A large, complex or specialized project can turn otherwise ordinary weeks in the office into “crunch time” for your legal team.
These crunch times can have a deleterious effect on your team’s concentration and results, as well as their mental and physical health. Yet when crunch times occur only a few weeks a year, hiring a new full-time attorney isn’t a cost-effective solution.
Fortunately, law firms and legal departments don’t have to choose between burning out their existing teams and hiring someone who sits idle most of the year. Building a flexible staffing strategy that incorporates temporary attorneys can help firms obtain the best of both worlds.
Here are some of the advantages to a flexible staffing approach:
1. It saves money.
When you only pay for the specialized attorney assistance you need when you need it, you ensure your staffing budget focuses on your team’s and firm’s actual needs. Working with qualified temporary attorneys also helps reduce the costs associated with hiring and onboarding new long-term staff members.
2. Your core staff can focus on what they do best.
During crunch time, your full-time attorneys may abandon complex tasks that require careful thought and expertise in order to help address the high-volume or specialized demands of the crunch, even if these demands lie outside their usual practice areas.
When you work with temporary attorneys, however, your core staff don’t need to make this sacrifice. Instead of cranking out high-volume, low-value work or cramming on an area of law they’re unlikely to use again, your core team can focus on the high-value work they do well.
3. Your existing team is more likely to stay.
When a workload is unsustainable for too long, your core team will begin to seek work with employers that don’t overwork them. When you provide support with temporary attorneys, your team is able to continue working sustainably. Bringing in a temporary attorney also demonstrates that you’re willing to help support your team during crunch times, which can improve their sense of security and willingness to stay.
4. You can get a specialist quickly.
Sometimes, “crunch time” occurs not because of the volume of work increases but because of the complexity of a particular case or issue increases. In these situations, you may need a specialist in an area of law not covered by the skills of your core team – but only for one case.
Working with a recruiter who specializes in placing temporary attorneys can help you solve this problem quickly. With one phone call or email, you tap into an extensive network of qualified lawyers in the specialized practice area you need. Their help, in turn, ensures your team can provide the high-quality results your clients expect.
The recruiters at Assigned Counsel began our careers as practicing attorneys. We chose to specialize in recruiting because we saw the need for a staffing partner who understands the unique challenges law firms face.
Today, we help our clients reimagine legal staffing to provide better service and meet their goals. To learn more, contact us today.