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Veteran Legal Recruiters Make Good Hires

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Hiring the right employee is crucial to any business’s success, but time constraints and a lack of screening and evaluation procedures can result in a risky hire. Veteran legal recruiters, such as those working at Collier Legal Search, LLC, are highly specialized in helping legal teams source the best candidates. They use their industry knowledge to evaluate potential hires and identify warning signs that may not be obvious to the untrained eye. Why Legal Teams Make Bad Hires Legal teams sometimes make bad recruitment choices due to a lack of proper screening and evaluation processes. Often this is due to a lack of time available for the full vetting process. As the result, legal hires may be based heavily on credentials without enough regard for environmental fit and long-term potential for success. Process is Rushed to Get New Hire Working Integrating a new hire into a position can take up to 12 months. If you need a role filled immediately and don’t have anyone in the pipeline, you may rush the process without adequately vetting the candidate. No Time to Interview Potential Candidates Rushed decisions occur when your firm needs to fill a role quickly and needs more resources for pre-screening interviewees to find the best fit. Partnering with a legal recruiter helps you screen and evaluate candidates before you interview them. This reduces the time you spend interviewing since you only have to meet with the best talent for the role. It is ideal to know your legal recruiter and, more importantly, ensure your legal recruiter knows you, your legal team, and your business environment well. Candidate Pool Isn’t Large Enough Another challenge a legal team’s hiring managers face is an ever-shrinking, solid candidate pool. This may occur due to a lack of job postings, inadequate online presence, not targeting the right audience, or insufficient networking opportunities. Your legal recruiter should be able to handle all of these matters for you. The Risk of Making Bad Hires Hiring a risky candidate may be costly, and the losses may add up with the sunk time invested in onboarding, orientation, and training and the lack of productivity. A bad hire can additionally demoralize your team and harm your team’s reputation, leading to a loss of clients. High Turnover Rate According to the ABA, law firms saw a turnover rate of 23.2% for associates in 2021. A 2019 Gallup poll reported that replacing an employee costs about one-half to two times their annual salary. With high turnover, your firm pays more in recruiting and hiring expenses. You may also experience decreased productivity due to unfinished projects or disjointed client representation. Wrong Fit for Your Firm’s Culture Company culture can impact your firm’s success and increase employee retention. In a 2019 survey by Glassdoor, 22% of respondents stated that company culture was the single biggest influence on job satisfaction. Looking for candidates who apply for the job to make a difference rather than just for a paycheck is crucial. A candidate whose principles and work ethic do not align with your firm’s values can adversely impact staff engagement, lower productivity, and waste resources. Time and Money Wasted Hiring candidates without top-level qualifications can be costly. Onboarding and training a new employee can cost thousands and can take months until they are fully productive. If your candidate does not work out, that is money wasted that you could have reinvested in your brand. Advantages of Hiring A Legal Recruiting Firm Working with a recruiting firm helps you simplify the hiring process and choose the right candidate the first time. Collier Legal Search’s veteran team ensures you speak with qualified candidates to fill open positions. Recruiters are in the Business of Hiring The Collier Legal Search team has entered its 20th year of service out of our Houston, TX, office. Our staff has over a century of combined experience in the legal industry. They can match your firm’s needs with the qualifications of available applicants and proactively recruit candidates based on your firm’s specifications. Produce Qualified Candidates Our recruiting firm has access to a vast pool of applicants to help you identify qualified individuals for the role. We have a thorough understanding of the legal sector and can introduce you to candidates who may not be actively seeking employment but are a suitable match for the role. Reduce the Time Required for the Hiring Process The Collier Legal Search team screens resumes and applications to save time. We pre-select and pre-interview the most qualified candidates, allowing your firm to focus on interviewing the most promising potential hires. Hire Qualified Staff With Collier Legal Search Collier Legal Search is a Texas-based legal recruiting firm with over a century of experience in the legal staffing industry. We have the candidate network and skills to find the right hires to help your firm thrive. Contact our legal recruiting team to start the hiring process and find top-quality candidates.

