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n today's war for talent, law firms – like
most companies – are struggling to fill
critical roles and build strong, modern
teams. Low unemployment, talent shortages
and skills gaps make it increasingly difficult
to attract and retain quality employees.
And although the number of new students
attending U.S. law schools recently increased
by 3 percent, that growth followed nearly a
decade of declining enrollment.
Many firms are left wondering how
they'll stand out from the crowd and convince
potential talent that law, practiced at their
firm specifically, is where these graduates
should build and grow their careers.
The challenge to recruit top talent and
encourage employee loyalty isn't unique
to the legal space. Over the last year, we at
One North have heard more and more of
our professional services clients voice their
desire to develop or hone their talent and
employer brands. We decided to conduct an
audit of leading PSOs to determine how they
are approaching the art of nurturing and
winning talent.
We analyzed 30 professional services
firms within legal, consulting and accounting
verticals, paying close attention to five key
criteria:
How Law Firms are
Falling Behind in
the War for Talent
B Y TA N YA L O R D
Does the firm have a clear, differentiated
value proposition and talent brand?
Are the firm's digital touch points
aligned with the consumption habits
and preferences of talent audiences?
To what extent does the firm engage
with current or potential talent on its
social channels?
Does the firm offer intriguing, non-
traditional benefits or perks?
What is the firm's approach to
onboarding and retention?
Overall, although the top 10 law
firms scored 3 percent higher than the top
10 consulting firms, they trailed behind
the top 10 accounting firms by 10 percent.
Both accounting firms and consulting firms
outperformed law firms in their ability to
incorporate social media into their talent
strategies.
Some of the biggest gaps we noticed
among law firms' use of social media
included:
• Not having a presence on all
relevant channels
At the bare minimum, firms should
engage with talent on LinkedIn,
Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Also, remember that channels
like LinkedIn allow you to create
dedicated "careers" sections that
highlight what it's like to work at
the firm. Take advantage of that
opportunity to give candidates an
inside look at how they could learn
and grow at your firm.
• Using social as a microphone
instead of a vehicle for two-way
conversations
You aren't using social to its full
potential if all you're doing is posting
about the awards your firm has won.
And you won't grow or keep your
following if you don't reciprocate
And How They Can Fight to Catch Up
