Human Resources Business Partner

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 132,000 - 162,000; Full time

Job summary

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP (BCLP) in Atlanta, GA, is seeking an HR Business Partner to join our team. The role partners with leaders to align people strategies with firm goals, lead workforce planning, develop talent and manage complex employee relations matters.

Candidates should bring experience in legal or professional services environments, strong knowledge of employment laws, and a collaborative approach to change, inclusion, and leadership development within a global firm.

Qualifications

• Previous experience as an HR Business Partner or HR Manager, ideally within legal or professional services.
• Strong understanding of employment legislation and the ability to apply policy consistently.

Responsibilities

• Act as a strategic HR partner to leaders, aligning people strategy with business priorities and long‑term firm goals.
• Collaborate on workforce planning, team design and role clarity to support firm objectives.
• Lead or support organizational change initiatives including restructures and operating model changes.
• Oversee complex employee relations matters with fair, compliant outcomes.
• Partner with L&D and other HR teams to drive leadership development and capability programs.
• Build trusted relationships with leaders to enable effective communication and decision making.
• Use people analytics to inform actions and improve engagement and employee experience.

Job description

Legal Notice

We appreciate your interest in Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP (“BCLP” or “the Firm”). The next step for exploring a career at BCLP is to submit your application. Your application will be based on the information that you provide to us on the application form and any resume or other information you provide to the Firm (“Application”). In submitting this Application, you agree to the following terms and conditions and that you have the required legal capacity to enter into and be bound by these terms and conditions. To the extent consent is legally required in the United States, Australia, Israel and Saudi Arabia, you also consent to the Firm processing your Application (including conducting pre-hiring and other checks), as set out below:

1. True, Complete and Correct Application: I certify that all the information furnished on this Application, and during the application process, is true, complete and correct to the best of my knowledge. I understand that any misrepresentation, falsification or omission of facts may result in refusal to hire or may result in my dismissal at any time regardless of when the false answer or omissions are discovered, if employed by, or am a partner in, the Firm.

2. Internal Review of Application: I understand that BCLP may share the information contained in this Application with Firm employees and select third parties for employment and administrative purposes and hereby consent to such transfer subject to my privacy rights (see Data Privacy Notice below).

3. Verification of References, Employment and Education: To the extent allowed by applicable laws, I authorize BCLP to conduct its own investigation, or use external providers to undertake investigation, of my references, employment history, education and social media, and further, authorize the references and prior employers I have listed to disclose to BCLP information related to my employment history and qualifications for the position for which I am applying, without giving me prior notice of such disclosure.

4. Background Checks: To the extent allowed by applicable laws I consent to BCLP conducting thorough background checks as part of its hiring process.

5. Equal Employment Opportunity: I understand BCLP is an equal employment opportunity employer and that BCLP strictly prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, military status, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, mental or physical disability, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable law. I understand that BCLP also strictly prohibits harassment of applicants or employees based on any protected class or status.

6. Reasonable Accommodations/Adjustments: I understand that BCLP complies with all applicable laws respecting applications for employment, including consideration of unemployment status in making hiring decisions where appropriate. I understand that applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation/adjustment under applicable laws. I will inform the Firm’s representative if I need an accommodation/adjustment to assist in completing this Application or to otherwise participate in the application process.

For U.S. Applicants Only:

7. At Will Employment: I recognize that this Application is not an offer of employment. I agree that if I am hired by the Firm, I will be an at-will employee, meaning that either the Firm or I may end the employment relationship at any time with or without cause or notice. I understand that only the Firm’s Chief Executive Officer and no other Firm manager, supervisor, or representative has authority to enter into any agreement for employment for any specified period of time, or to make any agreement contrary to the at-will employment relationship, and with respect to the Chief Executive Officer, any such agreements must be in writing and are subject to approval by the Firm's Board of Directors. I further understand and agree that, except for employment-at-will status, if hired, my wages, hours, working conditions, job assignment(s), and compensation rate(s) will be subject to change by the Firm.

8. Non-Solicitation and Non-Disclosure Agreements: I understand that if I am offered employment, I may be required to sign non-solicitation and non-disclosure agreements, as a condition of employment.

9. Salary History: I understand the Firm may inquire about my wage expectations but will not inquire about my wage history unless permitted by applicable law. I understand there are salary history bans in at least the following jurisdictions: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri (Kansas City only), New Jersey, New York (statewide and Albany County, New York City, and Suffolk County), Ohio (Cincinnati and Toledo only), Oregon, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia only), Vermont, and Washington.

By choosing "Submit Application" I agree to the statements above and I also confirm that I have read and understood the Privacy Notice referenced below.