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Strategic Workforce Planning for 2023

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As 2022 comes to a close, law firms are examining their staffing needs for the coming year. The past year has been tumultuous, with low unemployment, high inflation, and the lingering effects of the Great Resignation hindering law office recruitment efforts. With evolving workplace needs and changing employment prospects, all law firms should formulate a strategic workforce plan to ensure they have the best legal staff for their corporate needs. The last few years have seen the rise of strategic workforce planning methods to handle the ever-changing market, including best practices for finding and retaining top talent. Developing a strategic workforce plan can help your law firm ensure you have the ideal staff for your needs. For the best legal staffing services, contact Collier Legal. We can support your workforce planning strategy by connecting you with highly qualified candidates to fill employment gaps at your firm. What is Strategic Workforce Planning? Strategic workforce planning is creating and adapting a staffing plan that adapts to the ever-changing needs of your organization. This process analyzes your existing workforce and strategizes what your organization will need regarding ability and staffing numbers in the future.  Simply put, strategic workforce planning ensures that you have the correct number of employees at the right time, with the proper skill set, so your company is successful in the near and long term. Why is Strategic Workforce Planning Important? Strategic workforce planning can help your organization prepare for whatever comes your way in the future. The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic aftershocks were unexpected for many businesses, and they took a hit when their staffing was less than ideal for the changing economic climate. A strategic workforce plan helps you be prepared for the future by: Building a lean, talented, and focused staff Improving retention rates Building a solid corporate foundation Boosting your daily productivity Ensuring you have covered any potential knowledge or skills gaps Developing a Strategic Workforce Plan Developing a strategic workforce plan looks at an organization’s current staff. It accurately forecasts what steps and staffing needs will be required to attract and retain talent successfully. These plans ensure that the company can remain effective and grow in unforeseen situations. Staying dynamic and flexible in response to work disruptions caused by internal or external issues, from staffing shortages to economic headwinds, is necessary in the modern working world. By planning, law firms can prevent setbacks and maintain growth trajectories with minimal interference. Developing a strategic workforce plan considers predictions on issues employees might have. This includes extended leave and seasonal or periodic needs that might necessitate staff expansion, such as holiday business booms or employee vacations during school holidays. Your plan should also account for external factors like inflation, changes in legal requirements, and current unemployment figures. These issues will affect your law firm’s ability to hire top talent and change the number of employees your firm needs.  Analyze Current Workforce – Skill Sets and Skill GapsAny strategic workforce plan begins with a comprehensive analysis of your current workforce. Your organization must understand your employees’ skills, where you may need further training and development, and where you may be over or understaffed. Conducting a current workforce analysis lets you define growth objectives, prepare for disruptions, and plan recruiting and retention strategies for your firm. Define Growth Objectives To understand what kind of workforce you need to build, you must have clear, actionable growth objectives. Define your firm’s top growth objectives, such as acquiring new clients or expanding your current offices. Then, break down the staffing needs these goals will require. For example, if you focus on diversifying your employee pool, you may want to work with candidates with experience in social governance. Be Prepared for Disruptions Strategic workforce planning includes preparing for potential staffing disruptions. Sickness, retirement, resignations, or family obligations can cause these disruptions. You can create a staffing plan by understanding which disruptions your firm may need to prepare for. For example, you can work with a recruiting firm to line up candidates when a top performer makes a lateral move to another organization. Plan a Recruiting Strategy Your recruiting strategy should be growth-focused. It should detail what skills and knowledge your team needs to reach your growth objectives. Planning the strategy involves: Establishing a baseline budget for new hires and existing staff Identifying gaps in the skills and abilities of your workforce Creating a recruiting strategy that includes how you will find talent, including advertising in the professional press, hiring headhunters, or connecting Collier Legal Setting a timeline to find, screen, interview, and hire the staff you need Retention of Talent StrategyBeyond simply finding great staff, a strategic workforce plan must include a talent retention strategy. Designing a comprehensive plan to keep the talent you have is vital for planning for your future staff needs, including a mentoring system, competitive salary increases, generous benefits, and a healthy work-life balance. Execute PlanTo implement an effective workforce planning strategy, you must execute the elements of your plan. Begin recruiting to expand your candidate pool and start training and professional development programs for existing employees. Work with an experienced legal staffing firm to find qualified candidates to interview, so you have a pipeline of contacts ready when needed. Evaluate Results to Adjust for a Future PlanYou should constantly perform workforce planning with periodic reviews to track the plan’s progress, respond to new developments, and adapt to your law firm’s changing needs. These actions help the workforce plan stay relevant and effective for your organization and allow you to learn from past recruiting efforts, perfecting future iterations. Retention of Talent Retaining talent must be a top concern in your firm’s strategic workforce plan. While firms like Collier Legal can help you find the best talent, you must also have a retention plan to keep employees content and motivated to work for your firm. It costs nearly $4,700 to hire a new employee, and it takes several weeks to perform their position efficiently. Instead of spending thousands on hiring new employees, you can take steps to retain talent already at your firm. Steps to Talent Retention Your

