Senior Manager of Attorney Development

Ashurst Perkins Coie Group; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 146,000 - 231,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discretionary bonus

401(k)

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Paid time off 20 days

Parental leave

Holidays

Family care benefits

Job summary

Ashurst Perkins Coie Group seeks a Senior Manager of Attorney Development to shape lawyer growth across the firm. You will lead the design, delivery, and continuous improvement of a cohesive curriculum covering legal skills, professional development, and business acumen, while driving engagement and scalable programs.

The role requires substantial law firm experience, strong leadership, and a systems‑builder mindset as the firm grows through strategic integration and international expansion.

Qualifications

• Minimum five to eight years of manager-level or higher experience in attorney professional development or related field.
• Extensive experience designing, building, and managing attorney development programs across a multi-office firm.
• Strong project management and supervisory skills with cross-department collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Develop and support firmwide developmental academies, retreats, orientations, and attorney training initiatives.
• Oversee learning management systems, CLE tracking, and development technologies.
• Manage program budgets, vendor relationships, and multiple projects with attention to outcomes and timelines.
• Guide onboarding, integration, and mentoring programs for new and lateral attorneys.
• Provide coaching culture and feedback to drive ongoing development.

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Communication

Stakeholder collaboration

Strategic planning

Change management

Mentoring & coaching

Budget management

Vendor management

Learning technologies

Education

JD

Tools

LMS

CE Manager

viGlobal

Job description

Job Description We are seeking a strategic, creative, and collaborative Senior Manager of Attorney Development to help shape the future of lawyer growth and professional development at our firm. This role will play a key role in the design, delivery, and continuous improvement of a cohesive, forward-thinking curriculum focused on legal skills, professional and management skills, business development, communication, law firm economics, client service, and emerging areas such as AI in legal practice. The Senior Manager of Attorney Development will also oversee key functions within the department and help build scalable systems and programs that strengthen lawyer engagement, development, and long-term success across the firm. We are looking for a strong leader, manager, and systems-builder with significant law firm professional development experience, intellectual curiosity, and enthusiasm for innovation and change as we enter an exciting new chapter through our combination with Ashurst and continued international growth. Essential Functions Training & Professional Development

• Develop and support firmwide developmental academies, retreats, orientations, and attorney training initiatives.
• Partner with firm leadership, talent advisors, Knowledge & Innovation, and divisions/practice groups to assess development needs and deliver strategic programming.
• Manage training resources and communications with internal and external faculty, coaches, and other training providers. Mentoring, Integration & Feedback
• Manage coaching and mentoring programs; support onboarding and integration programs for new and lateral attorneys.
• Foster a culture, through programs and communications, of effective feedback, coaching, and continuous development. Team Leadership
• Provide oversight of firmwide CLE, including compliance, accreditation, reporting, and tracking across jurisdictions and offices.
• Supervise and mentor the CLE team.
• Oversee, evaluate, and optimize learning management systems (LMS), attorney evaluation and feedback platforms, and other development technologies (e.g., CE Manager, viGlobal).
• Manage program budgets, vendor relationships, and multiple simultaneous projects with attention to outcomes, timelines, and resource allocation. Perform other duties as assigned. This is a hybrid role with some in-office expectations. TRAVEL This position will require approximately 20 days of travel annually. Required Education, Experience & Skills
• Minimum five to eight years of manager-level or higher experience in attorney professional development, attorney personnel management, or a closely related field.
• Substantial experience in lawyer professional development within a law firm environment, with demonstrated ability to design, build, and manage wide-ranging programs—including training curricula, mentoring frameworks, integration initiatives, and CLE—across a complex, multi-office organization.
• Strong project management and supervisory skills, with a collaborative, proactive approach and proven ability to build partnerships across departments, offices, and leadership levels.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, including experience presenting to and advising professionals at all seniority levels.
• Sound judgment, adaptability, and comfort navigating organizational change in a dynamic firm environment.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with experience launching new initiatives and scaling programs in a growing or evolving firm environment.
• Preferred Education, Experience & Skills
• JD and prior practice experience.
• Management experience in a multi-office law firm environment, with broad responsibility for the design and delivery of attorney development and integration programs.
• Experience with attorney development technologies and systems, including LMS and CLE platforms; knowledge of multi-jurisdictional MCLE compliance.
• Professional coaching training or certification. This position is eligible for an annual discretionary bonus, 401(k) plan, medical, dental, and vision insurance, accrued paid time off plan starting at 20 days annually, personal medical and parental leave, up to 10 paid holidays, and family care benefits. More information regarding benefits and programs may be found here. This position may be filled in the following location(s). The listed compensation range reflects the typical pay for this role, though it is rare for new hires to receive an offer at the top of the range. Actual compensation may vary depending on experience, skills, market conditions, and internal equity. San Francisco Bay Area compensation range: $176,710 to $279,380 annually Colorado compensation range: $138,450 to $218,880 annually Illinois compensation range: $146,110 to $231,010 annually Los Angeles compensation range: $161,230 to $254,900 annually San Diego compensation range: $159,180 to $251,670 annually New York compensation range: $160,640 to $253,980 annually Washington state compensation range: $146,040 to $230,890 annually Washington, D.C. compensation range: $157,720 to $249,360 annually