Professional Development Manager – Attorney Training (Litigation & Trial)

Latham & Watkins; Los Angeles (CA); Hybrid; USD 170,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare

401k

Holidays & PTO

Well-being programs

Professional development

Employee discounts

Affinity groups

Job summary

Latham & Watkins is seeking a Professional Development Manager – Attorney Training. The role drives comprehensive lawyer training programs across the firm, aligns with senior leaders, and supports TACE initiatives.

Based in a firm with hybrid options, the position collaborates with GDCs, PGCs, and PGMTs to enhance curricula and training impact. The role requires a J.D., a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, and 5+ years in legal or professional services, with 7+ years total experience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent required.
• J.D. from an accredited law school required.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant legal or professional services experience.
• Minimum 7 years of cumulative experience.

Responsibilities

• Design, development, and implementation of training curricula with the TACE Committee and across practice groups.
• Prepare meeting agendas and retreats; track actions and draft training communications for internal/external audiences.
• Conduct research on training developments; benchmark with law firm peers; oversee accreditation and compliance processes.
• Act as strategic project/program manager for major training initiatives; coordinate with external experts and internal stakeholders.
• Support performance evaluations and recruit, hire, train, coach, and manage staff; handle sensitive information.
• Protect highly sensitive, confidential, and proprietary information.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Customer service

Initiative

Project management

Teamwork

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

J.D. from an accredited law school

Job description

About Latham & Watkins

Latham & Watkins is one of the world’s leading global law firms advising the businesses and institutions that drive the global economy. We are the market leaders in major financial and business centers around the world. Our investment in people, commitment to innovation, and focus on the future empower you to build an incredible career and thrive as an exceptional professional in a supportive culture. If you aspire to be the best, and work with the best, this is where you belong.

Latham & Watkins is one of the world’s leading global law firms advising the businesses and institutions that drive the global economy. We are the market leaders in major financial and business centers around the world. Our investment in people, commitment to innovation, and focus on the future empower you to build an incredible career and thrive as an exceptional professional in a supportive culture. If you aspire to be the best, and work with the best, this is where you belong.

About The Role

The Professional Development Manager – Attorney Training is an integral part of Latham’s Human Capital & Talent team. This role will be responsible for developing and executing comprehensive lawyer training programs across the firm, collaborating with senior leaders, committees, and other firm stakeholders to enhance curricula and support training initiatives, while serving as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, including Global Department Chairs (GDCs), Practice Group Chairs (PGCs), and Practice Group Management Teams (PGMTs), providing strategic subject matter expertise on lawyer training priorities, resource allocation, and alignment with firm and practice group goals. This role will support the TACE Committee and Litigation & Trial Department GDCs and PGCs in developing and executing Litigation & Trial-related training for lawyers. This may include Litigation & Trial boot camp, practice group retreats, and the firm's controversy skills programs such as persuasive writing, e-Discovery, deposition training, and trial advocacy programs.

This role will be located in either our New York, Washington D.C., Chicago, or Global Services Office in downtown Los Angeles. Please note that this role may be eligible for a flexible working schedule that allows for a hybrid and in-office presence.

Responsibilities & Qualifications

• Driving the design, development, and implementation of training curricula in collaboration with the Training and Career Enhancement (TACE) Committee, ensuring consistency, quality, and integration across practice groups and platforms
• Furthering the progress of the TACE Committee, including preparing meeting agendas and retreats, tracking and implementing action items and new initiatives; drafting a wide variety of training related communications for both internal and external audiences, including a variety of Latham news articles
• Conducting research and staying abreast of the latest developments in training, ensuring continuing enhancements through benchmarking with law firm peers and evaluating ways in which existing programs can be improved; overseeing the firm’s relevant accreditation and compliance processes for the training programs of the relevant lawyer departments or practice groups
• Acting as a strategic project and program manager for major training initiatives and special projects, working closely with other key stakeholders and colleagues across the firm to ensure training effectiveness; developing relationships with external subject matter experts, consultants, and speakers
• Contributing to performance evaluations, working with Human Capital & Talent to recruit, hire, train, coach, and manage the performance of employees
• Protecting and maintaining any highly sensitive, confidential, privileged, financial, and/or proprietary information that Latham & Watkins retains

We’d love to hear from you if you:

• Demonstrate exceptional and professional interpersonal skills (e.g., active listening), including superior written and verbal communication skills and the ability to interact with people at all organizational levels
• Exhibit the ability to take initiative and work both independently and in a team environment with a customer-service focus
• Possess the ability to undertake large, long-term projects, develop alternative methods to complete them, and implement solutions

And have:

• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent
• A J.D. from an accredited law school
• Experience as an associate in a relevant department in a large law firm, preferably
• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience in a legal or professional services environment
• A minimum of seven (7) years of cumulative experience

Benefits & Additional Information

Successful candidates will not only be provided with an outstanding career opportunity and welcoming environment, but will also be provided with a generous total compensation package with bonuses awarded in recognition of both individual and firm performance. Eligible employees can participate in Latham’s comprehensive benefit program which includes:

• Healthcare, life and disability insurance
• A generous 401k plan
• At least 11 paid holidays per year, and a PTO program that accrues 23 days during the first year of employment and grows with tenure
• Well-being programs (e.g. mental health services, mindfulness and resiliency, medical resources, well-being events, and more)
• Professional development programs
• Employee discounts
• Affinity groups, networks, and coalitions for lawyers and staff

Latham & Watkins is an equal opportunity employer. The Firm prohibits discrimination against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race (including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles), color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status (including veterans of the Vietnam era), gender expression, marital status, or any other characteristic or condition protected by applicable statute.

Latham & Watkins LLP will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the City of Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance (FCIHO) .

Pay Range

USD $170,000.00 - USD $200,000.00 /Yr.