Data Privacy: BCLP complies with applicable data privacy laws. For details of your privacy rights (including the right to object, where applicable, to our processing of your Personal Information), please see our Privacy Notice . In particular:

• The BCLP Firm to which you are applying is responsible (i.e., it is the ‘Data Controller’) for the personal information it collects from you (see our Legal Notices for further details).
• Your personal information will be used for your recruitment and potential advancement in the organization, and also to comply with our legal and regulatory obligations. It will also be used for those other relevant purposes in our Privacy Notice, such as equal opportunities monitoring and reporting where legally permitted; and for the improvement of our recruitment and other business processes.
• We undertake pre-hiring checks of Partners and staff (including social media, regulatory and criminal records checks where legally permitted). We use external providers, and also undertake certain verifications ourselves. If you do not provide your personal information (or your consent to the checks where applicable), we will not be able to recruit you.
• We will share certain personal information with our international offices and select third parties, subject to appropriate safeguards.

If you have any questions or wish to exercise your privacy rights, please send a written and dated request to [e-mail].

Position(s) I am Applying for

Human Resources Business Partner

At BCLP, we’ve built our firm on the foundations of thinking differently. Curious, inquisitive and unbound by tradition, we’re building change within our sector and beyond.
It starts with our people, which is why we need a Human Resources Business Partner to join our team and work closely with leaders to align people strategies with firm goals.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Partnering & Firm Alignment

• Act as a strategic HR partner to leaders, aligning people strategy with business priorities and long-term firm goals.
• Consult and provide coaching and guidance to leaders on, workforce planning, team design and role clarity.
• Work on, support, or lead global HR projects and initiatives, ensuring alignment with firm-wide strategy across regions.

Talent, Workforce Planning & Capability Development

• Lead workforce planning activities across assigned business areas, anticipating future capability needs, skills gaps, and critical talent risks.
• Drive talent management initiatives including succession planning, internal mobility, and career pathways to support a sustainable talent pipeline.
  
• Partner with L&D to support leadership development, management capability and firm wide skills programs.
• Strengthen performance management practices through effective goal setting, feedback processes, calibration, and ongoing performance conversations.
• Support leaders in developing high potential employees and shaping development strategies for critical roles and future leaders.
• Take a proactive and rigorous approach to under performance, ensuring managers identify issues early, set clear expectations, and implement structured support plans.
• Partner with leaders to ensure concerns are documented, addressed consistently, and escalated when required, maintaining strong governance aligned with firm policy while minimizing business risk.

Employee Relations & Risk Management

• Oversee complex ER matters, ensuring outcomes are consistent, fair, and compliant with policy and employment legislation.
• Provide expert judgment on risk mitigation, escalating appropriately and partnering with Legal and specialist HR teams where required.

Organization Effectiveness & Change

• Lead or support organizational change initiatives including restructures, team redesigns, integrations, and operating model changes.
• Apply structured change management methods to ensure positive adoption and minimal business disruption.

Culture, Inclusion & Collaboration with HR Centers of Expertise

• Champion an inclusive, high-performance culture, integrating I&D principles into hiring, development, and progression.
• Partner with Recruiting, L&D, Compensation, I&D, and People Services to deliver integrated solutions and a seamless employee experience.

People Analytics & Insights

• Use people analytics (turnover, I&D data, performance distribution, engagement feedback) to influence decision making and shape action plans.
• Partner with leaders to improve engagement, wellbeing, and employee experience using survey insights and feedback loops.

Communication & Stakeholder Management

• Build trusted relationships with leaders and stakeholders, ensuring clear, timely communication and high levels of transparency.
• Facilitate effective two-way communication between leadership teams and employees to support culture, clarity, and trust.
• Exceptional ability to build trust with senior leaders and stakeholders across matrixed teams.
• Strong influencing and coaching skills, with the ability to challenge constructively and drive decision making without formal authority.
• Skilled at identifying capability gaps and shaping development strategies for critical roles and future leaders.
• Demonstrated comfort working with people analytics and translating insights into meaningful actions.
• Clear, concise, and influential written and verbal communication style, with the ability to facilitate difficult conversations and deliver presentations.
• Ability to operate effectively in a global, complex, and evolving HR environment.
• Strong commitment to fostering an inclusive, high-performance culture.

Experience & Knowledge

• Previous experience as an HR Business Partner or HR Manager, ideally within legal or professional services.
• Strong understanding of employment legislation and the ability to apply policy and legal principles consistently and practically.
• Demonstrated experience handling complex ER matters, managing change, and supporting organizational design.
  

Pursuant to Illinois pay transparency laws, BCLP is posting a reasonable estimate of a compensation range for this position. At the time of posting, the estimated Illinois range is $132,000 to $162,000. Actual compensation will be influenced by various factors, including but not limited to the level of relevant experience, skill sets, training, licensure and certifications, internal equity, market data, and other job-related factors permitted by law. The range is based on a full-time work schedule. Additional compensation may include an annual discretionary bonus.

BCLP is an equal employment opportunity employer. The Firm strictly prohibits discrimination against any applicant or employee based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, military status, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation or medical conditions related thereto), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, mental or physical disability, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable law. The Firm also strictly prohibits harassment of applicants or employees based on any protected class or status. The Firm complies with all applicable federal, state and local laws respecting applications for employment, including consideration of unemployment status in making hiring decisions.

Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act and applicable state law. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the way things are normally done which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on BCLP. Please inform the Firm's personnel representative if you need accommodation to assist in completing this application or to otherwise participate in the application process.