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or several years, hiring and retention have been a pain point within law firms.
The latest ILTA Litigation and Practice Support survey illustrates the
challenge, reporting that nearly one-third of respondents said "difficulty finding
or retaining talent" was among their greatest challenges. This has led some firms
to try a new approach. Rather than requiring extensive legal experience, firms
identify candidates with corporate backgrounds who are ambitious, adaptable, and eager to
learn the legal industry. By welcoming new voices into roles like IT, innovation, and knowledge
management, firms can benefit from fresh perspectives and a largely untapped talent pool.
While these recruits already have the interpersonal, organizational, and technology skills
required to thrive in legal, they need thoughtful support to navigate the industry's nuances
successfully. Law firms that can tailor their onboarding process for new hires coming from non-
legal backgrounds may gain an advantage, overcoming a talent shortage and harnessing new
ideas for innovation that can drive the firm forward.
How to
Onboard and
Learn from
Hires New to
the Profession
B Y L I Z A P E S T I L L O S ‑ O C AT
