Partner Relations Lead

Sidley Austin LLP (IL LLP); Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 107,000 - 147,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus eligibility

Benefits program

Hybrid work model

Job summary

Sidley Austin LLP is seeking a Partner Relations Lead to provide day-to-day, relationship-driven support to partners and senior counsel across assigned offices. You will assist with onboarding, ongoing HR and financial needs, transitions, retirements, and separations, coordinating with Partner Operations and other teams to keep work moving accurately and on time.

The role requires strong judgment, discretion, and superb communication, with escalation paths to Senior Lead or Director for more

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field and 8 years in professional services or law firm admin.
• Experience handling sensitive, confidential, high-stakes matters with senior stakeholders.
• Strong collaboration with DOAs, HR, and office leadership across multiple offices.
• Proficiency with MS Office suite for reporting and documentation.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day partner-facing support across lifecycle events.
• Onboard lateral and promoted partners; coordinate with Partner Operations.
• Assist partners with HR, financial needs, role changes, and retirements.
• Escalate high-risk or high-profile matters to Senior Lead or Director.
• Coordinate across various departments to keep work moving on time.
• Maintain accurate records and update partner-facing information.
• Share feedback to improve guidance, handoffs, and experience.

Skills

Organizational skills

Attention to detail

Judgment

Interpersonal communication

Analytical thinking

Discretion / confidentiality

Handling high-stakes matters

Multi-tasking

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business / HR / Leadership / Finance / Accounting

Tools

Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

Job description

The Partner Relations Lead provides day-to-day, relationship-driven support to partners and senior counsel in an assigned set of offices or regions, helping deliver a responsive, high-touch experience across the partner lifecycle. This includes onboarding, ongoing support, transitions, retirements, and separations. Working closely with partners, Directors of Administration (DOAs), local HR, and office leadership, and with guidance from the Partner Relations Director and Senior Leads, the Lead builds strong working relationships, supports partners through routine and moderately complex matters, and coordinates with Partner Operations and other teams to keep work moving accurately and on time. The role calls for good judgment, discretion, strong communication, and reliable follow-through, with more sensitive or complex matters escalated to a Senior Lead or the Director.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day partner-facing support for partners and senior counsel in an assigned set of offices or regions, serving as a responsive, reliable resource across the partner lifecycle.
• Support onboarding for lateral and promoted partners, including orientation, guidance, and coordination with Partner Operations and adjacent teams.
• Support partners through ongoing HR and financial needs, role changes, office transfers, senior counsel transitions, retirement planning, and separation-related matters.
• Build strong working relationships with partners, DOAs, local HR, and office leadership, and act as a knowledgeable resource for routine questions.
• Handle routine and moderately complex partner matters, escalating sensitive, high-risk, or high-profile matters to a Senior Lead or the Partner Relations Director.
• Coordinate partner matters across Partner Operations, Partner Compensation & Evaluation, Partner Accounting, Partner Retirement Plans, OGC, Tax, Finance, HR, and Payroll as needed.
• Work with Partner Operations so the workflows, documentation, and process support behind each partner interaction are complete and on track.
• Support partner education on HR and financial matters and respond to partner inquiries, including draw and compensation questions, capital matters, and HR- and benefits-related questions, engaging the right teams for answers.
• Maintain accurate records and tracking for partner matters in the assigned coverage area, and keep partner-facing information current.
• Share feedback on recurring partner needs, service gaps, and pain points to help improve guidance, handoffs, and the overall partner experience.
• Support consistency, confidentiality, and Firm risk management in all partner interactions; complete other Partner Relations duties and Partner Matters initiatives as assigned.

Education and/or Experience

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Human Resources, Organizational Leadership, Finance, Accounting, or a related field.
• A minimum of 8 years of progressive experience in professional services, law firm administration, human resources, partner affairs, operations, finance, or a related function.
• Experience managing sensitive, confidential, and high-stakes matters involving senior stakeholders.
• Experience supporting partners, executives, senior professionals, or similarly high-touch stakeholder groups.
• Experience coordinating work across functions and managing multiple relationships or matters at once.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a complex, matrixed, service-oriented environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Preferred:

• Experience in a large law firm or sophisticated professional services organization.
• Experience with partner lifecycle processes, onboarding, separations, or compensation-related coordination.
• Experience working with DOAs, local HR, or office leadership across multiple offices or regions.
• Advanced degree, MBA, SHRM certification, or a related credential.

Other Skills and Abilities

• Strong organizational skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Good judgment
• Strong interpersonal communication skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Able to work harmoniously and effectively with others
• Able to preserve confidentiality and exercise discretion
• Able to work under pressure
• Able to manage multiple projects with competing deadlines and priorities

#LI-Hybrid #LI-KG2

The target salary range for this role is: $107,000 - $147,200 if located in Illinois. Salaries vary by location and are based on numerous factors, including, but not limited to, the relevant market, skills, experience, and education of the selected candidate.

Our compensation package also includes bonus eligibility and a comprehensive benefits program. Benefits information can be found at Sidley.com/Benefits.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the Duties and Responsibilities above satisfactorily and meet the requirements. The requirements listed above are representative of the minimum knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. If you need such an accommodation, please email [e-mail] (current employees should contact Human Resources).

Sidley Austin LLP is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Sidley is an elite global law firm with a known reputation of deploying innovative strategies to achieve powerful results. Business professionals are essential to the firm’s ability to deliver the highest quality legal services to our clients. We are always looking for talented, motivated individuals who thrive in a performance-driven culture to join our team. Sidley employs approximately 2,300 lawyers working with our clients in complex transactional, restructuring, crisis management, investigation, regulatory, and litigation matters. Our 160 years of perspective and reach are truly global, supported by 21 offices strategically situated in key commercial, regulatory, and financial centers across the world. Our lawyers and business professionals, fluent in more than 75 languages, possess the cultural awareness and cross-border legal acumen needed to bring clarity to a dynamic business landscape.