How to hire a senior attorney

How to hire a senior attorney, step by step

Here's a step-by-step senior attorney hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a senior attorney job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new senior attorney
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a senior attorney do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a senior attorney, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a senior attorney to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a senior attorney that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of senior attorneys and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Senior Attorney	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Attorney	Lawyers advise and represent individuals, businesses, and government agencies on legal issues and disputes.	$32-87
   Lawyer	A lawyer is a legal practitioner who specializes in understanding and interpreting laws and other legal matters. Their responsibilities revolve around providing legal counseling and advice, representing clients in different kinds of court proceedings, conducting research, collecting evidence, and coordinating with various experts... Show more	$30-100
   Legal Counsel	A Legal Counsel supervises the legal aspects of a business. They give accurate and timely counsel to executives on a variety of legal topics, such as labor law, partnerships, or international ventures.	$38-103

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Litigation
   • Law Firm
   • Legal Advice
   • Juris
   • Legal Research
   • Legal Support
   • Legal Services
   • Intellectual Property
   • Legal Issues
   • EEO
   • Internal Clients
   • Excellent Interpersonal
   • Risk Management
   • Regulatory Compliance

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and respond to corporate subpoenas including drafting appropriate objections and preparing witnesses for deposition.
   • Manage the death administration department with approximately thirty-five plus estates through trust administration, Medicaid estate recovery or probate.
   • Draft charging instruments, pleadings, subpoenas, consent agreements, orders and other documents pertaining to administrative enforcement litigation proceedings.
   • Experience litigation attorney, with emphasis on management of civil and matrimonial litigation, from initial interview through trial or settlement.
   • Communicate with client and insurance carriers concerning the progress of the litigation and provide recommendations regarding settlement or other claim resolution.
   • Represent individual and institutional clients in all aspects of commercial and residential real estate acquisition, financing and leasing and foreclosure.

   More senior attorney duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your senior attorney job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A senior attorney can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, senior attorneys' average salary in arkansas is 59% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level senior attorneys 63% less than senior-level senior attorneys.
   • Certifications. A senior attorney with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a senior attorney's salary.

   Average senior attorney salary

   $111,002yearly

   $53.37 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior attorney salary

   $67,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

   Average senior attorney salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$130,547	$63
   2	California	$126,431	$61
   3	Texas	$114,878	$55
   4	Colorado	$107,759	$52
   5	New York	$104,655	$50
   6	Nevada	$104,491	$50
   7	Arizona	$104,229	$50
   8	Massachusetts	$103,562	$50
   9	Maryland	$99,850	$48
   10	Virginia	$99,517	$48
   11	Washington	$99,491	$48
   12	Alaska	$95,202	$46
   13	Illinois	$94,482	$45
   14	Oregon	$90,344	$43
   15	Louisiana	$86,820	$42
   16	Georgia	$86,063	$41
   17	Pennsylvania	$79,541	$38
   18	Florida	$78,699	$38
   19	Michigan	$77,361	$37
   20	Wisconsin	$76,659	$37

   Average senior attorney salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Clifford Chance	$196,095	$94.28	3
   2	Goodwin	$183,645	$88.29	10
   3	Dorsey & Whitney	$171,720	$82.56
   4	Hunton & Williams LLP	$171,334	$82.37
   5	Microsoft	$160,372	$77.10	23
   6	Ballard Spahr	$156,211	$75.10
   7	Colonial Pipeline	$149,350	$71.80	2
   8	Federal Deposit Insurance	$145,507	$69.96
   9	Florida Power and Light	$144,082	$69.27	9
   10	UST Global	$140,629	$67.61
   11	Brown-Forman	$139,911	$67.26
   12	Southwestern Energy	$136,921	$65.83
   13	Douglas Emmett, Inc.	$136,240	$65.50
   14	NewMarket	$134,913	$64.86
   15	Pacifi	$134,689	$64.75
   16	Earthjustice	$134,507	$64.67	57
   17	Pinnacle West Capital	$133,822	$64.34	1
   18	Southern California Edison	$133,173	$64.03	2
   19	Arizona Public Service	$132,368	$63.64
   20	USAA	$129,208	$62.12	1

4. Writing a senior attorney job description

   A senior attorney job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a senior attorney job description:

   Senior attorney job description example

   Cabrini Green Legal Aid (CGLA) was established in 1973 to serve the legal needs arising from the lack of opportunity, criminalization of poverty, and racial inequity experienced within Chicago's Cabrini Green public housing community. Since then, CGLA has grown beyond a single neighborhood to become a citywide, countywide, and statewide leader in proactively filling the void of legal representation, wraparound services, legal information and resources, and advocacy exclusively for low-income individuals negatively impacted by the criminal legal system. Any engagement with the criminal legal system can greatly disrupt an individual, family, and community's quality of life.
   
