Law firms: how to ensure a successful partner hire
There is no magic formula to secure a successful lateral hire. The statistics can be pretty gloomy depending on which publication you read. So, what should law firms do to put themselves in the best position to hire talented partners?
Law firms spend an incredible amount of time and money on hiring partners. The aim is to onboard a partner who will be a success, integrate into the team and wider firm, generate clients and have a long and happy career. Here are my thoughts on how to achieve just that.
Show there is a strategic need to grow
One of the most important things a law firm can do is to show the partner there is a strategic need to grow the particular department. So many firms approach hiring from a ‘nice to have’ model. It would be ‘nice to have’ another corporate partner, we ‘could do with’ another arbitration partner.
How appealing is that to the candidate?
In my experience partners, and in particular female partners, want to see that there is a real strategic need to hire and it’s not just an attempt to buy a book of business. This is incredibly off-putting, particularly for a partner who is relatively happy at her own firm. Why move? Why go through all the upheaval and jeopardise longstanding client relationships? Work on your sell. Show the partner the strategic need to hire someone just like her.
Maintain momentum in the recruitment process
This is crucial in every piece of recruitment. So many recruitment processes fail because a firm has delayed meetings or the process has been far too long winded. Refine your process. Maintain momentum. Move quickly if needs be, especially in this competitive market. That doesn’t mean you have to skip important stages. Far from it. But put the meetings in the diary quickly and don’t delay.
Show the love!
Show the candidate you really want them. This sounds a bit cliché but it’s so true. Partners will move to firms where they can see they are wanted. I worked with a female partner recently who had various options open to her. A key reason in her picking the law firm she did was because right from the start the firm showed that they really wanted her. They showed her ‘the love’.
Good quality partners are in demand. And never more so than now. We know from the statistics female partners do not move that often in their careers. So, if you are in dialogue with the partner, show them why they are wanted. The chances are they will be in active talks with more than one firm so it’s so important to set your firm apart and make the partner really feel wanted.