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Interest rates and legal recruiting

Interest Rates Effect on Businesses and Legal Recruiting

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With interest rates and inflation rising, you may wonder how this financial uncertainty will affect your business. As interest rates rise, so does the need for qualified legal professionals. Rising interest rates affect businesses and legal recruiting by increasing the demand for legal professionals, highlighting the importance of developing relationships with a legal staffing firm. Learn more about our country’s current financial state and how interest rate increases may affect your business, so you can determine how to protect your company and hire employees who will provide the most benefit to your business during these uncertain times. What is the Current Financial Situation? The Federal Reserve recently raised its target federal funds rate by .75% to compensate for the runaway inflation that currently plagues the country. The current inflation rate exceeds financial analyst predictions, rising 8.6% this May, the fastest pace since 1981. Surging gas, food, and energy prices are the main culprits contributing to this rise. The outlook for the supply chain looks grim as well. Much of this trouble relates to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has slowed down or completely interrupted product movement at nearly every stage of the supply chain. Factories thought to be too big to fail had to close their doors permanently, and shipping delays abound due to port and railway closures. During the pandemic layoffs, many qualified employees lost their jobs as companies downsized to stay afloat. As the country slowly returns to normalcy, many businesses face worker shortages. Amid the shifting recruiting and hiring landscape, the legal industry has emerged busier than ever, with more employers seeking qualified workers to rebuild and grow their firms. Effect on Small and Midsize Businesses Interest rate hikes impact businesses of all sizes, particularly small and midsize companies that generally operate with a narrower profit margin. Since higher interest rates generally lead to higher business costs, companies with already thin profit margins may find it challenging to grow their business. When operating on narrow margins, outsourcing for staffing needs may seem like an unnecessary expense. However, working with a qualified staffing firm allows you to spend time focused on your business. At the same time, a legal recruiting firm sifts through resumes and vets potential candidates, saving time better spent on your business’ productivity. In such a tight hiring market, developing a relationship with a legal recruiting firm saves money and increases profits in the long run. What Industries Are Most Affected? High-interest rates affect businesses in every sector, but industrial and manufacturing companies and commercial real estate companies seem to be particularly hard hit by these higher rates. The commercial real estate industry has suffered due to Covid-lockdowns and the move to remote work. In contrast, the manufacturing and industrial industries have seen significant supply chain and transportation issues. Conversely, some businesses are discovering that the shortage of workers in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic is opening up new and exciting possibilities. The legal industry, for example, saw a general downsizing during the pandemic but has proved that it can survive even the worst financial conditions. Now, law offices across the country are returning to work with a vengeance and actively hiring swarms of new employees. Many law offices use experienced law recruiting firms like Collier Legal to find the best employees on the market. Why Choose Collier Legal? As the need for experienced legal staff increases, developing a relationship with a credible staffing agency will streamline your hiring process and ensure you recruit the best talent for your law firm. At Collier Legal, we help you find the best legal talent for your business. With over one hundred years of combined experience, our staff has a reputation for excellence in finding and matching candidates to legal firms of every size. Sifting through resumes to find the right person for your company can be challenging and time-consuming. Let us help you with the recruiting process. Call us today or fill out a contact form online to get started.

