How to Attract Top Legal Talent in a Competitive Market

In this article, we discuss how law firms and corporations can attract top legal talent in our increasingly competitive market. Read on to discover where you should focus your energy and the type of initiatives you could invest in that assist with both attraction and retention.

In Melbourne’s competitive legal market, attracting top talent has become an ongoing challenge for law firms and corporate legal teams. With evolving expectations from candidates and an ever-shifting employment landscape your company should consider adopting strategic approaches to help your organisation stand out as employers of choice. 

Here are our actionable steps, based on our 50+ years of legal recruitment experience to help you attract and retain the best legal professionals.

1. Build a Strong Employer Brand

Your employer brand is basically your reputation in the market as a place to work. Legal professionals often seek organisations that align with their values and offer a supportive environment for career growth. Word of mouth reputation spreads quickly – both the good and bad! 

We suggest that you can strengthen your employer brand by:

• Continually highlight your firm’s achievements and unique culture on your website and social media platforms
• Showcase testimonials from current employees about their positive workplace experiences
• Emphasise diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives as well as sustainability initiatives, as these can be important to candidates particularly those in generation Z

2. Offer Competitive Compensation Packages

Compensation remains an important factor for legal talent when they are evaluating and comparing opportunities. Many top lawyers field multiple offers and even counter offers when they are looking for a new role. 

In addition to competitive salaries, consider offering:

• Performance-based bonuses
• Comprehensive health and wellness benefits.
• Flexible work arrangements
• Professional development budgets for seminars, further education and conferences.

We recommend that you regularly benchmark your compensation packages against industry standards and your competitors to ensure they remain attractive.

3. Provide Clear Opportunities for Career Advancement

Talented lawyers tend to be ambitious and seek employers who support their career aspirations. To demonstrate that you can meet this need, consider the following:

• Clearly define paths for progression within your organisation
• Offer mentorship programs pairing junior lawyers with seasoned professionals
• Invest in leadership training for mid-level and senior roles

4. Embrace Flexible and Hybrid Work Models

The Covid pandemic transformed workplace expectations particularly in Melbourne, with many lawyers having prioritised work-life balance after having worked mostly from home. Offering flexibility can be seen by candidates as a minimum requirement in a role. 

Many law firms and corporates have formalised hybrid work policies allowing employees to work from home at least part-time with regular office or anchor days. To do this, ensure that you:

• Provide the technology and resources needed for remote work success
• Create policies that support flexibility without compromising client service

5. Streamline Your Recruitment Process

We say this a lot! If you see a candidate that you like the look of, make them an offer and don’t wait to meet someone to compare them to. Top lawyers often have multiple offers on the table, so a lengthy, overly bureaucratic or disorganised recruitment process can result in missed opportunities. 

You can improve your process by:

• Clearly defining job requirements and expectations upfront
• Communicating regularly with candidates to keep them engaged. This includes communicating with your preferred candidate right up until their start date
• Making decisions quickly while ensuring thorough assessments

By collaborating with a specialist legal recruiter, you can also help expedite the process. At Legal People we can connect you with pre-screened candidates from our established relationships nurtured over many years via our extensive professional network of lawyers and legal professionals.

6. Leverage Technology in Recruitment

Technology can enhance your ability to attract and assess top talent and is being used more in recruitment in recent years. 

Consider using a combination of the following in your firm:

• Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to manage applications efficiently.
• Video interview platforms to accommodate remote candidates.
• Suitable AI tools to help you identify the best-fit candidates based on your identified key hiring criteria – ensure this is balanced with a sensible human centric approach to build ongoing relationships and a good candidate experience 

These technology tools can help streamline the hiring process while providing a seamless experience for candidates.

7. Showcase your Culture and Values

Today’s legal professionals want to work for organisations with a strong sense of purpose and community. 

You can highlight your culture by:

• Organising networking events and open days to give candidates a firsthand look at your workplace.
• Publishing thought leadership articles and blogs that reflect your company values and industry expertise.
• Sharing stories of community involvement and pro bono work.

8. Foster Long-Term Relationships with Candidates

Building a talent pipeline ensures you have ongoing access to top candidates when opportunities arise. These candidates may not have been quite right for a particular role but suit another future opportunity. 

To nurture these relationships, you can:

• Stay connected with promising candidates even after the hiring process ends
• Attend industry events to network with potential talent
• Use social media to engage with professionals and maintain visibility

9. Showcase your Culture and Values

Working with a recruiter who specialises in the legal industry can provide access to a broader pool of talent and save valuable time. Our team at Legal People understand the nuances of the legal market and can:

• Identify high-calibre candidates that align with your needs, company values and culture
• Provide insights into market trends and salary benchmarks
• Assist in crafting compelling job advertisements

Attracting top legal talent in Melbourne’s competitive market requires a combination of strategic branding, competitive offerings, and an understanding of what motivates today’s legal professionals. By implementing these strategies, your organisation can position itself as a preferred employer and continue to build a high-performing legal team equipped for future success.

Should you like a confidential discussion about your next legal industry career opportunity please get in touch at [email protected]. We are specialists and recruit Lawyers, Support staff and HR professionals in Melbourne, Australia.