Talent in the Legal Profession

Executive summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix About the authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv Chapter 1: Why is there a talent acquisition and retention battle? . . . . 1 By Anne Harnetty, managing director, Jonson Beaumont Ltd What were people looking for pre-COVID compared to now? . . . . . . . . 3 What do value propositions look like? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Will firms have to redefine their recruitment strategy to deal with the current market conditions? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 What part does culture play in the retention battle? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 What do staff really want? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Chapter 2: A career in law – changing attitudes to the legal profession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 By Victoria Cromwell, head of new business and account management, BARBRI The changing face of the legal profession and its effect on recruitment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Generative AI – friend or foe? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Wellbeing and the legal profession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 New routes to qualification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Attracting talent early from diverse talent pools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Do aspiring solicitors still view law as a “career for life”? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 In-house and beyond – alternatives to private practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Has the legal profession lost its shine? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Chapter 3: Changes to the legal profession – how a career in law could look . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 By Charlotte Smith, founder, Level7 Entering the profession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 A career in the law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 The legal profession’s sex and elitism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 The motherhood penalty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Motherhood from a wider lens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Peak to pivot – the journey beyond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Redefining legal careers – adapting to new trends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Silicon Valley as a catalyst for change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 What does the future look like? A technology-driven legal evolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 The change catalyst of 2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 The changing face of modern legal professionals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Traditional views on making partner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Adapting to AI and multidisciplinary expertise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Culture and leadership in the law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Advocating for change in the legal profession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Chapter 4: The SQE and QWE – building a talent network for the future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 By Robert Dudley, head of employability and engagement, BARBRI Upskilling and building commercial teams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Paralegals and the QWE “bank” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Growing talent from the ground up through apprenticeships . . . . . . . 47 Creating a new and improved workforce with improved diversity and inclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Chapter 5: What do recent graduates and junior lawyers really want from firms? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 By Serena Brent at Mayer Brown, Sophia Margetts at Osborne Clarke, Suhail Mayor at DLA Piper, and Chrissie Wolfe, LAB Consultancy Chapter 6: Attracting and retaining diverse talent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 By Caroline Vanovermeire, global director of talent, leadership, and organizational development, Dentsu and Kathryn Rousin, global director of learning and development, White and Case LLP Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Understanding underrepresented talent pools in law firms – navigating diversity and inclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Progress and strategies for attraction and inclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 The role of employer branding and employee value proposition in law firms – strategies for success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Engaging and retaining diverse talents in law firms – nurturing a culture of inclusivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Chapter 7: Firm culture and the importance of trust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 By Jean-Baptiste Lebelle, head of HR, and Alice Boullier de Branche, senior HR manager, Allen & Overy Is loyalty an old-fashioned notion? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Taking into account the expectation of the new generation . . . . . . . . . 83 The different leverages of a firm’s culture that have an impact on talent retention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 How to build a firm culture that is attractive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 The importance of designing and delivering an authentic people’s promise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Chapter 8: Redefining legal talent – a question of purpose . . . . . . . . . . . 91 By Chrissie Wolfe, solicitor and founder, LAB Consultancy Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 What is the expected talent lifespan? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 What is the primary purpose of the business during that time? . . . . . 95 What skills and attributes do we need to align with that purpose? . . . 99 Where do we find this talent? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 Chapter 9: Interpersonal relationships and (re)building a culture of firm loyalty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 By Lara Selem, co-founder, Selem Bertozzi Consulting Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 The impact of remote work on interpersonal dynamics in law firms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Strategies for effective communication in the virtual era . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Fostering social connections in hybrid work models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Prioritizing mental health and wellbeing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 Cultivating a culture of loyalty in law firms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 The role of leadership in shaping the firm’s culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Innovative approaches to team building and engagement . . . . . . . . . . 115 Facing challenges in building loyalty to the firm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 Future outlook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 Chapter 10: What legal can learn from other industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 By Tea Hoffmann, managing principal, Law Strategy Corp Hire based on need, not on tradition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Design an innovative hiring process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 Overhaul your interview process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 State your expectations and hold your lawyers accountable . . . . . . . . . 123 Create an extensive onboarding process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Create meaningful mentor relationships, not just mentoring programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 Undertake mentor training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 Chapter 11: The impact of technology on attracting (and retaining) talent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 By Tara Waters, partner and global chief digital officer, Ashurst LLP Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 A short history of the evolution of technology in law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 The role of technology in law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 A growing and diverse legal talent base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 How technology impacts talent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Technology as a positive differentiator for new talent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139 Chapter 12: Beyond the bonus – rethinking the approach to motivating legal talent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 By Rebecca Holdredge, director of knowledge management, and Becky Jo Morgan, director of practice operations, Levenfeld Pearlstein, LLC The call for change – shifting professional desires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142 Unlocking potential – the power of non-financial incentives . . . . . . . . 144 How emerging departments can energize talent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 Looking ahead – the future of motivation in a law firm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Integrating new motivational approaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 Chapter 13: Developing talent in the exponential age . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 By Catherine McGregor, director of professional development at Chief Legal Executive, and executive coach Future readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 The legal department talent landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 Reframing development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 Impact of remote working . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 Benefits of coaching on professional development in the legal profession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 Leader as coach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162 Differences in feedback given to women and minority ethnic individuals and how to correct biases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163 Chapter 14: A little HELP – rewarding and nurturing talent . . . . . . . . . . . 167 By Molly Peckman, founder, Molly Peckman Training & Development Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 H = Honesty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168 E = Empathy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 L = Listening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 P = Professional development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 Next steps for partners who want to HELP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 Chapter 15: Keep your talent engaged – how to cultivate a skill building discipline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177 Patrick McKenna, author, lecturer, strategist, and advisor to the leaders of premier law firms Step 1: Begin to develop a learning culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179 Step 2: Encourage partners to debrief on their most recent client matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179 Step 3: Have groups debrief together on engagements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180 Step 4: Capture and codify each group’s knowhow database . . . . . . . . . 183 Step 5: Have each partner identify their personal skill gaps . . . . . . . . . . 184 Step 6: Ensure the creation of personalized skill-building plans . . . . . 185 Step 7: Ensure that each partner“owns”their career development . . 186 Step 8: Include skill development in goal setting, evaluation, and reward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186 Step 9: Have an investment fund available to finance projects . . . . . . 187 Step 10: Communicate success stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 Chapter 16: Succession – transition strategies for lawyers, law firms, and clients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189 By Heather Suttie, legal market strategy and management consultant, Suttie. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189 Prepare for a wave of retiring partners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190 Law firms are businesses – run them that way . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190 Smooth succession is reliant on culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 Clients of the firm versus clients of the individual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192 Succession plans must be transparent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192 Voice of the client is key to smooth succession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194 The value of embedding, secondments, cohort laddering, and cross-service teams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195 Coming to terms with succession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 Alumni programs keep talent engaged and connected . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197 Alumni programs are a winning business strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198 A strong network is the backbone of a robust alumni program . . . . . . 199 Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 About Globe Law and Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203