Director of Professional Development

Staffmark Group; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 130,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Hunter Hamilton is partnering with a premier multi-office law firm to hire a Director of Professional Development. This leadership role oversees attorney training, mentoring, performance management, and CLE compliance across offices and practice groups.

The successful candidate will have a J.D., 8+ years in attorney development, and demonstrated success in leadership, budgeting, and strategic program design within a law firm setting.

Qualifications

• J.D. degree required from an accredited law school.
• Direct law firm experience required with attorney development exposure.
• 8+ years in attorney professional development, legal education, or related leadership roles.
• Experience designing and implementing attorney-focused development programs including training, mentoring, and career progression.
• Strong understanding of law firm structures, partner tracks, and performance evaluations.
• Experience supervising staff, budgeting, and leading strategic initiatives.
• Working knowledge of CLE requirements, licensing, and education programming.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a firmwide attorney development strategy aligned with business goals.
• Partner with managing partners, practice group leaders, and HR on talent development initiatives.
• Set measurable goals and metrics for attorney development programs.
• Advise leadership on retention, succession planning, and leadership development.
• Oversee the Professional Development department, including budget and resources.
• Design and implement training for associates, counsel, partners, and paralegals.
• Oversee mentoring, coaching, and leadership development programs.
• Develop curricula addressing legal education, client service, and business development.
• Support associate-to-partner progression and summer associate programs.
• Collaborate on performance evaluations and promotion decisions.
• Ensure CLE compliance across jurisdictions and track licensing.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Budget management

Strategic planning

Stakeholder management

CLE compliance

Change management

Education

Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree

Tools

Learning Management Systems

CLE compliance platforms

Job description

Location: St. Louis, MO | Industry: Legal Services / Large Law Firm | Position Type: Full-Time | Leadership

Position Overview

We are partnering with a prominent, multi-office law firm seeking an experienced Director of Professional Development to lead and execute the firm's attorney and paralegal development strategy across multiple offices and practice groups.

This highly visible leadership position will oversee attorney training, professional development, mentoring, performance management, Continuing Legal Education (CLE) compliance, leadership development, and long-term career advancement initiatives. The Director will work closely with firm leadership, practice group leaders, partners, and Human Resources to strengthen attorney performance, retention, engagement, and professional growth.

The ideal candidate must possess a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree and have direct professional experience working within an established law firm environment. This position requires someone who understands the internal structure, culture, and expectations of a large law firm, including attorney career progression, associate development, partnership tracks, and the unique dynamics of working with attorneys and firm leadership.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced legal professional development leader to make a significant impact on attorney development strategy within a well-established, sophisticated law firm.

Professional Development Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and execute a firmwide attorney professional development strategy aligned with organizational goals.
• Partner directly with managing partners, practice group leaders, executive leadership, and Human Resources on attorney talent development initiatives.
• Establish measurable goals, performance metrics, and strategic priorities for attorney development programs.
• Advise leadership on attorney retention, succession planning, partnership readiness, and leadership development.
• Oversee the Professional Development department, including personnel, budgets, resources, and program effectiveness.

Attorney Training & Career Development

• Design and implement structured training programs for associates, counsel, partners, lateral attorneys, and paralegals.
• Oversee attorney mentoring, professional coaching, leadership development, and career advancement programs.
• Develop training curriculum addressing substantive legal education, professional competencies, client service, and business development.
• Create initiatives supporting associate-to-partner progression, leadership readiness, and long-term attorney career growth.
• Support summer associate development programs and the integration of newly hired attorneys.

Performance Management & Attorney Retention

• Collaborate with firm leadership and Human Resources to manage attorney performance evaluation and professional development processes.
• Develop competency models, performance improvement strategies, and individualized attorney development plans.
• Support attorney promotion evaluations and partnership readiness initiatives.
• Identify opportunities to improve attorney engagement, satisfaction, retention, and professional effectiveness.
• Oversee onboarding and integration programs for associates, lateral attorneys, and incoming partners.

CLE Compliance & Legal Education

• Direct firmwide Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programs and compliance initiatives.
• Ensure attorneys maintain applicable licensing, accreditation, and professional education requirements across multiple jurisdictions.
• Coordinate accredited educational programming and manage relationships with CLE providers and accrediting organizations.
• Oversee CLE tracking systems, learning management platforms, and professional development technologies.

Required Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree required. Candidates must have completed an accredited law school program.
• Direct law firm experience required. Candidates must have worked within an established law firm and possess firsthand knowledge of attorney development, law firm operations, and the professional expectations of attorneys and partners.
• 8+ years of progressive experience in attorney professional development, legal education, attorney talent management, law firm leadership, or closely related functions.
• Experience developing and implementing attorney-focused professional development programs, including training, mentoring, career progression, and leadership development.
• Strong understanding of law firm organizational structures, associate development, partnership tracks, attorney performance evaluations, and attorney retention strategies.
• Experience working directly with law firm partners, practice group leaders, and senior firm leadership.
• Prior experience supervising employees, managing departmental budgets, and leading strategic initiatives.
• Working knowledge of CLE requirements, attorney licensing compliance, and legal education programming.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional development leadership experience within a large, multi-office, or Am Law-ranked law firm.
• Previous experience practicing law or holding a leadership position responsible for attorney development.
• Experience implementing firmwide attorney training and mentoring programs across multiple practice groups.
• Experience supporting partnership advancement, attorney performance reviews, and succession planning.
• Familiarity with learning management systems, CLE compliance platforms, and attorney performance tracking technologies.
• Advanced education in organizational development, leadership, education, or human resources.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The successful candidate will combine legal education, firsthand law firm experience, and strategic professional development leadership. They will understand the progression of an attorney's career, from summer associate and junior associate through senior associate, counsel, and partnership, and know how to develop programs that support attorneys throughout those stages.

This individual must be comfortable working directly with partners and executive leadership, navigating law firm dynamics, and balancing attorney development needs with the firm's broader business objectives.

This is not a traditional corporate Learning & Development or Human Resources position. Candidates whose experience is exclusively within corporate environments, nonlegal organizations, or general employee training programs without direct law firm experience will not meet the requirements for this opportunity.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• High-impact leadership position within an established, multi-office law firm.
• Direct collaboration with senior partners, practice group leaders, and executive leadership.
• Opportunity to shape attorney development strategy, training programs, and career advancement initiatives across the organization.
• Meaningful influence on attorney retention, succession planning, and the firm's long-term success.
• Strategic leadership role with responsibility for both departmental operations and firmwide initiatives.

About Us

Hunter Hamilton is a high-performance professional search firm specializing connecting finance, HR, operations, and legal talent with leading employers.

Hunter Hamilton is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status, or any other legally protected status. Hunter Hamilton offers reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities; contact your local branch for inquiries. Hunter Hamilton is an E-Verify employer.