Manager, Legal Talent Acquisition

DLA Piper is, at its core, bold, exceptional, collaborative and supportive. Our people are the backbone, heart and soul of our firm. Wherever you are in your professional journey, DLA Piper is a place you can engage in meaningful work and grow your career. Let’s see what we can achieve. Together.

Summary

The Manager, Legal Talent Acquisition, working in collaboration with and in support of the firm’s strategic initiatives, creates and implements effective processes for recruiting and hiring talented experienced client-facing time-keepers.


Location

This position is located in our Palo Alto office and offers a hybrid work schedule.


Responsibilities

• Partners with hiring managers to understand role requirements and deliver a high standard of service excellence, developing tailored sourcing strategies aligned to business and practice group needs.
• Leads lateral hiring efforts for partner and non-partner roles within assigned practice groups, delivering a strategic approach to talent acquisition while ensuring exceptional service for all stakeholders.
• Assesses candidates using structured evaluation methods, ensuring a high-quality, consistent, and stakeholder-focused selection process aligned to skills, and experience.
• Designs and implements recruitment programs and initiatives, ensuring effective communication strategies and delivering exceptional service to stakeholders throughout execution.
• Conducts interviews and evaluates candidates with a commitment to fairness, consistency, and a superior candidate and stakeholder experience.
• Leads offer management, including creating, negotiating, and finalizing offers.
• Oversees new hire/rehire screening processes, including background and reference checks, ensuring timely communication and adherence to compliance and service excellence standards.
• Collaborates with the digital marketing team on recruitment-related social media outreach, enhancing employer brand with consistent, stakeholder-aligned messaging.
• Prepares and oversees all communications related to legal hires, handling the coordination of interviews, relocation arrangements, bar exam assistance, and onboarding logistics to ensure an exceptional, personalized experience at every stage. Works in close collaboration with hiring partners throughout the offer process and integration, fostering a seamless transition for new team members.
• Maintains strong stakeholder engagement, providing proactive updates, gathering feedback, and advising on hiring strategies with responsiveness and professionalism.
• Collaborates with Student Recruitment Manager to support summer programs (budget, programming, assignments, evaluations), ensuring an outstanding experience for all participants.
• Monitors market trends and partners with leadership to provide insights on compensation, bonuses, and development to inform decision-making.
• Oversees recruitment administration, including systems tracking, data integrity, audits, and referral processes, ensuring accuracy and efficiency.
• Manages the full requisition lifecycle, including creation, approvals, postings, and closure, maintaining transparency and high service standards.
• Plans and executes recruiting events and initiatives, strengthening the firm’s brand and enhancing stakeholder experience.
• Provides reporting and insights to business and HR leadership, delivering clear, timely, and actionable information.
• Manages recruiting budgets and resources, ensuring alignment with strategic goals and efficient use of funds.
• Participates in staff meetings and cross-functional initiatives, contributing to operational excellence and continuous improvement.
• Develops and executes short- and long-term workforce planning strategies, aligned to business objectives and practice group priorities.
• Provides leadership and development to team members through coaching, mentoring, and continuous feedback, fostering a high-performing team culture.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
  

Desired Skills

Excellent written and oral communication skills; ability to work in a fast-paced environment; have general knowledge and understanding of US Visa process and requirements; must be creative and detail-oriented; knowledge of MS Word, MS Excel; ability to handle difficult situations professionally and tactfully; ability to solve problems; ability to multi-task and manage projects; must be able to treat confidential information in a professional manner. May need to travel on occasion.


Minimum Education

• High School Diploma or GED.
  

Preferred Education

• Bachelor's Degree.
  

Minimum Years of Experience

• 5 years’ recruiting experience in a law firm or legal/professional services environment.

Essential Job Expectations

While the specific job requirements of a DLA Piper position may vary depending upon scope of the job and area of specialty, there are certain universal requirements that are expected of all DLA Piper employees, which include but are not limited to:

• Effectively communicate, verbally and in writing, with clients, lawyers, business professionals, and third parties.
• Produce deliverables, answer phone calls, and reply to correspondence in an efficient and responsive manner.
• Provide timely, accurate, and quality work product.
• Successfully meet deadlines, expectations, and perform work duties as required.
• Foster positive work relationships.
• Comply with all firm policies and practices.
• Engage in both physical and sedentary activity, such as (a) working at a computer for extended periods of time, including on-screen reading and typing; (b) participating in digital/virtual conference calls; (c) participating in meetings as needed.
• Ability to work under pressure and manage competing demands in a fast-paced environment.
• Perform all other duties, tasks or projects as assigned.
  

Our employees are expected to embrace and uphold our firm values as a part of our DLA Piper culture. We are committed to excellence in how we represent our clients and develop our people.

Physical Demands

Sedentary work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.

Work Environment

The individual selected for this position may have the opportunity for a hybrid work arrangement comprised of remote and in-office work, the requirement for which will be determined in coordination with the hiring manager or supervisor and may be modified in the firm’s discretion in the future.

Disclaimer

The purpose of this job description is to provide a concise statement of the work elements and to organize and present the information in a standardized way. It is not intended to describe all the elements of the work that may be performed by every individual in this classification, nor should it serve as the sole criteria for personnel decisions and actions. The job duties, requirements, and expectations for this position may be modified at the Firm’s discretion at any time. This job description does not change the at-will nature of employment.

Application Process

Applicants must apply directly online instead of sending application materials via email.

Accommodation

Reasonable accommodations may be made upon request to permit individuals with a disability to perform the essential functions and responsibilities of the position or to participate in the job selection process. If you have a request for an accommodation during the application process, please contact careers@us.dlapiper.com.

Agency applications will not be considered.

No immigration sponsorship is available for this position.

The firm’s expected hiring range for this position is $155,769.00 - $206,398.50 per year depending on the candidate’s geographic market location.

The compensation offered for employment will also be dependent on other factors including the candidate’s experience, skills, educational and professional background, and overall qualifications. We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including medical/dental/vision insurance, and 401(k).

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DLA Piper is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. Job applicant poster viewing center.