   CGLA is distinguished among legal aid service providers locally, throughout Illinois, and nationally as having expertise in legal matters related to the direct and collateral consequences of the criminal legal system. Since 2014, we have been the sole legal aid services provider serving Cook County with the distinction of focusing exclusively on individuals and families who have been adversely impacted by the criminal legal system in all legal program areas: criminal records, emerging adults, criminal defense, housing law, and family law. We provide direct legal services, advocate for policy reforms, and provide legal information and resources to other legal aid organizations, pro bono attorneys, and the general public. We also support our clients holistically with wraparound social services from our social workers. Our policy and advocacy work is not performed as a separate entity; rather it is informed by our legal services and the lived experiences of our Leadership Council, an Advisory Group made up of former CGLA clients and community members directly impacted by the criminal legal system.
   CGLA’s Mission, Purpose and Vision Mission: We provide holistic legal services that include social support services and advocacy for individuals and communities negatively impacted by the criminal legal system. Purpose: CGLA exists to remove barriers to equity in the criminal legal system. Vision: A more just and equitable criminal legal system.
   Position Overview Responsibilities include implementing CGLA’s priorities in the criminal records practice, representing clients in criminal records-related matters, training and supervising attorneys, fellows, interns, and volunteers to provide quality legal services and representation.
   Essential Duties Provide direct and brief legal services to CGLA clients in criminal records matters, maintaining a manageable caseload proportionate to other responsibilities. Manage the assignment of attorneys and volunteers and coordinate with State’s Attorneys and court personnel to assist self-represented litigants as a “friend of the court” at court hearings at the George N. Leighton Criminal Court Building and other courthouses. Supervise attorneys and volunteers in the provision of advice, support, and training to individuals who qualify for relief under the Illinois Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. Develop and deliver legal education and technical assistance to community attorneys and community-based organizations regarding records relief and licensing under the Illinois Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. Supervise attorneys and volunteers in the provision of advice, support, and training regarding alternative forms of criminal records relief, including FDIC waivers, health care worker waivers, certificates of rehabilitation, and other forms of relief. Cultivate and manage relationships with workforce development agencies and other community-based organizations that have formal partnerships with CGLA to provide holistic legal services to clients. Schedule and conduct periodic on-site and virtual visits to partner organizations to conduct staff training and provide legal services. Supervise volunteer attorneys and law students at CGLA’s Criminal Records Help Desks and community summits as assigned. Collaborate with assigned Client Support Services staff to improve client outcomes. Collaborate with attorneys in other CGLA program areas when criminal records clients have civil or criminal defense legal needs, serving as co-counsel on their housing law, family law, and criminal law cases with supervisory approval as caseload capacity allows. Maintain up-to-date client information in CGLA’s case management system to ensure accurate data collection and statistical tracking including timely reporting of outcomes. Assist with developing educational materials relating to criminal records matters and conduct classes for clients, volunteers, courts, partner organizations and other personnel as assigned. Attend CLE classes and legal community meetings on relevant legal and social justice topics. Work with the CGLA leadership team to ensure all program goals are met each fiscal year. Perform other duties as assigned. Personnel Management Assist in onboarding and training new staff, interns and volunteers and reviewing their work product. Conduct performance appraisals and quarterly check-ins with direct reports and assigned fellows. Ensure timely, consistent, and detailed performance feedback is provided to each direct report. Ensure direct reports are performing at a satisfactory level. Provide resources and support to address staff’s needs, identify and secure professional development opportunities for staff, provide coaching and supervision, and manage and resolve conflict. Provide training and supervising in-house staff, fellows, interns, and volunteers to assure quality legal representation. Education Juris Doctor from ABA-accredited law school. Licensed to practice law in Illinois by date of employment.
   Experience Minimum of 3 years’ practice experience, with at least 1 – 2 years in criminal law. Minimum of 1-2 years of supervisory of experience.
   Required Skills Strong organizational, communication, and leadership skills. Be self-driven, highly energetic and innovative. The ability to work collaboratively with staff, interns and volunteers. Ability to prioritize work, meet deadlines and produce quality results. Superior interpersonal skills; comfortable working with a diverse population. Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both in writing and orally. Exemplary organizational skills and keen attention to detail. Supervisory Responsibility Supervise attorneys and other employees as assigned.
   
   Required Hours Monday through Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm, 40 hours per week. NOTE: Non-traditional hours – occasional weekends and evenings – are required.
   Physical Requirements Communicate clearly. Understand the speech of another person. Must be able to handle high levels of mental stress. The employee is frequently required to use hands and fingers to type, handle, or feel and reach. The employee is regularly required to stand and walk. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.
   Travel Requirements Travel to the Richard J. Daley Center, the George N. Leighton Criminal Courthouse and the Suburban Municipal District Courthouses is required. Travel to external Workforce Development and Anti-Violence Organizations throughout the Chicagoland is also required Working Conditions CGLA has implemented a telecommuter and flexible work policy that allows employees to perform work remotely at the employee’s home or at an approved offsite location. Employees must have adequate internet access to work from home. If working in the office, you must be able to work in an open office setting with moderate noise levels and follow all COVID-19 safety protocols. Employee must have reliable internet access to work remotely. The candidate selected for this position will be required to work 2-3 days onsite per week. The physical office is closed every Friday and employees work remotely from home.
   Benefits
   We offer a generous benefits plan that includes Blue Cross Blue Shield - Health insurance, Vision Service Plan – Vision insurance, Principal Dental insurance and 100% employer paid life insurance, (EAP) Employee Assistance Program, Dependent Care and Medical Flexible spending accounts, Pet insurance, Pre Tax Programs for parking, local transit for Ventra and Metra and UberPool, and Vanguard 403(b) retirement account. Additionally, CGLA offers generous Paid Time-off, Floating Holidays and 14 paid holidays per year. During the summer months we celebrate Summer Fridays by closing the office early.
   
   Note: Please mention how you heard about the job announcement in your cover letter.
   (If selected for an in-person interview, a mock training presentation will be requested)
   
   NO PHONE CALLS OR RECRUITING FIRMS PLEASE!
   CGLA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages qualified candidates of all backgrounds to apply for this position.

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5. Post your job

   To find senior attorneys for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any senior attorneys they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level senior attorneys with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your senior attorney job on Zippia to find and recruit senior attorney candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with senior attorney candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new senior attorney

   Once you have selected a candidate for the senior attorney position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new senior attorney. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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