Mayer Brown · 15 hours ago
Director: Human Resources (US)
Washington, NY
Full-time
Hybrid
Director/Executive
$221K/yr - $335K/yr
10+ years expMayer Brown is an international law firm recognized for representing major corporations and financial institutions. They are seeking a Director of Human Resources to oversee HR advisory services across their nine US offices, serving as a strategic partner to practice and business services leaders.
AdviceConsultingLegal
Responsibilities
Oversees day-to-day HR advisory team tasks across all nine US offices, ensuring consistency in policies, procedures, and service delivery
Contributes to the development of the global HR philosophy, principles and guidelines and implements across all US offices
Works with HR peers to develop global and regional objectives and ensure HR generalist initiatives, policies and procedures are integrated to support the global HR strategy
Works with the People Experience team, US Practice Leaders, Office Managing Partners, and the CTO on engagement and retention strategies including work allocation, secondments and talent pipeline
Develops, implements, and maintains HR policies and procedures in compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws
Partners with payroll, benefits, and finance teams to ensure seamless HR administration
Leads continuous improvement initiatives to streamline HR processes and enhance operational efficiency
Develops and maintains relationships with firm management to ensure that HR is seen as a business partner; gives guidance to the HR team on building business partner relationships
Serves as a trusted advisor to practice leaders and business services leaders on all people-related matters
Oversees the full employee lifecycle, including onboarding, talent pipeline, performance, offboarding, and transitions
Manages and enhances the firm's performance management processes, including annual reviews, goal-setting, and feedback mechanisms
Working with the HR Operations team, oversees and advises on secondment arrangements, including domestic and international placements
Oversees leave of absence administration, ensuring compliance with FMLA, ADA, and state-specific leave laws
Working with the General Counsel’s office, handles complex employee relations matters, including workplace investigations, conflict resolution, and disciplinary actions
Provides guidance on employment law compliance, workplace accommodations, and policy interpretation
Serves as a liaison between HR function and key stakeholders to ensure responsive and proactive HR support
Collaborates with the Learning & Development function to ensure an integrated approach to the development of US lawyers and business services employees
Works with the HRIS, HR Projects, and HR Operations team to manage the annual performance management process for US lawyers, practice professionals and business services employees
Collaborates with the Compensation and Benefits teams in the roll out of annual programs e.g. the merit and bonus programs
Works with the Recruitment team to ensure a seamless recruitment and on-boarding process of all lawyers and business services staff
Ensures that appropriate standards are maintained for US record keeping, applicant tracking data, verification of bar license, academic and identity credentials and personnel records
Leads and supports in partner and employee communication and engagement initiatives across US offices
Implements processes to ensure the proposal, approval, communication and implementation of new or revised HR policies is managed efficiently and consistently
Ensures that US Practice Leaders and Office Managing Partners are briefed of all key HR initiatives and that their feedback is sought to ensure continuous improvement in HR activities
Leads or participates in HR project teams as required; builds and maintains positive relationships with colleagues globally to deliver objectives
Ensures the US HR Advisory team maintains market awareness, analyzes implications and generates timely and cost-effective solutions
Defines team objectives and leads the team to meet them
Represents the firm with peers and develops external relationships
Ensures the development of implementation of processes to enable continuous process improvement within the HR function
Leads, mentors, and develops a team of HR professionals, fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and continuous learning
Performs other duties as assigned or required to meet Firm goals and objectives
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in a related field. An equivalent combination of education and/or experience may be considered in lieu of the degree when the experience has been directly related to the functions of the job
Significant HR management experience, within a law firm supporting both lawyers and business services employees
Minimum of 10 years of HR experience, with at least 5 years in a senior HR leadership role
Exposure to a wide range of lawyer related HR initiatives and programs. Experience of lawyer engagement and retention desirable
An experienced change manager who has managed complex projects
Demonstrated expertise in HR operations, employee relations, and employment law compliance
Experience managing HR functions across multiple locations
Advanced knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws, including FMLA, ADA, Title VII, FLSA, and state-specific regulations
Proficiency with HR platforms, including PeopleSoft, Rival Onboarding, Microsoft Office Suite, preferred
Strong data analysis and reporting capabilities, with the ability to leverage HR metrics to drive decision-making
Experience with performance management systems and learning management platforms
Knowledge of immigration and visa requirements as they relate to secondments and employee mobility
Familiarity with leave administration systems and accommodation processes
Understanding of compensation structures and practices within the legal industry
Strong written and verbal communication skills, able to communicate effectively and in a professional manner with all levels of the Firm and outside vendors
Ability to work in a team environment and effectively support the demanding needs of the Firm
Ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines with shifting priorities
Must be a self-starter with a high level of initiative, enthusiasm and energy
Strong customer service skills, able to anticipate needs and exercise independent judgment
Strong attention to detail, organizational skills and the ability to handle multiple projects
Maintains confidentiality and exercises discretion
Demonstrable problem solving skills with the ability to facilitate problem solving discussions
Able to lead, motivate and develop a team to achieve objectives. Able to manage change, 'see the big picture' and contribute to the development of the HR global strategy
A highly collaborative team player who leads by example
Resilient, flexible and adaptable to changing priorities
Able to prioritize and manage tasks in a high-pressure environment and meet deadlines
Committed to continuous improvement with strong project management skills
High level of personal integrity
A global mind-set and an ambassador for the HR function
Manages processes for direct reports in regards to performance appraisals, annual compensation, goal setting and performance counselling
Demonstrated leadership and supervisory experience
Operational budget analysis and recommendations
Conducts analysis of staffing levels and participation in the recruitment process
Able to determine and implement change processes to improve workflow efficiencies
Process- and service-oriented with strong leadership and project management skills
Able to set priorities and delegate in an efficient manner
May require travel to other offices as needed
Availability to attend weekend and evening events
Preferred
SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or equivalent certification preferred
Benefits
Medical/dental/vision/life/and AD&D insurance
401(k) savings plan
Back-up childcare and eldercare
Generous paid time off (PTO)
Opportunities for professional development and growth
Company
Mayer Brown
Mayer Brown is a leading global law firm with offices in key business centers across the Americas, Asia and Europe.
1001-5000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Mayer Brown has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
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Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (16)
2024 (24)
2023 (13)
2022 (10)
2021 (9)
2020 (15)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
Blaise Latella
Partner
Jean-Philippe Montfort
Partner
Recent News
globallegalchronicle.com
2025-11-07
2025-11-06
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