Recruiting in-house lawyers used to be simple: advertise, shortlist, interview, offer, and wait for acceptance. Today, the market is fiercely competitive - if you snooze, you lose.
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A Real Example: Why Process Matters
Recently, a household brand needed an in-house lawyer urgently. Despite the strong brand name, the role offered:
- Below-market salary
- No remote or flexible working options
The company had already struggled for months to hire. When I sourced an excellent candidate with multiple interviews elsewhere, the company insisted on a 6-stage process:
- One-way video interview submission
- Video interview with HR
- Online personality profile test
- Competency-based video interview with General Counsel
- Video interview with senior staff
- Office tour and meet-the-team event
This process was expected to take 6 weeks. By stage 2, the candidate accepted another role that completed hiring in 10 days.
Top Tips for Recruiting In-House Lawyers
To avoid losing top talent:
- Streamline your interview process: reduce unnecessary stages
- Prioritise scheduling: block out “sacred” interview times
- Act fast, don’t wait for more candidates just to benchmark
- Avoid impersonal one-way video tests: people buy into people, not technology
- Offer flexibility: remote or hybrid options are now expected
- Leverage your brand advantage: don’t let bureaucracy cost you talent
The Bottom Line
The in-house legal recruitment market is now candidate-driven and fast-paced. Top lawyers expect:
- Streamlined hiring processes
- Flexibility (remote or hybrid options)
- Competitive packages
If your process is slow or overly complex, you risk losing talent to competitors who move quickly. In today’s market, speed, transparency and adaptability are essential to secure the best lawyers.
For expert advice on optimising your recruitment strategy, contact Chadwick Nott for a confidential discussion.
