Legal Human Resources Assistant

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP is seeking a Legal Human Resources Assistant to support the Legal HR team across the firm’s New York and California offices. This onsite role helps manage high-volume, day-to-day HR operations for associates, often with time-sensitive turnaround, while coordinating key onboarding and offboarding workflows.

The position focuses on accurate HR administration, responsive associate support, and operational follow-through across recruiting transition, Workday processes, and immigration-related record maintenance. If you’re organized, service-minded, and comfortable handling confidential matters under shifting deadlines, this role offers a structured way to contribute to Legal HR operations.

Role Overview

• Support the Legal HR team by managing day-to-day HR matters for associates in the New York and California offices.
• Handle recurring and urgent requests with a calm, prompt approach while providing accurate information to associates.
• Maintain HR system and records accuracy through Workday administration and personnel file updates.

Responsibilities

• Organize onboarding for the fall associate class, summer associate program, and new lateral associate hires, including communications with new hires, processing new hire paperwork, coordinating orientation schedules, and initiating and reviewing background checks.
• Process salary advance loans and run HR orientation sessions, serving as a point of contact throughout the transition into the firm.
• Coordinate the departure process for associates by communicating with departing associates, maintaining and processing departure paperwork, and liaising with internal departments.
• Act as a primary associate point of contact, responding to a high volume of questions or concerns, routing inquiries to the right resources, and providing relevant details.
• Manage data entry and administration in Workday to ensure accurate reporting across new hires, terminations, transfers, and leaves of absence.
• Collaborate with the HRIS team on semi-annual Workday testing.
• Support quick-turn HR matters such as employment verification requests, updating personnel files, and tracking attorney bar admissions.
• Provide administrative support for immigration-related processes, maintaining and updating visa and work authorization records.
• Assist with ad hoc Legal HR projects, including reports, data requests, and surveys.
• Support year-end compensation processes as needed.
• Maintain and update the office manual and the internal Cleary360 page to keep content accurate and current.
• Ensure alignment with firm policies and HR best practices while staying current on changes to employment laws.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 1 year of HR experience in a fast-paced environment required; experience in a law firm or other financial or legal setting strongly preferred.
• Strong interpersonal skills and excellent client service, written, and verbal communication.
• Demonstrated problem-solving ability, sound judgment, and the ability to think quickly under pressure.
• Exceptional organization and attention to detail while managing competing, time-sensitive requests.
• Ability to multitask and prioritize urgent responsibilities with shifting deadlines.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
• Proactive team player who works effectively in a dynamic, reactive environment.
• Proficient in MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Workday experience is a plus.

Technologies

• Workday, Workday testing
• MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint
• HRIS

Compensation and Benefits

• Estimated base salary range: $65,000 to $75,000 per year (as listed at the time of posting).
• Benefits: Comprehensive benefits package, including health care benefits.
• Work eligibility classification: Non-exempt, overtime pay eligible.

Location: New York, NY (onsite).