Employers

As law firms head back to the office this fall, they should brace for a wave of associate departures, especially at firms that have taken a more hardline approach on office attendance, several legal industry observers said.

Law firms should be keeping a close eye on their associates in general, as firms compete to do everything they can to convince talent to join them this year. However, they should be more diligent about young lawyers in data privacy, corporate and insurance practices. 

Corporate law firms and legal departments are waging a fight for legal talent that may shape the future of the in-house world. To date, the in-house side of things is losing the recruitment tug-of-war as large law firms leverage large bonuses and the ability to work remotely to lure and retain top-grade lawyers. 

Even before the pandemic, Davis Wright Tremaine partners were considering long-term structural changes at the firm. But the fallout from COVID-19 accelerated that schedule, according to Pete Johnson, the partner-in-charge of the firm’s Seattle office.

With the impact of COVID-19 and the transition to remote working for many industries, how is recruiting for your clients different? What remains the same?

There’s no question that COVID-19 changed the world and your interviewing strategy should reflect this new reality. Prospective employers can learn much about the candidates under consideration by exploring how they handled the resultant business shutdown. Digging deeper into lateral prospects’ work experience during the pandemic and their reactions to the transition from office to remote working (and, at some point, back again) can be quite informative.

Since March, Seyfarth Shaw labor and employment partner Brett Bartlett has been quarantined in his Atlanta home with his wife, children and pets. 

“Stay home and stay healthy” and “we’re all in this together” have become common mantras during this trying time. The COVID-19 crisis has shown us that we are sharing common experiences, but individual circumstances within that broader common experience vary greatly. 

During a recent meeting between large law firm leaders, a question was posed: “What percentage of your lateral partner hires are successful or achieve their performance commitments within two years of being hired?” The consensus? Less than 20%.

Didn’t get the bonus you were hoping for? Reached a dead end. Unhappy with your overall compensation, workload, colleagues? Time to take a deep breath and thoughtfully consider your career options.