Human Resources Assistant

Summary:

Gibson Dunn is a leading global law firm, advising clients on significant transactions and disputes. Our exceptional teams craft and deploy creative legal strategies that are meticulously tailored to every matter, however complex or high-stakes. The firm’s work is distinguished by a unique combination of precision and vision.

Based in the Los Angeles or Orange County office, the Human Resources Assistant will be responsible for providing essential support in maintaining the firm’s HR operations, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and efficiency across key processes. This role plays a central part in facilitating performance evaluation cycles, maintaining HRIS data integrity, managing confidential documentation, and responding to firmwide inquiries. The HR Assistant will support employees, supervisors, the HR team and leadership through a variety of administrative, data‑driven, and service‑oriented responsibilities, contributing to the smooth and effective functioning of the broader HR team.

This role reports to the Assistant Manager, Human Resources.

Responsibilities include:

• Supporting the Staff Introductory Period, Mid‑Year Check-In, and Year‑End performance evaluation cycles, including the implementation of timelines, monitoring completion, and assisting supervisors and staff with questions or system needs.
• Maintaining performance and compensation tracking systems, ensuring data integrity, accurate reporting structures, and up‑to‑date supervisory relationships across the firm.
• Maintaining HR-related files and documentation in accordance with departmental standards and confidentiality requirements.
• Responding to verification‑of‑employment requests and preparing employment letters as needed.
• Coordinating the business card process, including ordering, maintaining logs, answering inquiries, and researching historical requests.
• Providing support through the department email account and phone line, responding to inquiries from staff, management, and attorneys across all offices.
• Supporting administration of the monthly service award program, including running reports, notifying stakeholders, and ensuring timely recognition.
• Entering and maintaining staff, attorney, partner, and alumni data in the HRIS (PeopleSoft) and related databases, ensuring accuracy and consistency across systems.
• Responding to employment‑related inquiries from applicants, employees, and supervisors, escalating complex or sensitive matters when appropriate.
• Providing guidance to employees on HR-related topics such as benefits, payroll, and firm policies.
• Providing administrative support to HR leadership, including document preparation, scheduling, and project assistance.
• Performing other duties as assigned to support the broader HR function, including cross‑training and assisting in other areas of HR operations.

Qualifications:

• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage timelines, track progress, and maintain accurate documentation.
• High attention to detail to ensure data integrity across performance, compensation, and HRIS tracking systems.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and handle sensitive information with discretion.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for responding to inquiries from staff, managers, attorneys, and applicants.
• Customer‑service orientation, including the ability to support firmwide inquiries and provide clear guidance on HR‑related topics.
• Ability to learn and use HR systems and databases (e.g., HRIS platforms such as PeopleSoft).
• Proficient in handling administrative tasks such as document preparation, scheduling, and record management.
• Problem‑solving skills to research historical information, resolve inquiries, and escalate issues appropriately.
• Ability to work independently while supporting a broad range of HR operations and cross‑functional processes.

Experience:

• Undergraduate degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field strongly preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint; familiarity with Workday desirable.
• 1–3 years of HR experience, preferably in a law firm or professional services environment.
• Completion or ongoing pursuit of a Professional Human Resources certification a plus.
• Experience assisting structured processes such as performance evaluation cycles, including timeline management and user support.
• Experience entering, maintaining, and auditing employee data across HRIS and related systems to ensure accuracy and proper reporting structures.
• Experience managing confidential HR documentation and preparing employment‑related correspondence such as verification letters.
• Experience handling high‑volume HR inquiries through shared inboxes and phone lines, providing guidance and escalating sensitive matters as needed.
• Experience supporting recurring HR programs and administrative workflows, including service awards, business card processing, scheduling, and project assistance.

Gibson Dunn will consider for employment qualified Applicants with Criminal Histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of local law.

Compensation & Benefits:

The annual compensation range for this position is $65,000 - $75,000. The salary offered within this range will depend upon qualifications and other operational considerations.

Benefits offered for this position include health care; retirement benefits; paid days off, including sick time, and vacation time; parental leave; basic life insurance; Flexible Spending Accounts; as well as discretionary, performance-based bonuses.