Attracting top lawyers: a recruitment strategy for small law firms

Platform-based legal services are threatening SME law firms’ ability to attract and retain talent. Katie Bulmer, head of sales at LexisNexis, explains how firms can fend off this challenge.

Small law firms face a lot of competition, but perhaps the biggest challenge when it comes to attracting lawyers comes from platform law firms. According to research from Arden, one third of lawyers could be working for platform firms in the next five years alone.

Platform law firms are already taking lawyers from small firms. And the reasons are obvious. As explored in a recent LexisNexis report, platform law firms offer an attractive operating model – lawyers work as self-employed consultants under a revenue-sharing model that allows them to keep the bulk of client fees. Excess funds are spent through a central network, which provides basic tools such as legal technology, insurance, branding services, and more.

So how can small firms compete with platform law firms? They can start by following the example set by platform law firms and by playing to small law strengths. Here, we offer a recruitment strategy for small law firms to help them attract and retain the best talent.

Creating the right culture

Darryl Cooke, co-founder of gunnercooke, explains that one of the best ways to attract and retain talent is through greater flexibility.

Flexibility is at heart of the platform law model. Small firms that want to compete should offer the same options – agile working, remote working, and a greater work-life balance.

Focus on client work

There are complaints across the legal sector about too much admin, too much time spent on billing, and so on. The platform law firm promises to get rid of needless bureaucracy, keeping only the essentials. The absence of bureaucracy means legal consultants can spend more time with clients. That alone makes the platform model massively attractive for lawyers.

Small firms should follow the example set by platform law firms. They should focus on small-scale legal automation to free up lawyer’s time and allow them to focus on client work. They should streamline repetitive tasks, invest in efficient tech to improve processes, and ensure that lawyers are dedicated to finding client solutions.

Get more insights on how your small law firm can compete with platform law.