations, and identifying opportunities to deepen their use across the Firm
• Developing and delivering programming for Academy focused on professional skill development, including practice management, leadership, and interpersonal skills essential to attorneys career growth
• Drawing on attorney check‑ins, hours and work allocation data, exit interviews, program participation, and other qualitative and quantitative information to identify trends affecting attorney development and advancement and make recommendations to Firm leadership about appropriate responses
• Managing the Firms responses to and participation in attorney‑focused surveys (such as Vault, Chambers, and AmLaws Midlevel Associate Survey), including coordinating the response process, gathering input from relevant stakeholders, and ensuring accurate and timely submissions. Also responsible for reviewing survey results to identify themes and translating findings into practice recommendations for Firm leadership
• Staying current on developments and best practices in attorney development, professional development, coaching, talent management, and related areas, and identifying opportunities to strengthen the Firms approach

Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years relevant experience, including meaningful experience in attorney development, professional development, legal talent management, career advising, or comparable functions within a law firm or similar legal environment
• JD strongly preferred
• Ability to build strong rapport and establish credibility and trust with associates, partners, Firm leadership, and business professionals
• Demonstrated ability to provide thoughtful, practical career guidance and coaching while exercising strong judgment and discretion in sensitive situations
• Ability to synthesize quantitative and qualitative information, identify meaningful patterns, and translate observations into practical recommendations and next steps
• Demonstrated ability to operate independently, identify needs proactively, and drive initiatives from concept through implementation while managing multiple priorities in a fast‑paced, service‑oriented environment
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, including the ability to tailor communications effectively to different audiences and inspire confidence among attorneys and Firm leaders
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with consistent attention to detail and follow‑through
• Sound judgment, discretion, and professionalism, with the ability to navigate sensitive matters, competing interests, and situations that may not have an obvious or predetermined solution.
• Flexibility to adjust hours to meet operating and business needs
• Strong knowledge of standard computer software programs (e.g., Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) with the ability to learn and support new software and operating systems

Tagged as: Director of Attorney Advancement