John Arthur

Law firm - “We don’t recruit Lawyers from that type of law firm” EXCUSE ME?!?! 🙄 How incredibly short-sighted…. Law firms will naturally have an idea of what a ‘perfect candidate’ should look like. Quite often that candidate should already be working at a particular firm – ie. a direct competitor. There’s a problem with that though: If a Lawyer is working at a direct competitor, then how is the recruiting law firm going to distinguish itself? It’s rare that the hiring law firm can offer anything significantly different to those Lawyers. Law firms can be so fixated on prizing talent away from a specific pool of firms, that they overlook Lawyers at smaller practices. Small-mid size firms are loaded with top-quality Lawyers who are just as capable as their peers working at top-tier practices: 🔹  They often work on the other side of the same matters, so they have access to the same high quality work. 🔹  They often have greater hands-on exposure to work as there are fewer people to distribute work to. Nothing brings a smile to my face more than when I see a firm recruit a Lawyer from a smaller practice. Firstly, it can be an incredible move for the Lawyer with a life-changing salary to suit. And secondly, a law firm has seen the potential in someone and made the decision to invest in their future rather than pay over the odds to recruit from a competitor firm. Forget the name of the firm someone works at. Take notice of the person instead.

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I have been chatting to many legal clients over the last few weeks who are still saying one of the key challenges remains attracting talent in a tight market. I have outlined some key advice I would give my clients across private practice and in-house to give them every opportunity to hire the best talent for their team! -           Define your employer branding and ensure that is comes through clearly in all communications – candidates want to know about company values, culture, career paths, work quality, commitment to DE & I etc. Also think about who you are competing with for talent and what makes you different -           If you have testimonials/client case studies I would ensure that you promote these -           Regularly review your compensation and benefits packages – we are more frequently being asked for detailed benefits breakdowns  with an increased focus on wellness benefits and benefits to assist with work life balance -           Work life balance – Hybrid working is no longer seen as a benefit but something that candidates are expecting and so having a good level of work life balance will open up a wider pool of talent -           Professional development and training – be clear and transparent if you can about typical career paths for people – not only will this help to attract talent but also it will assist with retention of existing employees -           Streamline your recruitment process! We are advising clients that they need to keep their process streamlined. I would still recommend two interviews so both the candidate and the client can ascertain if the role is right for both parties but many more processes and you run the risk of loosing candidates in process. -           Use the interview to promote the points above !! For any clients keen to discuss the legal market and talent availability get in touch today to discuss further [email protected] #legalcareers #solicitorcareers #legaljobs #recruitmentadvice

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Friday thoughts: are firms who use outdated methods going to be left behind? I'm instructed on a matter and there is a separate conveyancer acting and a third firm who is dealing with the registration. They write to their client via post which is typed by a secretary, despite the client being fairly proficient in email (much more proficient than many other 70 year olds I know), they get documents signed via post, ID certified in person - all of these things have added a huge delay to this matter. We have been waiting for a land registry application to be expedited for weeks now and I thought all was in hand. I discovered that was not the case and the conveyancer was still waiting for signed authority to show the registering conveyancer. In the space of 15 minutes, I've drafted the letter we need to expedite the application and I've already got my authority in my engagement letter that I can send onto the other firm acting, once someone send me their details. Six weeks of waiting, solved in 15 minutes - and its not even in my scope of work! It baffles me that there are still firms who operate like this. Are they really afraid of technology, or are they too busy and trying to slow things down this way? Either way, with the new generations up and coming, they are going to have to change their methods of working fast or risk losing out on the work.