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The Perils of Professional Ghosting

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Has Professional Ghosting Crept Into Your Workplace? Halloween is right around the corner, and the streets will soon be filled with little witches, goblins, and ghosts. But what about the ghosts wandering the corporate realm? Ghosting was once a term reserved for the dating scene and used to describe a person who suddenly disappeared from the relationship by going dark on social media, chats and other digital communication. As with most digital trends, it was only a matter of time before the ghosting phenomenon crept insidiously into the workplace. Professional ghosting is just as unpleasant and unnerving as personal ghosting and can take many forms: Examples of Workplace Ghosting Managers ignoring job applicants, even after sending strong hiring signals. Candidates failing to appear for scheduled interviews with no explanation. Candidates accepting a job and never showing up. Employees leaving a job with zero notice and ignoring communication attempts. Candidates suddenly ignoring a recruiter that has been working on their placement. Reasons for Ghosting Employment professionals have identified many reasons that professional ghosting has become rampant: The job market is excellent and qualified candidates often have more offers than they can handle. Most people do not like confrontation or awkwardness, so they select the route of least resistance where no response is, in itself, a response. The younger generation of millennials and Gen Z are less adept at face to face, or even digital conversations, that are unpleasant. Some people can’t say no, and they overcommit instead of turning down offers. Consequences of Ghosting in the Workplace While the person doing the ghosting may feel that their disappearance is a harmless and inevitable part of doing business, the person who has been ghosted often has a bitter impression that isn’t quickly forgotten. Anyone who intends to build a career should consider these factors: Reputation– Most industries are close-knit, with the same professionals sharing information, advice and business leads. If someone has been ghosted, they will share the experience with others, and word will get around pretty quickly. Relationships– The job market is excellent today, but ghosting an employer or recruiter will burn bridges in your professional life. It’s risky to alienate a manager you may end up working with in the future or a recruiter who could be instrumental in developing your career. Respect– The Golden Rule applies in the workplace, just as in personal relationships. Treat others as you would like to be treated. A simple phone call or email explaining the situation may be uncomfortable,  but it is preferable to vanishing into thin air – like a ghost. Full-Service Legal Staffing You Can Depend On If you are ready to start developing a professional relationship with a trusted advisor, contact a consultant at Collier Legal Search to find out how we can help you attain your career goals. Collier Legal Search is a full-service legal staffing company that specializes in placing well-credentialed partners, associates and legal professionals at every level in law firms and corporations. Our experience in the industry and unique approach to building our candidate database delivers dependable results. We are committed to maximizing success for our clients and our candidates. Contact us at 832-239-5253 to give us the opportunity to work with you.

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Legal Recruiting in a Candidate-Driven Market

