Lateral Recruiting Assistant Manager

Freshfields US LLP is a major international law firm, providing business law advice of the highest quality. We deliver seamless service across borders, cultures and languages. Our people make our firm – we are a people business and want to create a welcoming and supportive environment where all can flourish. We see diversity as a strength which creates fresh perspectives and generates new ideas. We enjoy our work and are determined to do an outstanding job. We deliver best when working in teams and think globally, acting as one firm worldwide. Cross-border work is what we excel at, bridging language and cultural gaps to add value for our clients.

About the role

The lateral recruiting team is responsible for attracting and hiring top-tier lateral talent across the firm. This role supports the full-cycle recruitment of associates, counsel, and partners across U.S. offices, aligned to a core practice area. It offers the opportunity to build deep relationships with partners and stakeholders while driving a more connected, strategic approach to lateral hiring. The Senior Coordinator or Assistant Manager will work closely with the Senior Manager and Head of U.S. Recruiting, partnering with junior team members to deliver a seamless, high-quality recruiting experience. This is a highly visible, hands-on role for a proactive recruiting professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Support the full lifecycle of lateral recruiting across all levels, from sourcing through offer and onboarding
• Serve as a primary point of contact for candidates, search firms, practice group leaders, and internal stakeholders
• Manage active candidate pipelines, ensuring timely communication, strong organization, and a consistent candidate experience
• Lead interview logistics end-to-end, including scheduling, coordination, feedback collection, and follow-up
• Review resumes, maintain accurate candidate data, and monitor pipeline activity and market trends
• Partner with senior leadership to support proactive sourcing strategies and targeted hiring efforts
• Build and maintain strong relationships with external recruiters and internal business partners
• Provide guidance and day-to-day oversight to Recruiting Assistants and Coordinators
• Take ownership of practice area hiring initiatives and lateral recruiting projects
• Contribute to reporting, data analysis, and continuous improvement of recruiting processes
• Prepare updates and materials for leadership, including hiring activity and market insights
• Maintain recruiting systems and ensure data integrity across platforms
• Collaborate with global recruiting colleagues on cross-office initiatives
• Deliver a high-touch, professional experience for candidates at every stage
• Support onboarding and integration of lateral hires in partnership with the broader People team
• Foster consistency in communication, processes, and documentation across the recruiting team

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required
• 3+ years of attorney recruiting experience, preferably within a law firm or professional services environment
• Demonstrated ability to manage full-cycle recruiting processes with increasing independence
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with a polished and client-focused approach
• High level of discretion and commitment to confidentiality
• Proactive, resourceful, and able to operate independently while knowing when to escalate
• Strong attention to detail with flexibility to adapt in a dynamic environment
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); ATS experience preferred
• Knowledge of background check processes a plus
• Willingness to work outside standard hours as needed

Schedule

Hybrid (3 days per week in the New York office, with flexibility to work additional days in the office if needed).

Pay

A reasonable estimate of the current compensation range for this role in New York and California is $120,000 to $145,000.