Legal Recruiting Manager

Marshall Gerstein; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid remote work policy

Learning & development opportunities

Career coaching services

Generous health insurance

401(k)

Job summary

Marshall Gerstein & Borun LLP in Chicago is seeking a strategic Legal Recruiting Manager to drive the firm’s talent strategy, oversee the full recruiting lifecycle, and lead the Summer Associate Program. You will collaborate with the Recruiting Committee, Hiring Partner, practice leaders, and HR to identify needs, build pipelines, coordinate interviews and offers, and onboard new hires.

This senior role offers a hybrid work model, expansion into campus recruiting, and opportunities to shape

Qualifications

• Required: At least five years of legal recruiting experience, with a strong understanding of law firm hiring practices and candidate engagement.
• Required: Exceptional attention to detail, organization, follow-through, and accuracy.
• Required: Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the confidence and professionalism to work effectively with candidates, attorneys, firm leadership, and colleagues at all levels.
• Required: Sound judgment, discretion, professionalism, and a demonstrated ability to handle confidential information with care.
• Required: Initiative, accountability, adaptability, and the ability to manage multiple projects with shifting priorities and competing deadlines.
• Required: A collaborative, service-oriented approach and the ability to work effectively with minimal supervision.
• Required: Flexibility to work before or after normal business hours as necessary to support essential department and firm needs.
• Preferred: Experience with applicant tracking systems and other recruiting software.
• Preferred: Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Responsibilities

• Lead legal recruiting strategy and execution by partnering with the Recruiting Committee, Hiring Partner, practice leaders, and HR to manage the full lifecycle, including job descriptions, postings, resume review, candidate screening, interview coordination, testing, background and reference checks, offers, and orientation.
• Create a standout Summer Associate Program by designing and managing training sessions, program events, workshops, mentorships, feedback surveys, performance reviews, and the offer process for summers transitioning to full-time roles.
• Advance law student recruiting efforts by managing on-campus interview programs, job fairs, employer meet-and-greet events, interview scheduling, start dates, program calendars, and candidate travel or overnight accommodations.
• Champion a thoughtful candidate experience by responding to inquiries, keeping candidates informed, and ensuring recruiting data is accurate and well maintained.
• Support informed hiring decisions by preparing Recruiting Committee agendas and materials that help stakeholders evaluate candidates clearly and efficiently.
• Build and manage external recruiting relationships by maintaining connections with legal search firms, identifying potential candidates, and negotiating contract terms as needed.
• Elevate the firm’s recruiting presence by maintaining profiles in directories such as NALP and Vault, administering the Vault Associate Survey, and serving as the primary contact for surveys.
• Use data to improve recruiting outcomes by preparing reports and analytics that track recruiting effectiveness and provide updates to stakeholders.
• Deliver a strong onboarding experience by administering orientations for new legal personnel, including technicians and interns, patent agents, associates, summer associates, special counsel, of counsel, and new non-equity partners.
• Contribute to broader talent initiatives by supporting related projects and performing other duties as required and assigned.

Skills

Legal recruiting

Candidate engagement

Attention to detail

Communication

Confidential information handling

Project management

Collaboration

Flexibility

ATS

MS Office

Tools

Applicant Tracking System

Recruiting software

Microsoft Office

Job description

Chicago Office
233 South Wacker Drive
6300 Willis Tower
Chicago, IL 60606, USA

Chicago Office
233 South Wacker Drive
6300 Willis Tower
Chicago, IL 60606, USA

Marshall, Gerstein & Borun LLP is a nationally recognized intellectual property law firm trusted by many of the world’s most innovative companies, research institutions, universities, and entrepreneurs. For more than six decades, we have focused exclusively on IP law—bringing deep technical insight, practical judgment, and exceptional client service to work that helps shape the future of innovation. Our collaborative culture, focused platform, and commitment to excellence allow our professionals to make a meaningful impact every day.