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Legal recruiting can be challenging in the current candidate-driven market. Many law firms and corporate legal departments are struggling to find talent in 2018’s candidate-driven market. The national unemployment rate is at historic lows, and the Texas job market is no different. Experienced legal professionals, from attorneys to support staff, are in high demand with qualified candidates enjoying leverage when considering a move. In particular, the legal industry’s lateral job market continues to grow, often constituting a significant percentage of a firm’s overall numbers. For firms and corporate legal departments trying to fill positions,  now is the best time to utilize outside expertise. An experienced legal recruiter can help with the four C’s of finding talent in this candidate-driven market: Consultation The first step of working with a recruiter is to establish a relationship through a meeting of the minds. The recruiter should meet with the partner(s) responsible for the search to learn about practice areas, growth, plans for the future, critical issues, preferences, and other matters that will allow the search firm to work more efficiently. A recruiter who can knowledgeably answer candidates’ questions can represent the firm, the partners and the position accurately. Culture Workers today are very interested in an organization’s corporate culture, and attorneys are no different. Company and department branding carry greater importance as competition for candidates continues to tighten. Being able to articulate and promote your firm’s particular culture is very important in attracting the kind of candidate that will be a good fit. A recruiter can help crystalize the finer points of your firm’s culture, differentiate it from other firms, and market it to candidates. Candidates Of course, the desired outcome of working with a recruiter is to find qualified, well-matched candidates for open positions. Seasoned recruiters maintain databases and regularly stay in contact with the top attorneys and support staff in their market. Furthermore, they often have in-depth knowledge of those individuals’ skill sets, career objectives and compensation packages, even if those professionals are not actively looking for jobs. A recruiter can discreetly reach out to individuals that they already know will match a firm’s criteria. Compensation With candidates currently receiving multiple offers and counter-offers, employers must differentiate their proposal to remain competitive for top talent. While salary will always be one of the top criteria, other factors such as flexible work schedules, telecommuting, performance-based bonuses, training, and paid parking are some of the perks that can tip the scales. A recruiter with extensive knowledge of the market can advise what the current compensation trends and most attractive packages are. Full-Service Legal Recruiting You Can Depend On Collier Legal Search is a full-service legal recruiting company that specializes in placing well-credentialed partners, associates and legal professionals at every level in law firms and corporations. Let us help you with your legal recruiting needs. Our experience in the industry and a unique approach to building our candidate database consistently delivers results that clients can depend on, especially in a candidate-driven market. We are committed to maximizing success for our clients and our candidates.  Contact us at 832-239-5253 to give us the opportunity to work with you.

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Preparing for a Presentation Interview

Blogs, Candidates /

Are you preparing for a presentation interview? When presentations, public speaking or persuasion are part of a job description, candidates may be asked to make a presentation as part of their interview. A presentation interview can test many things about a candidate; the ability to represent and sell an idea, the ability to inspire an audience with confidence and, the ability to organize thoughts and structure an argument. If you want your presentation interview to shine, DON’T do the following: Ignore Instructions  Before you begin crafting a 40-minute dissertation, find out exactly what the interviewer is requesting. What is the topic and how long should your presentation be? How many people will be in the audience? What’s the IT and audio-visual setup? Staying on task shows that you can manage your time, that you respect your audience and, most importantly, that you can follow directions. Use PowerPoint It’s not 1987 anymore, and Microsoft PowerPoint is an outdated and mediocre format guaranteed to induce yawns. In today’s competitive market, you must think beyond PowerPoint. There are numerous online programs and applications available to help you craft professional presentations.  Using a more current platform also shows your audience that you are committed to keeping your skill set up-to-date with new tools and technologies. Read your slides Reading your slides is perhaps the most annoying presentation error thing that speakers commit. When you first display a slide, your audience will stop paying any attention to you and will read what you’ve put up on the screen. Give them a moment to read and when they’ve finished, do not repeat word for word what they’ve just read! Ideally, your slides should contain bullet points or headings that your presentation expands or explains. Stay seated  Standing for a presentation exudes confidence and control. Standing as you are speaking enables movement, wider hand gestures; a greater ability to get up close to the audience and, it injects more energy into your presentation. Compelling and persuasive speakers do not sit behind a desk and mumble their notes. Standing will also enable you to breathe deeply which will give your voice depth and volume. Wing it  The only way to ace your presentation is by practicing. Rehearse in front of someone who will give you honest feedback. If you are working with a recruiter, they can assist with preparation. Don’t assume that the company’s technology is compatible with your Mac or PC or you may find that all of the beautiful slides you prepared won’t show up on their screen. To avoid this nightmare scenario, take your fully charged laptop, not just the USB drive containing your presentation. Even if the screen is small, it’s a better backup plan than nothing at all. Email the slides to yourself and save them as PDFs, which should work on anything. Finally, print a few copies of your slides and take them with you, just in case. Let the experts at Collier Legal Search help you put your best foot forward. From the initial contact to the final interview, we work with our candidates every step of the way. We are a full-service legal staffing company that specializes in placing well-credentialed partners, associates and legal professionals at every level in law firms and corporations.

