The American Bar Association’s survey data reveals that there are 1,338,678 licensed and active attorneys in the United States. The marketplace is crowded and competitive, so it is becoming increasingly essential to get and retain the best attorneys your law firm can afford. Thankfully, you can achieve this goal through certain changes to your recruitment process. Here’s how to get the best talent for your law firm.

1. Make a case for your firm
   As stated early on, the legal marketplace is crowded and competitive, so lawyers have more options than ever before. However, many firms often disclose why they need lawyers and what they expect from potential employees without revealing why anyone should join them. Regardless of what you might be hearing about today, current market studies prove that remuneration isn’t the most important consideration for most candidates. As such, it is crucial to explain the various general and specific opportunities and perks your law firm provides to entice the best attorneys. Many firms often promote their culture as a key differentiator, so it is always best to be more specific about yours instead of highlighting it generically. For instance, Legal Week’s Best Employers Report 2016 revealed that 94% of lawyers say it’s essential for them to feel valued by their law firm. Therefore, you can speak of how much you value your employees as the foundation of your company’s culture.
2. Use a legal search firm instead of a staffing agency
   Today’s law firms often use multiple recruiters to search for the right associates, partners, and top management position candidates in addition to their efforts. This recruitment strategy will help you get the candidates you need quickly, but this can come at the cost of searching in a limited talent pool. A staffing agency can only consider potential candidates in the market or available. However, your law firm seeks to hire the best, not just people seeking new opportunities. Therefore, consider using a good legal search firm like Wegman Partners to find the right attorneys for your organization. A great search firm committed to contacting all the best candidates and convincing them about your law firm can be more effective than several staffing agencies working on similar assignments simultaneously.
3. Move fast when you are excited about a candidate
   It isn’t uncommon for law firms to move the process slowly, even when excited about a candidate. This is because they want to see other candidates before making their final decision. However, your firm cannot afford to waste too much time in today’s competitive environment. A slight delay in your recruitment process can reduce candidates’ momentum and excitement, making them less interested in your firm. Even worse, high-value attorneys are not available for very long. Therefore, it is risky to gamble on them waiting for your long and drawn-out process to conclude. Competitors can easily swoop in and hire them while you delay, so always do your due diligence quickly to make the entire process as fast as possible.