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Internal Legal Team VS Outsourcing After connecting with a lot of Senior members of Legal Teams recently and asking their thoughts, the majority seemed to favour the benefits of having an internal team. The benefits of having an internal team are: - Deep Understanding of the Business: In-house legal teams are fully integrated into the company. - Cost Efficiency: Maintaining an in-house legal team can be more cost-effective in the long run, they can proactively manage and mitigate risks, potentially avoiding expensive litigation and compliance issues. - Immediate Availability: An in-house legal team can address urgent issues immediately. This immediacy can be crucial in situations requiring quick legal responses from legal professionals who are already familiar with the company. - Consistent Legal Strategy: Having an in-house legal team ensures that the company’s legal strategy is consistent and cohesive. - Confidentiality and Security: Sensitive legal matters require utmost confidentiality and security. - Tailored Training and Development: In-house legal teams can be trained and developed to meet the specific needs of the company. By investing in an in-house team, companies can ensure they have dedicated legal professionals who are not only aligned with their goals but also integral to their success. Some companies do look at Legal as an immediate expense, they don't look at the savings for the future. Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences with in-house legal teams versus outsourcing in the comments below!

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We’ve heard from different partners in different firms recently who have said that the reason a particular senior lawyer was not being put up for partnership was because of poor financial hygiene. In each case the senior lawyer was high quality and hard-working – but had poor time recording, which meant that their billings were not reflective of their efforts and the firm was actually losing money on them. Time recording may not be the most exciting part of a lawyer's job, but it is an essential part of life in private practice. Don’t let this block your progression when this should be an easy fix. This is also a valuable lesson for junior lawyers and a reminder that it is good practice to get into the habit of effective time recording from an early stage in your career. For more career development insights please visit https://lnkd.in/eATd2ABF #careerdevelopment #knowledge #training #legalrecruitment #marsden

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Download Dye & Durham UK latest e-book for an easy-to-use guide on managing the business side of your law firm. Inside you’ll find: 🎯key industry insight about how other law firms operate 🎯breakdown of the benefits of practice management systems 🎯potential pitfalls if you don't have one Get your free copy: https://bit.ly/3ZJfZYG

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We appreciate that clients often want to have the opportunity to discuss their options fully without the constraints of mounting costs. We offer a fixed fee initial consultation. The initial consultation fee covers the entire meeting. For more information https://lnkd.in/eCwEiEp #FamilyLaw #ThanetSolicitor

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The UK Supreme Court recently delivered its long-awaited judgment in SkyKick UK Ltd and another (Appellants) v Sky Ltd and others (Respondents) [2024] UKSC 36, providing clarity on trade mark validity and the scope of bad faith in applications. This decision serves as a timely reminder for businesses and brand owners to adopt a focused approach to trade mark applications. Ashton Craven-Lockwood provides valuable insights and practical tips in this blog. https://lnkd.in/gXrtSKey #trademarklaw #intellectualproperty

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Oh dear, here we go again. Blurring lines and dominating change without any meaningful consultation. Another fracture - who will be completing the forms? Or 32 pages of ‘unknown rely on your own inspection’. Who will be advising no forms will be provided or only legal questions answered? Didn’t we learn anything from the BSA! #conveyancing #regulation #TA6 #consultation

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Lawyers – it’s good to have a ‘wish list’ when looking for a new role. These non-negotiables help with your search. BUT, beware of the pitfalls that also come with this…. The longer your list of non-negotiables, the fewer number of firms that will meet your expectations. Whilst it’s important to know what you need from a new opportunity, it’s also realistic to understand where you could compromise. Example 1 Flexible working – a firm might like you to be in the office 4 days a week whilst you’re on probation to give you the best introduction to life at the firm, become familiar with the client base, and give you all the training and support you need from an early outset. Once probation has been passed they’d then be happy with you working 2-3 days in the office. Could this compromise on flexible working be enough to reject an opportunity? Or is it just a preference that you’d want to work 2 days per week in the office from the outset? Some firms may satisfy your requirements in stages once you’ve settled into the firm. Example 2 Salary expectations – you may be looking for a £20k pay increase on your current salary, The new firm are prepared to offer you a £10k increase now, and a further £10k upon completion of your probation. Ok, this isn’t quite the immediate jump you were expecting, but what if you remain in your current firm for the next 6-12 months where there’s no pay increase? If your list of non-negotiables narrows your search so much, then be prepared to wait a long time for your ‘ideal firm’ to be recruiting. And then hope that you’re the only person applying! The point of all this…… A wish list is good to have, but not if it detriments your search for a new role entirely. 

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