For decades, law firms have relied exclusively on outside recruiters to fill their lateral hiring needs, particularly when looking to add experienced associates and partners. While this approach can be effective, it’s also expensive and limits a firm’s control over the recruiting process.
By proactively building their own candidate pipeline and marketing directly to laterals, firms can save significantly on costs, improve efficiency, and build a team that truly aligns with their values and culture. Tools like Flo Recruit provide firms with everything they need to streamline lateral recruiting in-house, empowering recruiting teams to take full ownership of the process and source ideal candidates who may be more likely to succeed at the firm.
Working Alongside Outside Recruiters
Traditional lateral recruiting involves law firms partnering with outside search firms who identify potential lateral hires to fill active needs within a specific practice group. This arrangement has its advantages, particularly in reaching candidates who may not be actively looking for new opportunities or do not have the time to work on a job search. When partnering with an experienced search firm, you expect the candidate to be vetted and prepared. However, it also comes with notable considerations, including high fees and a potential mismatch between the firm’s needs and the candidates presented by these outside recruiters.
When internal firm recruiting teams are involved in the process as well, they gain insight into the candidates directly. Internal recruiters understand the firm’s culture, client base, and specific practice group needs better than anyone else outside the firm. This awareness can enable them to identify candidates who not only meet the technical requirements of the role but also have a higher potential to thrive within the firm’s environment. By bypassing outside recruiters, firms can often improve their hiring outcomes by prioritizing fit and alignment, minimizing the number of interviews that don’t progress, and reducing wasted attorney hours.
Law firms today often pursue a dual strategy of attempting to source internally and later opening the search to limited agency partners if needed. This staggered setting allows for the best of both worlds; don’t jump to using a headhunter, but maintain flexibility if you end up needing outside help. Flo Recruit Applicant Tracking allows clients to open a search to internal sourcing first, then later open it to a specific agency contact, and finally open it to all agencies. The agility of your system is key for bringing flexibility to your strategy.
The Cost Savings of Internal Lateral Recruiting
One of the primary benefits of firm recruiters being a key component of the lateral recruiting pipeline is cost savings. External search firms typically charge a percentage of the new hire’s first-year salary and guaranteed bonus as their fee, which can add up quickly, especially for higher-level positions.
By using a tool like Flo Recruit, which includes features designed specifically for lateral recruiting, firms can reduce their reliance on third-party recruiters by keeping the team organized and streamlined.
Time Savings and Improved Efficiency
When internal recruiters own at least part of the recruiting pipeline, they can reduce the layers of communication that tend to slow down the hiring process. Rather than relying on an external recruiter to liaise between the firm and the candidate, the recruiting team can communicate directly with candidates, answer their questions, and provide information about the firm’s culture and values. This streamlined communication benefits candidates as well, offering a more transparent experience and quicker responses.
Flo Recruit Applicant Tracking helps make this process more efficient by providing a centralized platform where recruiters can easily manage applications, track candidate progress, and communicate with prospective hires. Jaime Slovak, Chief Recruiting and Integration Officer at Winstead PC, who uses Flo specifically for her lateral process, says, “With Flo, we found a system that’s highly customizable, user-friendly, and intuitive for both the recruiting team and our attorneys.” With this level of control and organization, firms can save time in screening, scheduling interviews, and making hiring decisions. This efficiency not only reduces the time-to-hire but also allows the recruiting team to focus on high-impact activities rather than repetitive administrative tasks.
Enhancing Candidate Success with a Better Fit
Cultural fit and alignment are essential to ensuring that lateral hires integrate well and succeed at their new firm. Internal recruiters, with their firsthand understanding of the firm’s culture and priorities, are often better positioned to assess a candidate’s potential fit than outside search firms. By communicating directly with candidates and sharing specific insights about the firm, recruiters can help candidates determine whether the firm aligns with their own goals and values. This self-selection process can lead to hires who are more engaged and committed, reducing turnover and enhancing team morale.
Empowering Law Firm Recruiters to Own the Process
When lateral recruiting teams utilize tools like Flo Recruit, they gain full control over their hiring pipeline. With the ability to manage and communicate with candidates directly, recruiting teams can make decisions based on real-time data and insights, adjusting their approach as needed. This level of ownership empowers recruiters to take proactive steps, foster connections with candidates, and manage their processes more effectively.
Flo Recruit's all-inclusive platform consolidated recruiting into a centralized system with historical tracking capabilities allowing Arnall Golden Gregory’s team to seamlessly connect with the broader recruiting ecosystem, paving the way for future success. Lauren Brown, Director of Recruiting and Professional Development says, “Flo Recruit simplifies and speeds up the recruitment process. Improved accuracy and efficiency in record-keeping, the consolidation of candidate information into one accessible platform, and the ability to track historical interactions with candidates have been significant.”
Conclusion
Ultimately, empowering in-house recruiting teams to actively own aspects of outreach and pipeline building when it comes to lateral recruiting can provide law firms with significant advantages, including cost savings, time efficiency, and improved fit with candidates. Platforms like Flo Recruit are making it easier than ever by providing the tools needed to streamline processes and effectively attract top legal talent. By empowering lateral recruiting teams with the right tools, firms can gain a competitive edge, reduce their dependence on outside recruiters, and build teams that are well-aligned with their values and long-term goals.
