Changes Coming to Legal Recruiting in 2024: How The Foster Group is Leading the Way
/Changes Coming to Legal Recruiting in 2024: How The Foster Group is Leading the Way
A paradigm shift is occurring in the legal world. Just like professionals in other industries in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, attorneys are looking for more flexibility in their work schedules, and law firms - in what would have seemed unimaginable a few years ago - are providing it.
“The concept of having a healthy work/life balance was something that was certainly always desired in the legal profession, but not easily found,” explains Michelle Foster, Founder of The Foster Group. “Since the pandemic, however, that has changed. We are now seeing an increase in flexibility as it relates to lifestyle, which was previously very rare in the legal field.”
The Foster Group’s unique approach to recruiting - which focuses on long-term career mentoring and establishing deep and long-standing relationships with a broad and diverse cross-section of firms and companies - gives them the insight needed to serve as an expert guide to those exploring the new legal recruiting landscape. More than ever, firms and attorneys need a tailored approach to recruiting. Only by taking the time to know clients and their needs in a deep way can recruiting firms sift through opportunities and identify those that are the right choice.
The Foster Group is a full-service legal recruiting firm that brings decades of experience to the specialized work it performs assisting partners, counsel, and associates in finding exceptional placements. The Foster Group assists top law firms and corporations in finding talent that can serve clients and support strategic growth, as well as helping attorneys in securing sought-after positions that will advance their careers.
“As attorneys were forced to work from home during the pandemic, this provided firms with the opportunity to experiment with the model and determine whether it could work,” Michelle says. “What firms found to varying degrees was not only that it could work, but that it could also be a boon for recruiting and retention, as well as a cost savings. Consequently, the opportunities for flexibility have dramatically increased.”
Diversity in legal recruiting also ramps up
“I’ve heard plenty of firms discuss a desire to grow more diverse during the more than 25 years that I have worked in the legal field and this has noticeably accelerated in recent years” Michelle shares. “Over the last few years, things have changed when it comes to hiring significant numbers of diverse attorneys and we are seeing true and sustained hiring efforts focused on diversifying firms.”
Legal recruiters also highlight gender diversity as something that has been gaining traction in law firms and is likely to continue in 2024.
“We are very excited to see more and more firms led by female partners, as well as firms with higher numbers of women in the equity partner ranks and management roles,” shared Drew Foster, Managing Director at The Foster Group. "“Gender inequality in the upper echelons of the legal industry is something that has long been cited as an issue that needs to be remedied. To see a growing number of women carving out paths to success in the legal field is encouraging.”
Greater flexibility brings new opportunities, new challenges
As firms and attorneys seek to take advantage of this new flexibility, the role of legal recruiting firms becomes more important - and more challenging.
“As these shifts involving flexibility are occurring in the industry, the conversations that are happening between recruiters and their clients are more nuanced,” explains Drew. “A few years back, the expectations of the firms and the attorneys were for the most part uniformly the same, but things aren’t as straightforward today.”
Indeed, attorneys engaged in the recruiting process are exploring flexibility, but with a certain degree of trepidation. Many firms are still trying to find their bearings when it comes to how committed that are to remote and hybrid schedules for the long term. They are also giving more scrutiny to applicants to determine if they have the skills needed to thrive in the new normal.
Consequently, attorneys are looking for recruiters who have insider information on what they can expect as the new paradigm continues to unfold. At the same time, law firms want recruiters who truly know the attorneys they are representing and what they can achieve.
“The changes happening in the legal profession have created a new set of questions about future employers and employees, including some hard questions that are best answered before everyone sits down for an interview,” says Drew. “Our candidates have important questions about a firm’s commitment to flexibility or about the likelihood that an attorney will be able to excel while working remotely. The types of relationships we build with our clients give us the insights needed to fill the knowledge gap.”
The shift to increased levels of workplace flexibility is not the only notable change happening in the legal profession. Another significant development involves higher levels of diversity represented in the legal field.
The Foster Group also has unique insights to offer clients when it comes to diversity in recruiting. It is a women-led firm with a diverse leadership team. In addition, Michelle was only the second woman to be promoted to partner at the firm where she practiced, which helped open the door for other women - before transitioning her career to legal recruiting.
The coming year promises to provide attorneys and law firms alike with exciting opportunities to achieve new levels of productivity and professional fulfillment. Legal recruiting firms that have gained trust and insights through long-term relationships can provide the guidance needed to take full advantage of those opportunities.