Bass, Berry

The Professional Development Manager manages attorney integration, training, and development for a subset of practice groups. The Manager will work closely with the Director of Professional Development, the broader professional development team and practice groups to implement programs that meet practice group and attorney goals.

Responsibilities

• Develop relationships with key stakeholders, including Managing Directors, Practice Heads, Staffing Partners, and Supervising Partners. Understand each group’s value proposition and talent goals and challenges.
• Participate in attorney orientation and lead integration efforts.
• Support and enhance the matter assignment system, the staffing partner and/or the group at large to achieve an equitable distribution of assignments consistent with client/partner need, associate goals and the firm’s goals.
• Gather and analyze attorney feedback. Support the Director of Professional Development who will advise supervising partners on messaging and delivery of the feedback.
• Manage the firm’s feedback system through which the PD team solicits performance feedback multiple times per year. Work collaboratively with the other Manager of Professional Development on firm-wide efforts. Maintain firm-wide consistency.
• Manage the annual evaluations process in connection with the Director of Professional Development and the broader PD team.
• Analyze data in associate evaluations to inform training needs and other professional development opportunities.
• Develop and implement various attorney training curriculums around firm-wide core competencies, practice-specific substantive topics, and other skills customized to various stages in an attorney’s career.
• Collaborate with the broader professional development team on firm-wide programming.
• Offer one-on-one PD sessions that help attorneys establish and make progress on their goals.
• Manage and enhance efforts to support attorneys in alternative roles and to support struggling performers.
• Participate in the Associates Committee.
• Promote and communicate PD efforts, in collaboration with the Internal Communications Manager. Track activities and measure impact.
• As needed, provide back up support for the other PD Manager and other practice groups.
• Work with the Director of Professional Development on firm-wide initiatives designed to enhance associate development and retention.
• Develop strong relationships with the PD team as well as colleagues in DEI, Recruiting, Marketing & Business Development, HR, and other overlapping areas to learn from one another, share information, when appropriate, and support broader firm goals and initiatives.
• Maintain and nurture relationships with external training consultants.
• Ensure continuous benchmarking with law firm peers and evaluate ways in which existing programs can be improved.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from a four-year college or university.
• Five years of professional development experience at a law firm.
• Understanding of attorney professional development and the nuances of developing and retaining attorneys in various practice groups and various stages in their careers.
• Ability to work both independently and to be proactive. Highly organized and able to respond to multiple priorities and meet multiple deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain the strict confidentiality of the firm’s internal and personnel affairs and information.
• Must have strong client-service orientation, diplomacy, and the ability to work productively with groups from senior partners to new associates.
• Strong written and oral communications skills, and must be able to convey ideas in a manner that is convincing to others.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work in a professional and collegial manner with a variety of attorneys and professional staff, and the professional presence and demeanor to represent the firm.