Your Role:

We are seeking a strategic, highly organized Legal Recruiting Manager to help drive the firm’s legal talent strategy and deliver an exceptional experience for candidates, summer associates, and new hires. In this visible role, you will partner closely with the Recruiting Committee, Hiring Partner, practice leadership, and Human Resources to identify hiring needs, build strong candidate pipelines, coordinate interviews and offers, and lead the firm’s Summer Associate Program. This is an opportunity to shape how top legal talent experiences Marshall Gerstein from first introduction through onboarding and early integration. This is an excellent opportunity for a recruiting professional ready to grow into a broader, higher-impact role, or for an experienced external recruiter interested in bringing their relationship-building skills and recruiting judgment in-house within a sophisticated law firm environment.

Your Impact:

• Lead legal recruiting strategy and execution by partnering with the Recruiting Committee, Hiring Partner, practice leaders, and Human Resources to understand hiring needs and manage the full recruiting lifecycle, including job descriptions, postings, resume review, candidate screening, interview coordination, testing, background and reference checks, offers, and orientation.
• Create a standout Summer Associate Program by designing and managing training sessions, program events, workshops, mentorships, feedback surveys, performance reviews, program metrics, and the offer process for summer associates transitioning to full-time roles.
• Advance law student recruiting efforts by managing on-campus interview programs, job fairs, employer meet-and-greet events, interview scheduling, start dates, program calendars, and candidate travel or overnight accommodations, as needed.
• Champion a thoughtful candidate experience by responding to professional employment inquiries, keeping candidates informed, and ensuring recruiting data is accurate and well maintained.
• Support informed hiring decisions by preparing Recruiting Committee agendas and materials that help stakeholders evaluate candidates clearly and efficiently.
• Build and manage external recruiting relationships by maintaining connections with legal search firms, identifying potential candidates, and negotiating contract terms, as needed.
• Elevate the firm’s recruiting presence by maintaining the firm’s profiles in directories such as NALP and Vault, administering the annual Vault Associate Survey, and serving as the primary contact for law firm surveys requesting recruiting information.
• Use data to improve recruiting outcomes by preparing reports and analytics that track recruiting effectiveness and provide meaningful updates to stakeholders.
• Deliver a strong onboarding experience by administering orientations for new legal personnel, including technical specialists and interns, patent agents, associates, summer associates, special counsel, of counsel, and new non-equity partners.
• Contribute to broader talent initiatives by supporting related projects and performing other duties as required and assigned.

Your Skills:

• Required: At least five years of legal recruiting experience, with a strong understanding of law firm hiring practices and candidate engagement.
• Required: Exceptional attention to detail, organization, follow-through, and accuracy.
• Required: Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the confidence and professionalism to work effectively with candidates, attorneys, firm leadership, and colleagues at all levels.
• Required: Sound judgment, discretion, professionalism, and a demonstrated ability to handle confidential information with care.
• Required: Initiative, accountability, adaptability, and the ability to manage multiple projects with shifting priorities and competing deadlines.
• Required: A collaborative, service-oriented approach and the ability to work effectively with minimal supervision.
• Required: Flexibility to work before or after normal business hours as necessary to support essential department and firm needs.
• Preferred: Experience with applicant tracking systems and other recruiting software.
• Preferred: Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Your Rewards:

• Competitive salary, overall compensation, and 401(k)
• Hybrid Remote Work Policy (3 Days In Office, 2 Days Remote)
• In-house and external learning and development opportunities
• Career coaching services
• Generous health insurance, mental health, and well-being benefits
• Salary $130,000 to $150,000

EEO Statement

Our Firm is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Our employment decisions are based on individual qualifications, job requirements and business needs without regard to race, color, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, age, religion, disability, citizenship status, national origin, pregnancy, veteran status and/or any other legally protected characteristics. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations, if you need an accommodation to complete the application process, please email.

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Education

Experience

Licenses & Certifications

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.