According to the 2017 Robert Half Legal Salary Guide, salaries for lawyers could increase by as much as 4.5 per cent this year. A senior lawyer at a larger law firm or in-house department can fetch more than $300,000 in annual salary, creating a competitive market if you’re trying to hire for either an in-house counsel or law firm

Will Firms and Legal Departments Match Lawyer Salary Increases?

Many in the legal profession are speculating how small or boutique law firms will compete with larger organisations to recruit top talent given these lawyer salary hikes, while others are wondering how in-house legal teams will be affected.

It's important to keep in mind that many boutique or small-to-midsize law firms have flatter operational and compensation models. Billing rates at these smaller firms are typically lower than standard large firm rates and, as a result, they may not be in a position to raise salaries – nor do they necessarily want to in order to offer their clients lower rates and continue to retain their business.

On the corporate side, while some general counsel may not feel immediate pressure to increase compensation in response to recent law firm pay increases, most understand that competitive salaries and benefits are critical to attracting and retaining top legal talent long term. Many GCs will be taking recent industry trends into account when evaluating compensation levels for their in-house associates in the months ahead.

While salary is a top factor for many job candidates, research conducted by Robert Half Legal points to non-monetary benefits as key legal retention incentives. If law firms and corporate legal departments can’t increase recent lawyer salary ranges, they may be able to offer larger bonuses and enhanced benefits. Providing attractive non-monetary perks – remote work arrangements, flexible schedules, faster paths to partnerships or management roles, and professional development opportunities – can attract top talent to smaller firms or companies and help keep legal professionals motivated and satisfied on the job.

Lawyers list the top 3 best incentives, aside from compensation or bonus, for retaining legal professionals

Challenging work or variety of assignments	37%
Flexible work arrangements	28%
Professional development opportunities	16%

Robert Half Legal survey of 150. 75 of the respondents are employed at law firms with 20 or more employees and 75 are employed at companies with 1,000 or more employees. All respondents have hiring authority within their organizations.

1. Offer meaningful work.

Providing challenging work or variety of assignments not only enhances employee job satisfaction but also serves to identify future leaders. Managers should consider ways that tasks might be reassigned to advance employees' career goals.

2. Strive for work/life balance.

A key cause of dissatisfaction with legal jobs is the reality of the daily grind. Long hours and high stress have spurred some legal professionals to leave their jobs and even change careers. To improve work/life balance, consider the following approaches:

• Mitigate burnout. Managers can’t eliminate workplace stress, but they can help their teams better manage it. Offer flexible working options if appropriate and in between major caseloads, encourage team members to take time off. But don’t just talk the talk. When managers take vacation time, it demonstrates that it’s appropriate for staff members to do likewise. And when workloads are high, consider interim legal support to help reduce pressure on the team.
• Make time for pro bono work. Offering free legal service to nonprofit organizations may seem counterintuitive to legal teams that are already stretched. However, pro bono work not only gives back to the community, it also adds meaning to people’s jobs and helps them feel good about their legal careers.

3. Recognize employees’ contributions.

Team members who receive constructive feedback and regular recognition are more motivated to stay with their organisation. Review recognition strategies and step up acknowledgement of top talent:

• Re-evaluate compensation. While money isn't the only factor in job satisfaction, it is important and keeping lawyer salary packages competitive will help retention rates. While firms or companies may choose not to match recent associate pay hikes, managers should continue to evaluate compensation and non-monetary benefits that are prized by legal professionals.
• Value more than work. Get to know the strengths and interests of legal team members; work with them to align assignments with these attributes, a tactic that can help to increase both morale and productivity.

4. Be an engaged manager.

Workers who feel their managers are responsive, respectful and invested in their careers are more likely to remain in their jobs.

• Be transparent. Communicate honestly and don't leave employees in the dark when change occurs. Keep them apprised of the organisation's short- and long-term goals. And give them a voice in decisions that affect them.

5. Provide development opportunities.

Encourage professional development; motivate staff to pursue the projects and cases that will interest them. By emphasizing ongoing education, organisations demonstrate they value and support the long-term success of their staff. Effective programs include mentoring, free CPD and online classes.

To retain the best and brightest legal talent, it’s important to monitor industry developments and enhance compensation and benefits programs when needed. Industry resources such as the Robert Half Legal Salary Guide can help employers evaluate hiring trends and customize lawyer salary offers.

 

Robert Half Legal survey of 150. 75 of the respondents are employed at law firms with 20 or more employees and 75 are employed at companies with 1,000 or more employees. All respondents have hiring authority within their organizations.