Are you an attorney contemplating a lateral move to a new role? Are you worried about making a decision you may regret? If so, you aren’t alone. Many attorneys reach a point where their present role or firm doesn’t align with their long-term career aspirations or firm preferences, and that’s OK. Be sure to consider the following topics first to gain insight into your wants and needs, both personally and/or professionally before making any decisions.
The Facts The pandemic triggered a major shift in the dynamic between lawyers and law firms. Following the pandemic, many lawyers chose to continue working remotely or hybrid. The result is that law firms now struggle to find objective ways to gauge employee effectiveness without everyone being in person at the office. According to a recent 2024 McKinsey survey, more than half of the employees surveyed reported being relatively dissatisfied with their jobs. The way
When it comes to lateral hiring, it’s paramount to understand why the person is making a switch in the first place. Ensuring the success of a lateral hire begins with using the right recruitment methods. Discussing why a potential lateral hire left their previous role is not a topic to brush over, because understanding the why behind their job switch helps ensure the new role, management style, and firm culture will be a good fit.
Mental Health Hacks for Lawyers
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Needless to say, being a lawyer is a highly demanding job. Lawyers are typically expected to work long hours and put their client’s needs before their own, which can result in feelings of stress, anxiety, or burnout. Enduring these emotions for long periods can be damaging to one’s well-being and happiness. In a 2023 study on the link between lawyers’ stress and suicidal thoughts, 66% of respondents said that their time in the legal profession
Law firms seeking to onboard lateral candidates should know the best practices for effectively interviewing them. An understanding of the candidate’s experience and goals is essential to the success of any lateral hire, and the interview process should reflect that. A successful lateral hire has the potential to add value to the firm as well as be a great fit culturally, so it is important to get it right. Starting with the obvious. Lawyers are
Strategies to Retain Top Talent
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Retaining top talent is critical to overall company success. Several studies have demonstrated that when employees are allowed to discuss any concerns they may have, businesses have higher levels of employee retention and performance (Hope, 2023). A few best strategies for retaining top talent include: Assessing employee needs Understanding employee needs is crucial. The reason many people leave their jobs is because their basic needs and ambitions are not being understood or fulfilled. In order
The legal world is just beginning to see the potential of generative AI. According to the International Legal Technology Association’s 2023 tech survey, 85% of law firms currently use generative AI tools for business tasks. However, there are several untapped sectors in law that can benefit immensely from AI, such as legal recruiting. Legal recruitment operations are outdated, imprecise, and flooded with applicants. It is a lengthy process to find candidates that stand out due
Successful companies today understand that organizational culture is not only important but crucial. Organizational culture can be described as “the shared values, beliefs, norms and behaviors that define how a company operates and interacts internally” (Proffitt, 2023). Culture has a tremendous impact on employee engagement, performance, client satisfaction, and the overall success of any business. In the legal space, organizational culture is having a larger impact on talent acquisition than ever before. When it comes
Biglaw siloes are becoming less prevalent, and here’s why. Law firms are realizing the importance of cooperation and communication across all practice groups in order to be successful. According to Heidi Gardner, a distinguished fellow at Harvard Law School and author of Smarter Collaboration, “multidisciplinary groups can generate superior business outcomes.” Incorporating diverse viewpoints allows the firm to best serve its clients by having multiple perspectives covered. At Talent Engines, we stress the importance of relationships because
