About the role
Purpose of the Role
The Chief Legal Talent Officer is responsible for developing and executing the Firm’s short and long-term talent strategy and programs for legal professionals, including partners, associates, counsel and students. The Chief Legal Talent Officer will oversee the entirety of the legal professional lifecycle, including recruitment initiatives, professional development and elevation, performance management, engagement and retention, and succession planning.
Reporting directly to the National Managing Partner and Chief Executive Officer, the role provides leadership and direction to firm management to ensure that the legal talent strategy is aligned with the Firm’s strategic goals and culture, and to the broader legal talent team to ensure the Firm’s strategic goals are executed thoroughly and efficiently. Acting as a trusted advisor to the Firm’s senior leadership team as a member of the Firm’s National Management Committee, the Chief Legal Talent Officer collaborates closely with key stakeholders to ensure an integrated and inclusive approach to talent management across all legal career stages.
Key Responsibilities
The key responsibilities of this role are:
- Create a dynamic and high-performing workplace by developing and executing a comprehensive people strategy focused on attracting, retaining, engaging, developing, and inspiring legal talent.
- Define and implement legal talent-specific processes, procedures and policies on a national level to improve efficiencies, promote standardization, and align to overall Firm strategies. These include but are not limited to:
- Leverage internal and market data as well to conduct legal talent pool analysis, including strategic review of key performance indicators
- Support the partner admissions process by advising on selection criteria, maintaining the eligibility and pipeline, defining evaluation frameworks, and supporting all due diligence processes.
- Own strategy and oversee processes for partner, associate, counsel, and student recruitment, lateral hiring, onboarding and offboarding programs, firm member engagement, performance management, professional development, succession planning, and partner retirement programs to ensure a seamless process and a positive firm member experience.
- Oversee and provide direction to Firm leadership on key legal talent compensation programs and policies for counsel, associates, and students, including base pay, bonuses, and benefits benchmarking, having regard for considerations such as market factors, internal and external equity, and long-term Firm strategies.
- Partner with key Firm stakeholders such as Firm leadership, Risk, Non-Legal Talent, Business Development, and Finance on relevant legal talent-related matters to ensure consistency, efficiency, compliance, and longevity of all current and new policies, programs, and initiatives.
- Work closely with the Marketing and Business Development functions to maintain BLG’s market penetration and positioning as a legal employer of choice. Leverage key market data to develop new or improved branding, recruitment, talent pool, or advertising initiatives in support of BLG’s long-term legal talent priorities and needs.
Key Competencies
- A JD or LLB degree is required
- An MBA, Human Resources professional designation (CHRL / CHRC / equivalent), or Organizational Development & Management certification is an asset
- 10 – 15 years progressive legal experience or legal talent experience in a law firm or professional services firm
- Deep understanding of the Canadian legal industry, including typical employment lifecycles, recruitment, legal talent development, compensation, and operations.
- Strong understanding of the global legal industry an asset.
- Knowledge of employment law, legal talent technology systems (e.g., Workday), and EDI frameworks an asset.
- Strategic thinking with the ability to translate business goals into legal talent plans.
- Exceptional leadership, stakeholder management, and communication skills.
- Change management and organizational design capabilities.
- Strong data literacy and ability to use legal talent analytics for decision-making.
About Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
We are BLG: Canada's Law Firm. | Nous sommes BLG, vos avocats au Canada.
(French version below) Fully bilingual across all practice areas and sectors, BLG excels in Canada's common and civil law systems. Our five offices operate in Canada's largest city centres. We offer our clients an established national presence and a global reach through our international network.
Outside our walls, we contribute to communities across Canada through our pro bono program, our BLG Reads to Kids literacy program, and supporting our members' charitable efforts through fundraising and volunteer initiatives.
About the role
Purpose of the Role
The Chief Legal Talent Officer is responsible for developing and executing the Firm’s short and long-term talent strategy and programs for legal professionals, including partners, associates, counsel and students. The Chief Legal Talent Officer will oversee the entirety of the legal professional lifecycle, including recruitment initiatives, professional development and elevation, performance management, engagement and retention, and succession planning.
Reporting directly to the National Managing Partner and Chief Executive Officer, the role provides leadership and direction to firm management to ensure that the legal talent strategy is aligned with the Firm’s strategic goals and culture, and to the broader legal talent team to ensure the Firm’s strategic goals are executed thoroughly and efficiently. Acting as a trusted advisor to the Firm’s senior leadership team as a member of the Firm’s National Management Committee, the Chief Legal Talent Officer collaborates closely with key stakeholders to ensure an integrated and inclusive approach to talent management across all legal career stages.
Key Responsibilities
The key responsibilities of this role are:
- Create a dynamic and high-performing workplace by developing and executing a comprehensive people strategy focused on attracting, retaining, engaging, developing, and inspiring legal talent.
- Define and implement legal talent-specific processes, procedures and policies on a national level to improve efficiencies, promote standardization, and align to overall Firm strategies. These include but are not limited to:
- Leverage internal and market data as well to conduct legal talent pool analysis, including strategic review of key performance indicators
- Support the partner admissions process by advising on selection criteria, maintaining the eligibility and pipeline, defining evaluation frameworks, and supporting all due diligence processes.
- Own strategy and oversee processes for partner, associate, counsel, and student recruitment, lateral hiring, onboarding and offboarding programs, firm member engagement, performance management, professional development, succession planning, and partner retirement programs to ensure a seamless process and a positive firm member experience.
- Oversee and provide direction to Firm leadership on key legal talent compensation programs and policies for counsel, associates, and students, including base pay, bonuses, and benefits benchmarking, having regard for considerations such as market factors, internal and external equity, and long-term Firm strategies.
- Partner with key Firm stakeholders such as Firm leadership, Risk, Non-Legal Talent, Business Development, and Finance on relevant legal talent-related matters to ensure consistency, efficiency, compliance, and longevity of all current and new policies, programs, and initiatives.
- Work closely with the Marketing and Business Development functions to maintain BLG’s market penetration and positioning as a legal employer of choice. Leverage key market data to develop new or improved branding, recruitment, talent pool, or advertising initiatives in support of BLG’s long-term legal talent priorities and needs.
Key Competencies
- A JD or LLB degree is required
- An MBA, Human Resources professional designation (CHRL / CHRC / equivalent), or Organizational Development & Management certification is an asset
- 10 – 15 years progressive legal experience or legal talent experience in a law firm or professional services firm
- Deep understanding of the Canadian legal industry, including typical employment lifecycles, recruitment, legal talent development, compensation, and operations.
- Strong understanding of the global legal industry an asset.
- Knowledge of employment law, legal talent technology systems (e.g., Workday), and EDI frameworks an asset.
- Strategic thinking with the ability to translate business goals into legal talent plans.
- Exceptional leadership, stakeholder management, and communication skills.
- Change management and organizational design capabilities.
- Strong data literacy and ability to use legal talent analytics for decision-making.
About Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
We are BLG: Canada's Law Firm. | Nous sommes BLG, vos avocats au Canada.
(French version below) Fully bilingual across all practice areas and sectors, BLG excels in Canada's common and civil law systems. Our five offices operate in Canada's largest city centres. We offer our clients an established national presence and a global reach through our international network.
Outside our walls, we contribute to communities across Canada through our pro bono program, our BLG Reads to Kids literacy program, and supporting our members' charitable efforts through fundraising and volunteer initiatives.