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Summer Staffing Checklist

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Some businesses experience a slowdown during the summer months, while others remain busy. Here is a summer staffing checklist to get you through the summer.   During the summer, partners and associates often sacrifice their vacations to client cases and litigation schedules, but the same is not necessarily true for legal support staff such as secretaries, receptionists, paralegals, and IT professionals. Individuals in these roles may stick to the traditional schedule of taking a summer vacation, regardless of what may be going on in the office. For firm management, it is important to anticipate that there may be gaps in the firm’s support network from June through September. Here are some tips on managing gaps in summer staffing: Create and finalize summer vacation schedules Remind workers of the firm’s vacation policy, including the required length of notice, if there is one. Whether your firm uses seniority or a first-come, first-served method to grant time off, be sure the process is consistent to avoid conflict or liability. Managers should create a vacation calendar and a backup list for everyone on the team in anticipation of summer absences. Identify gaps in coverage Speak with practice group managers and find out what the anticipated workload will be throughout the summer. Decide where current staff can step in and where extra help is needed. When in doubt, err on the side of caution and bring in the extra manpower! Adjustments can always be made later. Have vacationing staff members, attorneys and managers clearly outline the work that will need to be done in their absence. Waiting until the paralegal is already on the beach in Rio will result in aggravation, wasted time and errors in casework. Secure workers before you need them Now that you know exactly where the gaps are and what the nature of the work is, contact your HR department or a legal staffing firm as soon as possible to secure qualified temporary workers. Remember that many other firms and in-house legal departments will be facing the same challenges. While your firm won’t be responsible for payroll, taxes or benefits for temporary workers, consider some office perks such as free snacks and meals or a performance bonus to attract the most qualified prospects. Evaluate future needs The U.S. economy has been outperforming expectations in 2018, and this may translate into more work for law firms. If your firm has seen an uptick in solid business growth, it may be a good idea to retain the summer workers that truly shined. There is no rule that says temporary employees have to remain as such. They can easily be converted to full-time employees if both parties feel that the relationship is beneficial. Talk to the experts at Collier Legal Search if your firm needs summer legal professionals or long-term placements. We are a full-service legal staffing company that specializes in placing well-credentialed partners, associates and legal professionals at every level in law firms and corporations.

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Tips to Avoid Staff Turnover

