Talent Acquisition Specialist, Partners & Counsel

McDermott Will & Schulte LLP; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 115,000 - 154,000; Full time

Job summary

McDermott Will & Schulte LLP is seeking a Talent Acquisition Specialist, Partners & Counsel to coordinate global lateral partner recruitment. You will work with partner recruiting teams and search firms to ensure a seamless candidate experience and align with leadership goals.

The role emphasizes collaboration, fast-paced environment handling, and confidentiality, with a 3-day-a-week in-office requirement in Chicago. A Bachelor’s degree and 5+ years of legal recruitment experience are preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Minimum of 5 years of recruiting experience in a legal environment.
• Preference for 3+ years in partner or lateral associate recruiting.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work under tight deadlines and manage confidential information.

Responsibilities

• Oversee candidate interview and evaluation process in line with firm standards.
• Coordinate end-to-end due diligence workflows and issue resolution.
• Advance candidates through the hiring pipeline and maintain momentum.
• Develop and manage relationships with recruitment agencies and internal stakeholders.
• Assist Managers with drafting and finalizing offer documentation.

Skills

Communication

Organizational skills

Attention to detail

Independence

Judgement

Confidentiality

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Excel

Outlook

PowerPoint

Word

Job description

Company Overview

Build your big career with the firm that does Big Law, Better. McDermott Will & Schulte is a leading global law firm that brings together more than 1,700+ lawyers and 1,400 business professionals. We celebrate excellence, collaboration, and community and have been recognized as a top workplace by USA Today, Fortune, The American Lawyer, Vault and others. We are also certified by Great Place to Work. At McDermott, we don’t just invest in your future, we accelerate your career – wherever it may lead. That includes supporting you both in and outside of the office. With us, you’ll find: A firm where everyone belongs: Our award-winning culture prioritizes warmth and authenticity — we encourage you to be yourself! Enthusiasm for all perspectives: We’re smarter and stronger when everyone has a voice and a seat at the table. We welcome unique viewpoints and ideas, and we make opportunities for you and your career to thrive. Support to feel your best and do your best: Wellness is integral to building a successful career and a rich life. That’s why our benefits program supports your physical, emotional, mental, and financial health, with an emphasis on work-life balance. Real rewards for real work: We offer generous compensation packages that recognize hard work and excellence.

Job Description

The Talent Acquisition Specialist, Partners & Counsel supports the lateral partner recruiting process globally. This position coordinates the recruiting process for the candidates and works with the partner recruiting team and search firms to ensure an exceptional and seamless experience. The partner recruiting team is a highly valued function within the firm, working closely with firm leadership to help ensure the Firm’s needs based and strategic partner and counsel hiring goals are met. The Talent Acquisition Specialist, Partners & Counsel plays an integral role in the success of the department through collaboration, quick problem solving and being an ambassador for the firm. The partner recruiting team is looking for an ambitious, thoughtful, and agile individual who thrives in a team environment to play a key role in the continued and future success of the team. The Talent Acquisition Specialist, Partners & Counsel works under general supervision and relies on experience and judgment and judgment to plan and accomplish goals.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

• Maintain and apply a comprehensive understanding of the Firm’s brand, markets, and global strategy in order to be informed on candidate evaluation
• Assists with the execution of lateral partner hiring initiatives in alignment with Firm Leadership priorities, ensuring progress against defined objectives
• Own and oversee candidate interview and evaluation process, ensuring thorough, timely, and high-quality completion aligned with Firm standards
• Manage end-to-end due diligence workflows, including assessment, follow-up, and issue resolution, ensuring a seamless and efficient process
• Proactively advance candidates through the hiring pipeline by identifying next steps, exercising sound judgment, and maintaining momentum
• Develop and manage relationships with recruitment agencies and internal firm stakeholders
• Assists Managers with end-stage offer processes, including drafting and finalizing candidate-specific documentation

Job Specifications

• Bachelor’s degree
• At least five (5) years of related recruiting experience in a legal environment, preferred at least three (3) of those years focusing on Partner Recruiting or Lateral Associate Recruiting
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word)
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Strong organizational skills and superior attention to detail
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to work independently and under own direction and initiative
• Ability to work under tight deadlines and prioritize responsibilities
• Ability to handle and maintain confidential information
• Ability to learn new concepts and skills quickly
• Ability to exercise good judgement in relation to handling confidential information
• Ability to work effectively with a team and delegate work where appropriate
• 3 day a week in office requirement

Compensation and Benefits

Successful candidates will be provided with outstanding career opportunities and will receive a competitive total rewards package with the opportunity to earn performance-based bonuses. Target Hiring Range $115,000 - $154,000 Please note that quoted salary ranges are not guarantees of what final salary offers may be. Base pay is based on market location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and geographic location. Base pay is only one part of the Total Rewards that MWE provides to compensate and recognize our staff professionals for their work. Full time positions are eligible for a discretionary bonus and a comprehensive benefits package.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit, use hands, reach with hands and arms, stoop, talk and hear

Employee must occasionally lift up to twenty (20) pounds

Work Environment

Typical indoor office environment

Disclaimer

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by people within this classification. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of employees assigned to this job. Build your big career with the Firm that does Big Law, Better. We don’t just invest in your future, we accelerate your career – wherever it may lead. That includes supporting you both in and outside of the office. Bringing together more than 1,700+ lawyers and 1,400 business professionals, we celebrate excellence, collaboration, and community and have been recognized as a top workplace by USA Today, Fortune, The American Lawyer, Vault and others. We are also certified by Great Place to Work.