Lateral Associate Recruiting Manager

Job Description At K&L Gates, we are looking for smart, imaginative and hard-working people with diverse backgrounds, experiences and ideas to join us.  Perhaps our search for talented visionaries and your search for important and impactful work lead to the same place.

We are seeking a Manager, Lateral Associate Recruiting to join K&L Gates. The Manager, Lateral Associate Recruiting, manages lateral associate searches across the firm's U.S. practices. The role is not assigned to a single practice; work is allocated based on practice demand, expertise, and capacity so that coverage remains flexible and workload stays equitable across the team. The Manager owns end-to-end search execution for assigned roles, leads direct-outreach sourcing, manages search firm engagement, and serves as the primary recruiting contact for hiring partners on those searches.

POSITION SUMMARY: The Manager, Lateral Associate Recruiting, manages lateral associate searches across the firm's U.S. practices. The role is not assigned to a single practice; work is allocated based on practice demand, expertise, and capacity so that coverage remains flexible and workload stays equitable across the team. The Manager owns end-to-end search execution for assigned roles, leads direct-outreach sourcing, manages search firm engagement, and serves as the primary recruiting contact for hiring partners on those searches.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS Reporting to the Senior Manager, Associate and Entry-Level Recruiting, this role receives search assignments based on hiring priorities established by the practice Senior Managers, Legal Recruiting and Strategic Growth. The Manager partners closely with those Senior Managers, hiring partners, Practice Operations, and Human Resources, and provides guidance to specialists and coordinators supporting lateral associate recruiting. The Manager also provides backup support for U.S. entry-level recruiting programs and peak recruiting periods as business needs require.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES
• Manage end-to-end lateral associate searches for assigned roles, including sourcing, screening, interview management, offer development, and handoff to onboarding.
• Execute searches against hiring priorities set by the practice Senior Managers and allocated by the Senior Manager, Associate and Entry-Level Recruiting.
• Maintain search momentum and timeline discipline across a concurrent portfolio of searches spanning multiple practices and offices. Establish priorities and ensure search commitments are met.
• Flex across practice groups as demand shifts, supporting cross-training and equitable distribution of work across the team.
• Lead direct-outreach sourcing, building candidate pipelines in advance of externally posting roles.
• Use recruiting platforms, market research, referrals, and networking to identify and engage lateral associate talent.
• Maintain awareness of competitor activity, associate talent movement, and market conditions relevant to assigned searches.
• Represent the firm and its practices credibly to prospective lateral associate candidates.
• Serve as the primary recruiting contact for hiring partners on assigned searches, providing status updates, market context, and hiring recommendations.
• Partner with the practice Senior Managers to confirm role requirements, candidate profiles, and evaluation criteria.
• Manage search firm engagement for assigned roles, including scoping, submissions, feedback, and performance assessment.
• Facilitate candidate evaluation and selection discussions with hiring partners and practice stakeholders.
• Deliver a responsive, high-touch, and professional candidate experience throughout the search.
• Coordinate timely communication among candidates, search firms, and internal…