Companies, Employers /

Do you experience high staff turnover? Staff turnover is an unavoidable, natural part of the hiring and employment cycle. Staff turnover is an unavoidable, natural part of the hiring and employment cycle. Economic turmoil, industry fluctuations and attrition can cause unexpected spikes in turnover, but if your firm has regularly lost talent across a number of practice areas and positions in recent years, that’s an indication that there may be more serious issues.  Warning signs can include a mass exodus of associates and support staff, clerical positions that are continually open, or a particular partner who can’t seem to retain talent. Law firms with high turnover can suffer significant data, knowledge and client loss, not to mention the cost of salaries, benefits, and time invested. When a lawyer leaves, a significant investment is lost. Aside from salaries and bonuses, law firms can spend thousands of dollars recruiting and training, sometimes paying for bar exam prep courses, moving expenses, and CLE. Here are some of the major factors that can contribute to high turnover, and how a temporary hire might be the right solution: Poor selection process– When staff turnover at the firm seems unusually high, one of the first things to investigate is the firm’s selection process. If a firm continually hires extremely over or under-qualified applicants, it will simply be a matter of time before workers become frustrated or disillusioned and look for something better matched to their skill set. Take a realistic look at the firm’s expectations: Is management seeking out Ivy League or top tier attorneys to handle work that could be done by a paralegal? Does the firm really require someone with more than 5 years of experience, or is in-house training possible? If it is evident that the organization is always hiring the wrong people, a temporary firm can help define what the job description should be and assist in finding a prospect that is the right fit for the position and for the firm. Firm Culture– Many older workers may be satisfied to put in the required hours, work hard, and collect a paycheck regardless of firm culture.  However, millennials tend to place much higher importance on the firm’s core values as well as their employment experience. If the firm seems to have difficulty retaining younger talent, it may have something to do with the lack of company culture or clearly stated mission.  While the management team addresses the core values and firm culture, temporary workers can replace workers that have left. Difficult Personality – If rampant staff turnover seems to be concentrated in a certain department or under a particular partner, there may be personality issues at play. A brilliant attorney who is constantly screaming at associates or expecting support staff to handle his personal affairs will always have a revolving door of talent. It is critical to address the nature of the issue to ensure that the firm is protected from any liability arising from bad behavior. In the meantime, utilize the broad reach of a staffing firm to find prospects who have the temperament, experience, and willingness to work with a challenging personality. Less than competitive packages– Take a look at similar-sized firms to see if the firm’s compensation and benefit plans are competitive. When the plan is not competitive with the market, there is a virtual guarantee that talent will be lost as soon as a better offer comes along. If raising compensation and adding benefits is not possible, then a staffing firm could be the best option because the prospect will be compensated by the agency, not the law firm. When an organization experiences high employee turnover, it may be time to seek assistance. Collier Legal Search is a qualified and reputable staffing firm and we can help place the right people in the right positions. Furthermore, the firm can avoid the high costs associated with multiple new hires because all risks and obligations are assumed by the staffing firm. Taking advantage of temporary hires or temp-to-permanent employees will allow the firm to address the root cause of high staff turnover while remaining fully staffed and productive.

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Personal Branding for Attorneys

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Personal branding can help you in many ways if you are seeking a new job.  What is a Personal Brand? In legal circles, everyone knows that there are lawyers whose reputations precede them: the attorney known for complex energy litigation, the must-have mediator for a construction matter or the fierce trial lawyer in the tan suit. Beyond skill, experience, and reputation, what do attorneys like this have in common? They have each crafted and maintained a personal brand.What, exactly, is a personal brand? To put it simply, it is the sum of your reputation, peer perceptions, characteristics and traits that make you different from any other lawyer. A personal brand includes not just your legal knowledge, but can also encompass qualities such as how eloquently you speak, your attitude towards clients and your philanthropic activities. Branding, unlike reputation, requires a strategic effort to position your skills. It isn’t something that happens overnight.Why is it important? As an associate, a lot of your brand may be tied to the brand and reputation of your firm. You may not have much control over your firm’s brand; however,  you can control your own. Benefits of creating a personal brand include: Focus – A good lawyer cannot be everything to every client. Knowing your area of expertise and honing in on your niche will focus your efforts on the matters that will build your career. More business – As your skill set and experience grows within your niche, it will attract more of the clients who need that set of services. Better opportunities – A more significant book of business and a more extensive professional network can lead to bigger and better opportunities outside your current firm. You know that your personal branding plan has been effective if a legal search firm seeks you out for your particular expertise! It belongs to you – You can take your personal brand with you, wherever you practice. How to Build Your Brand Determine your niche or specialized area of expertise. If you are early in your career and working a myriad of matters, pay keen attention to the cases that appeal to you and where your skill set shines.  It may take time to materialize, but create a clear idea of how you want to be seen or thought of as an attorney. Write it down, refer to it frequently and fine-tune it as needed. Align yourself with industry experts. Whether your selected niche is real estate, employment, or oil & gas, there are local and national industry groups. Join some of these trade groups and take advantage of the events, publications, and discussions. On the legal side, be active in your local and State Bar association industry or practice group. Cultivate relationships with a range of professionals connected to the industry. Share your expertise. Look for speaking opportunities or panel discussions. Speaking on a topic will showcase your expertise to a large group and also offers the opportunity for interaction.  Contribute articles and commentary on your niche to trade publications, newspapers, magazines and online forums. Contribute blog posts to industry forums, your firm’s blog, or start your legal blog. Submit for rankings. Attorneys are continually bombarded with ranking and listing opportunities throughout the year, each claiming to be the “premier” source for legal information. Select a few of the most reputable ones to pursue and prepare your submission. Depending on your firm, this may be handled individually, or through the firm’s marketing department. Polish your online presence. Update your LinkedIn bio to include your niche or area of specialty.  Add relevant industry designations or memberships. If your firm bio includes a section for casework, be sure that the cases in your specialty are listed first. Clean up your other social media posts to bring them in line with your personal brand. Talk to the experts at Collier Legal Search about the importance of personal branding and professional reputation. We are a full-service legal staffing company that specializes in placing well-credentialed partners, associates and legal professionals at every level in law firms and corporations.

