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How much discretion does a senior partner/practice-area head have in hiring someone at a biglaw firm?

If the person likes you a lot for some reason then probably a lot. Odds are they don't care and let the hiring partner/recruiting handle that stuff.

I've always heard of a hiring committee and specific hiring partners, but I think it would be naive to think they would tell a practice head no. This is assuming there's no blood-relative nepotism issue.

Barring something completely outside the box, if a senior equity partner who heads a practice group says "I want that person working for me," then that person goes to work at the firm.