ABOUT US

For professional staff, Winston & Strawn presents an exciting opportunity to be a part of a leading global law firm. With our commitment to excellence, diversity, a collaborative work environment, and an emphasis on professional growth, Winston offers a platform for individuals seeking to advance their careers in a dynamic and rewarding environment. Winston is known for its collaborative and collegial culture. We believe teamwork is an essential component in providing high-quality legal services and we value the talents and skills of our entire professional staff team.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Career Development Advisor ("CDA") is a broad-based position operating at the center of Winston's personalized and holistic approach to attorney talent development and well-being. The CDA is primarily responsible for helping attorneys in the Litigation Department to develop and thrive in successful careers. Reporting to the Director of Professional Development, the position works with leaders and professionals across the Firm including the Litigation Department Co-Chairs, Litigation Practice Group Leaders, the Director of Practice Operations-Litigation, The Assignment and Operations Manager - Litigation, Talent Directors, other members of the Talent team, Diversity & Inclusion team, and Business Development team. The CDA champions Winston's learning culture and supports execution of the firm's Talent strategy by ensuring attorneys in the Litigation department have the knowledge, skills, and support to perform their roles successfully.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Works closely with the Director of Practice Operations, Assignment Manager - Litigation, Litigation Office Heads and Practice Group Leaders on cultivating the talent pipeline and staffing to meet client needs and with an eye toward department utilization objectives, experience, and individual attorney development goals.
• Analyzes utilization and work assignment data to proactively match associates with opportunities and existing firm resources and programs and helps facilitate access to both.
• Leads the "Senior Preview" program, whereby sixth-year associates meet with their PGL for a wide-ranging discussion about career goals, skill development, and alignment between the firm's business needs and associate strengths.
• Regularly meets with Litigation associates at all levels and newly elevated partners as a trusted advisor on their career development.
• Meets individually with first year and lateral associates when they join the firm and regularly through their first year and helps them to successfully integrate into the department.
• Assists attorneys in tracking their professional development and legal skills in relation to the Winston Development Framework and Litigation practice group milestones and benchmarks.
• Works with the Director of Talent Management to support associates in achieving developmental goals and experience in areas for focus as identified in the annual evaluation process and assists in translating feedback into actionable goals.
• Collaborates with the Director of Coaching & Well-Being to ensure that attorneys have access to confidential coaching and are utilizing all available firm resources (including relevant firm policies) to meet their career goals and develop into well-rounded attorneys and trusted business advisors.
• Collaborates with HR, Attorney Recruiting, and Talent Management on attorney integration and retention programs; proposes and contributes to creative integration and retention strategies that are tailored to individual attorneys' career objectives.
• Works closely with the Diversity & Inclusion team to ensure equitable access to and distribution of client opportunities and to support the firm's strategic objectives in developing and retaining a diverse talent pool and pipeline.
• Identifies trends to provide input to the Learning & Development team that will enhance training programs and initiatives.
• Keeps apprised of all applicable development initiatives, programs, and firm resources to advise associates on how to leverage them to advance their careers.
• Liaises with the Director of Coaching & Well-Being, Practice Group Leaders, Department Chairs, and firm leadership on the Path to Partnership process - provides input that is relevant to partnership decisions and helps potential candidates for partnership understand the firm's business needs to build a strong business case for partnership.
• Identifies relevant trends and information related to recruiting, retention, talent development and morale and regularly communicates with firm leadership and department heads about how to address them.
• Supports attorneys in career planning through key career inflection points, including when leaving or returning from leaves of absence, navigating flexible hours arrangements, and preparing for the Path to Partnership process.
• Works with the Director of Professional Development to provide support for the firm's training efforts and mentoring program.
• Designs, plans, and implements firm-wide professional development and leadership skills programs for the lawyers and professional staff.
• Partners with Attorney Recruiting to provide support and input that is relevant to the firm's strategic hiring goals.
• Other Professional Development projects as needed.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS (Must be listed on resume to be considered):

• Bachelor's degree and J.D. required.
• 2 + years of experience in a professional development department of a law firm and/or career advisory role in academia or a professional services firm required.
• Litigation Practice experience strongly preferred.

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

• Strong client service focus with the ability to influence, and guide others in a complex, matrixed organizations.
• Strong business acumen and understanding of law firm operations.
• Excellent judgment and discretion with respect to confidential information.
• Experience managing litigation professional development programs.
• Ability to establish credibility and build strong relationships at all levels of the firm across practices and geographies, particularly with Litigation Department Chairs, Practice Group Leaders, and administrative leaders.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills and innovative problem-solving capabilities.
• Outstanding writing and verbal communication and excellent presentation skills. Ability to effectively tailor communications for different stakeholders.
• Tech savvy with solid Microsoft Office skills or ability to quickly learn.
• Extremely detail-oriented, strong organizational, analytical, and excellent project management skills. Including ability to prioritize work in a dynamic environment to meet deadlines.