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Legal Staffing in an Uncertain Economy

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Are you planning to grow your legal staffing team? Here are a few options to consider. Achieving sustainable growth in a shifting legal market is one of the biggest challenges faced by firm management. Some law firms increase the headcount in their practice groups to attract more clients. Other firms secure new clients before hiring more attorneys and support staff. This tricky balancing act is a dilemma that managing partners must carefully consider because having too much or not enough manpower at critical points can drain a firm’s time, talent and resources. By looking beyond the traditional hiring process, growth can be accomplished through a myriad of levels from temporary to permanent, short-term, project-based, hourly or even virtual – each with its merits. Successful firms will take advantage of and fully utilize all available avenues to secure the right legal staffing mix. Here are some things to consider when growing your base of legal talent: Temporary Whether your firm is trying to attract a huge client or confronted with a litigation project that your current manpower does not support, the most expedient solution is often temporary attorneys and support staff. Hiring temporary legal staffing is a solution that allows firms to take on new projects that would otherwise be too large for their regular team to manage alone. The recruiting agency, not the law firm, is the temp worker’s employer and is responsible for payroll expenses, paperwork, withholding taxes, unemployment and workers’ compensation insurance, healthcare and any other employee benefits. As a result, the cost of temp workers is often cheaper than hiring permanent employees with benefits. Law firms can often realize immediate profits with temporary legal staffing since the billable rate can be higher than the temp’s rate. Savvy businesses will incorporate temporary staff, not just during busy times, but as a fixed percentage of their workforce. Temp to Permanent From competence to culture, there are many aspects that can’t be gleaned from an interview or resume. Being able to test-drive a potential new hire can give both the firm and the employee an opportunity to evaluate if the match is a fit for both parties. Temporary to permanent employees are placed in the firm for a specific period, during which time all benefits, expenses, and liabilities are the responsibility of the recruiting company, not the law firm. At the end of the prescribed period, the firm has the option to hire the employee on a full-time basis with zero additional fees. Sometimes a partial fee is owed if the prescribed work-out period isn’t completed. Permanent Full-Time Hire In many circumstances, nothing less than a full-time, permanent employee will fit the bill. Staffing a new office, adding notable names to a practice group or taking on long-term projects may all warrant the hiring of full-time staff. A permanent employee with benefits is a considerable investment and firms should do everything possible to ensure that they will see a return on that investment. Enlisting the services of a reputable legal staffing firm will save considerable time and effort in the search for the right talent. When choosing a placement firm, be sure and evaluate their guarantees – Collier Legal Search offers the best in the business. Part-time or Flex-Time There are many compelling reasons for a firm, corporation, or another workplace to offer alternative work-time options. The crushing hours and tremendous workload are expected by law firm management, but more and more attorneys at all strata of the firm are questioning a culture of working long hours to the detriment of child-rearing, personal interests, pro bono advocacy, community involvement, and care for aging parents, to name a few. Offering part-time, flex-time or job-sharing options can keep valuable employees from taking their skills elsewhere and reduce career burnout. Virtual/Telecommute or Work-at-home Temp While not yet commonplace, the increased connectivity, technology, and cloud-based applications all point to an increased potential for utilizing the off-site talent that has been carefully screened and qualified. This option allows a staffing company the leeway to expand their search to find the candidates best suited for an assignment, regardless of location.

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