Talent in the Legal Profession

Attracting and retaining talent within the legal field is a key issue. Talent in the Legal Profession: How to Attract, Retain and Engage Top Talent sheds light on the pressing issues that law firms face in in order to secure and maintain top-level legal talent.

Attracting and retaining talent within the legal field is a key issue. Talent in the Legal Profession: How to Attract, Retain and Engage Top Talent sheds light on the pressing issues that law firms face in in order to secure and maintain top-level legal talent.

Executive summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ixAbout the authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xvChapter 1: Why is there a talent acquisition and retention battle? . . . . 1By Anne Harnetty, managing director, Jonson Beaumont LtdWhat were people looking for pre-COVID compared to now? . . . . . . . . 3What do value propositions look like? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Will firms have to redefine their recruitment strategy to deal with the current market conditions? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5What part does culture play in the retention battle? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8What do staff really want? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Chapter 2: A career in law – changing attitudes to the legal profession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15By Victoria Cromwell, head of new business and account management, BARBRIThe changing face of the legal profession and its effect on recruitment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Generative AI – friend or foe? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Wellbeing and the legal profession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18New routes to qualification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Attracting talent early from diverse talent pools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Do aspiring solicitors still view law as a “career for life”? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21In-house and beyond – alternatives to private practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Has the legal profession lost its shine? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Chapter 3: Changes to the legal profession – how a career in law could look . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27By Charlotte Smith, founder, Level7Entering the profession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27A career in the law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28The legal profession’s sex and elitism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29The motherhood penalty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29Motherhood from a wider lens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Peak to pivot – the journey beyond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31Redefining legal careers – adapting to new trends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Silicon Valley as a catalyst for change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33What does the future look like? A technology-driven legal evolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34The change catalyst of 2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35The changing face of modern legal professionals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Traditional views on making partner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Adapting to AI and multidisciplinary expertise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38Culture and leadership in the law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38Advocating for change in the legal profession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39Chapter 4: The SQE and QWE – building a talent network for the future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43By Robert Dudley, head of employability and engagement, BARBRIUpskilling and building commercial teams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44Paralegals and the QWE “bank” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46Growing talent from the ground up through apprenticeships . . . . . . . 47Creating a new and improved workforce with improved diversity and inclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50Chapter 5: What do recent graduates and junior lawyers really want from firms? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53By Serena Brent at Mayer Brown, Sophia Margetts at Osborne Clarke, Suhail Mayor at DLA Piper, and Chrissie Wolfe, LAB ConsultancyChapter 6: Attracting and retaining diverse talent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65By Caroline Vanovermeire, global director of talent, leadership, and organizational development, Dentsu and Kathryn Rousin, global director of learning and development, White and Case LLPIntroduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65Understanding underrepresented talent pools in law firms – navigating diversity and inclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65Progress and strategies for attraction and inclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69The role of employer branding and employee value proposition in law firms – strategies for success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73Engaging and retaining diverse talents in law firms – nurturing a culture of inclusivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76Chapter 7: Firm culture and the importance of trust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81By Jean-Baptiste Lebelle, head of HR, and Alice Boullier de Branche, senior HR manager, Allen & OveryIs loyalty an old-fashioned notion? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81Taking into account the expectation of the new generation . . . . . . . . . 83The different leverages of a firm’s culture that have an impact on talent retention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85How to build a firm culture that is attractive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87The importance of designing and delivering an authentic people’s promise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89Chapter 8: Redefining legal talent – a question of purpose . . . . . . . . . . . 91By Chrissie Wolfe, solicitor and founder, LAB ConsultancyIntroduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91What is the expected talent lifespan? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92What is the primary purpose of the business during that time? . . . . . 95What skills and attributes do we need to align with that purpose? . . . 99Where do we find this talent? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102Chapter 9: Interpersonal relationships and (re)building a culture of firm loyalty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105By Lara Selem, co-founder, Selem Bertozzi ConsultingIntroduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105The impact of remote work on interpersonal dynamics in law firms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105Strategies for effective communication in the virtual era . . . . . . . . . . . 107Fostering social connections in hybrid work models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109Prioritizing mental health and wellbeing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110Cultivating a culture of loyalty in law firms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112The role of leadership in shaping the firm’s culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113Innovative approaches to team building and engagement . . . . . . . . . . 115Facing challenges in building loyalty to the firm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116Future outlook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118Chapter 10: What legal can learn from other industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119By Tea Hoffmann, managing principal, Law Strategy CorpHire based on need, not on tradition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120Design an innovative hiring process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121Overhaul your interview process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122State your expectations and hold your lawyers accountable . . . . . . . . . 123Create an extensive onboarding process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124Create meaningful mentor relationships, not just mentoring programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126Undertake mentor training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129Chapter 11: The impact of technology on attracting (and retaining) talent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131By Tara Waters, partner and global chief digital officer, Ashurst LLPIntroduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131A short history of the evolution of technology in law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131The role of technology in law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133A growing and diverse legal talent base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134How technology impacts talent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135Technology as a positive differentiator for new talent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139Chapter 12: Beyond the bonus – rethinking the approach to motivating legal talent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141By Rebecca Holdredge, director of knowledge management, and Becky Jo Morgan, director of practice operations, Levenfeld Pearlstein, LLCThe call for change – shifting professional desires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142Unlocking potential – the power of non-financial incentives . . . . . . . . 144How emerging departments can energize talent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147Looking ahead – the future of motivation in a law firm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149Integrating new motivational approaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150Chapter 13: Developing talent in the exponential age . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153By Catherine McGregor, director of professional development at Chief Legal Executive, and executive coachFuture readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156The legal department talent landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157Reframing development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157Impact of remote working . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159Benefits of coaching on professional development in the legal profession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160Leader as coach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162Differences in feedback given to women and minority ethnic individuals and how to correct biases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163Chapter 14: A little HELP – rewarding and nurturing talent . . . . . . . . . . . 167By Molly Peckman, founder, Molly Peckman Training & DevelopmentIntroduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167H = Honesty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168E = Empathy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170L = Listening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171P = Professional development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173Next steps for partners who want to HELP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174Chapter 15: Keep your talent engaged – how to cultivate a skill building discipline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177Patrick McKenna, author, lecturer, strategist, and advisor to the leaders of premier law firmsStep 1: Begin to develop a learning culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179Step 2: Encourage partners to debrief on their most recent client matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179Step 3: Have groups debrief together on engagements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180Step 4: Capture and codify each group’s knowhow database . . . . . . . . . 183Step 5: Have each partner identify their personal skill gaps . . . . . . . . . . 184Step 6: Ensure the creation of personalized skill-building plans . . . . . 185Step 7: Ensure that each partner“owns”their career development . . 186Step 8: Include skill development in goal setting, evaluation, and reward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186Step 9: Have an investment fund available to finance projects . . . . . . 187Step 10: Communicate success stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187Chapter 16: Succession – transition strategies for lawyers, law firms, and clients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189By Heather Suttie, legal market strategy and management consultant, Suttie.Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189Prepare for a wave of retiring partners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190Law firms are businesses – run them that way . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190Smooth succession is reliant on culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191Clients of the firm versus clients of the individual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192Succession plans must be transparent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192Voice of the client is key to smooth succession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194The value of embedding, secondments, cohort laddering, and cross-service teams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195Coming to terms with succession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196Alumni programs keep talent engaged and connected . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197Alumni programs are a winning business strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198A strong network is the backbone of a robust alumni program . . . . . . 199Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200About Globe Law and Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203