Senior HR Generalist

Nixon Peabody LLP; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 77,500 - 114,950; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work arrangement

Job summary

Nixon Peabody LLP in Chicago, IL is seeking a Senior HR Generalist to support HR and talent management for the attorney and professional staff populations in the region. This role partners with HR teams to advance operations, implement HR processes, and support firm-wide initiatives at the local level.

A hybrid work schedule is available for this position. Responsibilities include building relationships with office leadership, guiding employee relations matters, coordinating onboarding,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, HR, or related field is required.
• 4–6 years of HR experience, preferably as an HR Generalist in a law firm or professional services.
• HR certification (PHR or SHRM-CP) is preferred.
• Demonstrated integrity, discretion, and confidentiality.
• Self-motivation with ability to work independently and propose solutions.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain effective relationships with personnel at all levels of the firm, especially office leadership.
• Serve as a trusted point of contact for employee inquiries, policy interpretation, and documentation.
• Guide managers on employee relations matters, performance concerns, and proper documentation practices.
• Support HR initiatives and local office culture, including engagement, diversity, and well-being efforts.
• Ensure local compliance with federal and local employment laws and regulations.
• Co‑manage HR initiatives under the Director, Regional HR, and support onboarding and offboarding processes.
• Assist with recruiting activities and participating in interviews as needed.

Skills

HR experience

Relationship building

Communication

Discretion

Time management

MS Office

Travel flexibility

Problem solving

Initiative

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business or HR

PHR/SHRM-CP preferred

Tools

WebEx Teams

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

PowerPoint

Job description

The Senior HR Generalist is responsible for supporting HR and talent management functions and initiatives for the attorney and professional staff populations in an assigned region. This position partners with various teams within HR and the firm to advance daily operations, implement HR processes, and support firm‑wide HR initiatives at the local level. Working under the general direction of the Director, Regional HR, the Sr. HR Generalist operates as a trusted resource to office leadership, managers, and staff. A hybrid work schedule is available for this position.

A career at Nixon Peabody is the opportunity to do work that matters. It’s the chance to use your knowledge to shape what’s ahead. To share, to innovate, to learn at a firm that taps the power of collective thinking.

We’ve created a dynamic, energizing environment that promotes success for our clients and each other. We offer fast growth, connectedness and training in business as well as law. And our rigorous standards assure you are part of a diverse team of top talent at every turn.

If you’re someone who’s looking toward the future, we’d love to hear from you.

Location: Chicago, IL

• Build and maintain effective, positive relationships with personnel at all levels of the firm, with an emphasis on office leadership and operate with confidence and credibility in their presence.
• Serve as a trusted point of contact and resource for employee inquiries, concerns, and policy interpretation, exercising professionalism and discretion.
• Serve as an initial point of contact for managers and staff who require guidance on employee relations matters, including performance concerns, workplace conflicts, and appropriate documentation practices.
• Work with office leadership to help drive HR and local office initiatives which build culture and foster employee engagement, including mental health and well‑being, and diversity and inclusion initiatives.
• Understand, adhere to, and implement firm policies, and help ensure local compliance with federal and local employment laws and regulations. Serve as the local expert on Chicago and Cook County employment laws.
• Co‑manage HR initiatives and projects under the direction of the Director, Regional HR, taking ownership of assigned workstreams.
• Manage new hire integration for the region for all roles, including overseeing onboarding communication, logistics, documentation, and processes and leading orientation sessions.
• Manage office transfers, and other personnel changes.
• Lead the off‑boarding process for professional staff and non‑partner attorneys, including conducting exit interviews, coordinating logistics and initiating and updating the firm’s departure site. Support the off‑boarding process for partners in the region.
• Support performance management matters, including helping to prepare performance‑related memos and Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs), notification scripts, and transition agreements. Participate in the performance evaluation process for professional staff in the region. Also partner with the Professional Staff Career Development team on individual training and development plans as needed.
• Support Benefits, Compensation, and HR Programs, and function as a local point of contact for employee questions regarding benefits, payroll, and other HR‑related topics.
• Track leave of absence matters for non‑partner attorneys and professional staff in the office and coordinate with the benefits team regarding disability, medical, and parental leaves.
• Assist with audits, maintain required postings for the region, and ensure electronic personnel files are properly maintained.
• Maintain knowledge of trends, best practices, regulatory changes, and emerging AI technologies in talent management, employment law, and HR processes.
• Support recruiting efforts driven by firm‑wide attorney and professional staff recruiting teams, including hosting candidates and participating in interview processes as needed.
• Recommend new approaches and process enhancements to continually improve team efficiency and raise the level of service provided to internal clients.
• Partner with HR Coordinators and colleagues across the Regional HR team to plan and execute a variety of strategic and operational initiatives.
• Perform other responsibilities and special projects as assigned.

To perform this job successfully, you must be able to perform each essential job responsibility listed above, satisfactorily, with or without reasonable accommodation. Nixon Peabody retains the right to change or assign other duties to this position. The requirements listed below are representative of the skills and abilities required.

• Minimum of 4‑6 years of HR experience, preferably as an HR Generalist within a law firm or professional services environment is strongly preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree in business, Human Resources (or a related field), or commensurate work experience required. HR certification (e.g., PHR, SHRM‑CP) preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to act with integrity, professionalism, discretion, and a strong commitment to confidentiality.
• Self‑motivated and proactive, with a proven ability to work independently, take initiative, and propose thoughtful solutions with minimal supervision.
• Solid working knowledge of federal, state, and local employment and benefits laws and regulations, and of core HR functions and best practices.
• Demonstrated ability to build and foster relationships with personnel at all levels, including office leadership, and to operate with confidence in their presence.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships and effectively resolve conflicts.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with ability to independently draft clear and professional employee relations documentation, action plans, and communications for review.
• Exceptional time management and organizational skills, with meticulous attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet varying deadlines.
• Strong analytical, decision‑making, and problem‑solving abilities.
• Ability to learn quickly and apply new knowledge to practical issues.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Comfortable using various video conferencing platforms and collaboration tools, such as WebEx Teams.
• Willingness and ability to travel to other offices as needed, and flexibility to work extended hours as needed.

Nixon Peabody LLP is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer: Disability / Veteran. Nixon Peabody is committed to creating a fair workplace and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

To comply with Federal law, Nixon Peabody participates in E‑Verify. All newly hired employees are verified through this electronic system established by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) to confirm their identity and employment eligibility. Please refer to the Notice of E‑Verify Participation and the Right to Work posters on the Nixon Peabody Careers page for more information.

• Chicago, IL: $77,500 to $114,950

In addition to a standard benefits package, this role may be eligible for additional contingent compensation based on an array of factors, including but not limited to: work performance, geographic location, work experience, education, and qualifications. Because such contingent compensation is not yet calculable or may be zero ($0) in some circumstances, the above‑listed salary range(s) are Nixon Peabody’s good faith estimate of the annual salary(ies) it reasonably expects to pay for the position at the time of this posting.