Hybrid Chicago Attorney Recruiting Manager

Buckingham Search; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 95,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Buckingham Search is seeking a Legal Recruiting Manager in Chicago to lead attorney hiring and support the firm's summer associate program. This high-visibility, individual contributor role requires owning searches from intake to offer and building trusted relationships with senior stakeholders.

The ideal candidate has full-cycle recruiting experience in an agency or law firm, with campus program exposure and strong sourcing skills.

Qualifications

• Full-cycle recruiting experience within an agency and/or law firm.
• Agency recruiting followed by in-house recruiting is ideal.
• Experience recruiting lateral attorneys or specialized professional talent.
• Exposure to summer associate recruiting, campus programs, or early-career hiring.
• Ability to advise and build credibility with partners, practice leaders, and senior stakeholders.
• Strong sourcing and candidate-development skills, including passive talent.
• Excellent organization, judgment, communication, and follow-through.
• Manage multiple searches and priorities without sacrificing candidate experience.
• Experience with LinkedIn Recruiter; Leopard Solutions familiarity is helpful.
• Collaborative approach and comfort as an individual contributor without direct reports.

Responsibilities

• Leading lateral attorney searches from intake through offer.
• Partnering with practice group leaders to understand hiring needs and develop search strategies.
• Identifying and engaging legal talent through direct sourcing, referrals, external relationships, and recruiting platforms.
• Managing candidate screening, interview coordination, feedback, offer development, and closing.
• Building relationships with promising candidates who may not be ready to move.
• Overseeing the summer associate recruiting process and helping deliver a well-organized summer program.
• Coordinating onboarding activities for a seamless transition for new attorneys.
• Maintaining accurate candidate records, recruiting data, and pipeline updates.
• Using LinkedIn Recruiter, Leopard Solutions, and other resources to research and engage prospective candidates.
• Evaluating current recruiting practices and recommending efficiency improvements.
• Representing the firm professionally with candidates, law schools, search firms, and external partners.

Skills

Full-cycle recruiting

Stakeholder management

Talent sourcing

Relationship building

Campus recruitment

Organization

Communication

Tools

LinkedIn Recruiter

Leopard Solutions

Job description

Buckingham Search is seeking a Legal Recruiting Manager in Chicago to lead attorney hiring and support the firm's summer associate program. This high-visibility, individual contributor role requires owning searches from intake to offer and building trusted relationships with senior stakeholders.

The ideal candidate has full-cycle recruiting experience in an agency or law firm, with campus program exposure and strong sourcing skills.