Attorney Development Specialist

Latham & Watkins is a global law firm consistently ranked among the top firms in the world. The success of our firm is largely determined by our commitment to hire and develop the very best and brightest, creating a team that provides our clients with the highest quality of work and service. We are driven by our core values: respect, innovation, and collaboration.  

The Attorney Development Specialist is an integral part of Latham’s Attorney Development team. This role will be responsible for assisting with administrative and strategic matters relating to associates, local departments, practice groups, committees, and affinity groups, while supporting the office, department, and practice groups’ strategic initiatives, including programs related to associate development, training, staffing, integration, morale, retention, and utilization. This role will be located in our Los Angeles and Orange County office. Please note that this role requires three days a week in office, with at least 2-4 days a month in our Orange County office. 

Other key responsibilities include:

• Managing work assignments for unassigned associates and assisting Local Department Chairs with midlevel and senior associate staffing, as needed
• Providing advice and coaching to associates related to their professional development, staffing, performance, and related issues
• Supporting various committees, including supporting the strategic initiatives of the OC Associates Committee and driving the strategy and initiatives of the LA/CC Pro Bono Committee
• Facilitating the coordination of associate trainings, team-building events and initiatives, preparing practice group staffing reports, driving practice groups’ integration efforts for new associates, tracking and managing associate vacations, and maintaining records and files
• Developing and maintaining relationships with the local Associates Committee, Office Managing Partners, Director of Administration, Local Department Chairs, Practice Group Chairs, as well as the Global Attorney Development Department regarding the ongoing associate development needs of the office

• 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:

• Possess the ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with the appropriate discretion
• Demonstrate excellent leadership skills including, organizing, planning, problem-solving, and decision-making
• Exhibit well-developed and professional interpersonal skills; with the ability to interact effectively with people at all organizational levels of the firm and maintain professional and effective working relationships with clients, consultants, and other representatives of external organizations

And have:

• A bachelor’s degree or an equivalent in a related field
• A master’s degree or an equivalent in a related field, a MBA  or JD, preferably
• A minimum of two (2) years of experience practicing law 
• Experience practicing law at an AmLaw 50 law firm, preferably

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
• And more!

Additionally, we have a range of diversity programming including Global Affinity Groups. These groups provide a firmwide platform to share experiences and advice as well as an opportunity to participate in a supportive network with common interests to help make life at the firm even better.

Latham & Watkins is committed to diversity, equal opportunity, sustainability, and pro bono legal services. We draw from a remarkable wealth of talent to create one of the world's leading law firms, and advance these commitments through the work of our Global Citizenship department. Our lawyers, paralegals, and professional staff worldwide comprise a rich mixture of different races, ethnic backgrounds, religions, sexual orientations, cultures, and primary languages. Our diversity makes us who we are.

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)​.  Please click the link below to review the Ordinance.

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