Arguably the best way to attract top talent to your law firm is to develop a strategic approach to recruitment that focuses on and effectively promotes your firm’s strengths, values, and opportunities.
This set of messages is sometimes known as your ‘employer brand’.
A compelling employer brand uses your firm’s values, culture, and reputation to clearly articulate what sets your firm apart from your competitors. It could be based on the excellent, market leading work in certain practice areas, work, markets or clients that are unique to your firm. Alternatively, it could be based on non-legal elements like work-life balance, diversity and inclusion initiatives or training and more structured career paths.
However, employer brand is more powerful it is part of a broader talent drive and here are some other suggestions we have seen work well with employer brand in terms of attracting top talent to law firms:
1. Competitive compensation and benefits
If you are to attract the top level of talent to your law firm, your salaries and benefits packages must meet if not exceed your competitors’ and the expectations of the calibre of client you want to attract. Can you improve your benefits package? Could you add better bonuses, better training and development opportunities more flexible working arrangements or wellness programs?
2. Growth and development
In the legal world a fulfilling career is vital. If you can set out the career path your talent wants – whether that’s in terms of specialisation in certain practice areas or management or partnership raining – you will improve your chances of securing a higher level of talent.
3. Actively promote diversity and inclusion
Be open about your commitment to creating a diverse workforce by implementing inclusive hiring practices, establishing affinity groups and supporting diversity initiatives in the legal community. This is definitely not a fad. It is a matter of record that the top legal talent is actively seeking a progressive workplace.
4. Network
Developing a strong presence at job fairs, legal conferences and other legal industry events run through universities and law colleges will give you direct access to a wealth of potential recruits.
Unsurprisingly we’d strongly suggest you underpin your attendance at events with a strong relationship with a specialist legal recruitment agency to maximise your online presence after attending.
5. Communicate your successes
People want to be associated with success. Make sure you promote your firm’s achievements (personal and financial), notable cases and awards via your website, social media and the trade and local press. The same goes for interesting work. Showcase the fact you do more interesting or challenging work where you can, this will appeal to a different section of your target employees.
6. Create an attractive work culture
Creating an obviously supportive and inclusive work environment that promotes collaboration, teamwork, work-life balance and a strong social side will present your firm as a highly attractive option. It may even be what persuades the top talent to top choose your offer over a competitor’s.
Remember, attracting top talent is an ongoing effort. No one initiative will work isolation, you need to provide an opportunity that meets current demands and continue to refine it so it reflects the evolving requirements of today’s legal talent.
If you would like to discuss how to refresh your employer brand or the way your law firm attracts the best legal talent, please contact our specialist legal recruiters today.
