LEGAL INSIGHTS

Updates and advice for attorneys and law departments.

The Manager’s Guide to Recruiting Attorneys in 2020

Shifting workforce demographics and rumors of an upcoming recession have injected a number of unpredictable variables into the hiring process for 2020. Corporate Legal Departments and law firms, however, can still make plans to ensure they have the skilled attorney talent they need to handle client matters effectively and weather any upcoming economic changes.

Here’s what law firm and legal department managers need to know about recruiting attorneys in 2020, whether the need is a permanent hire or temporary placement:

1.      Scheduling flexibility is important.

Many attorneys, particularly those in the beginning or middle of their careers, have embraced the ability of today’s technology to free them from working in one location. Legal Managers can take advantage of these tools as well by allowing their attorneys some freedom to work from home or on the road.

While attorneys need to be in the office at certain times or for certain projects, encouraging telecommuting or work from home options allows law firms to stay connected to their teams while also offering those teams a coveted source of work-life balance.

2.      Your staff wants you to embrace technology.

Flexibility is just one reason attorneys want their law firms to embrace technology. Today’s technological tools make a vast range of tasks easier than ever before, from collaborating on complex documents to finding exactly the right precedent to argue a key point or to stay in touch with clients.

Attorney candidates pay attention to the quality of a law firm’s or legal department’s technological tools. If these tools are outdated, slow, or unreliable, top candidates are more likely to pass on a job offer in favor of an employer whose investment in good tech tools matches their investment in their people.

3.      Offer balanced compensation, not just a higher salary.

Many of today’s attorney candidates weathered the 2009 recession, which may have left them with concerns that another recession could be on its way. To attract these candidates, make sure your salary offering is competitive, but don’t rely on that number alone to get top candidates in the door.

Instead, focus on offering a well-rounded benefits package, including affordable health coverage, a retirement plan, and additional perks. A strong compensation package allows your attorneys to focus on their work, secure in the knowledge that when illness occurs, or they reach the end of their career, they won’t have to worry about how they’re going to care for themselves and their families.

4.      Working with a partner is a must.

Law firms that work with a recruiter to find new talent gain a number of advantages. For instance, your recruiter can tackle tasks like reviewing resumes, allowing you to focus on high-value work in-house. Recruiters also maintain strong networking ties with attorneys in a wide variety of practice areas, which means they’re more likely to know someone who would offer a great fit for your team when an opening appears.

At Assigned Counsel®, our attorney recruiters help law firms and legal departments rethink their staffing strategies, so you always have the qualified talent you need when you need it. To learn more, contact us today.

 

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