Year-End Hiring for Legal Teams: Strategies to Support a Busy Season

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By Jamy Sullivan, JD, Executive Director, Legal Practice Group, Robert Half As 2025 draws to a close, legal teams across the country are preparing for one of the busiest periods of the year. Year-end hiring deadlines, regulatory filings, technology rollouts and mounting caseloads mean leaders cannot afford staffing gaps. Many are turning to contract talent to provide the specialized skills and flexibility needed to complete critical work before the end of the year.

Our latest Demand for Skilled Talent research highlights the widespread adoption of this approach: 65% of legal leaders plan to increase their use of contract talent in the second half of 2025. They also shared the top benefits of hiring contract/temporary professionals: access to specialized skills, cost savings compared with permanent hires and the ability to scale teams up or down quickly.

In this article, I’ll explore what is driving year-end hiring for legal teams, how organizations can hire fast without sacrificing quality and strategies to support retention while planning for the year ahead.

Managing year-end legal hiring

Why contract talent are critical at year-end
Balancing contract/temporary and permanent hiring
Looking ahead to 2026
Final thought: Expect the unexpected

Why contract talent are critical at year-end

In the final months of the year, demands converge. Litigation dockets, regulatory deadlines and compliance audits often peak in Q4. Meanwhile, permanent staff may take much-needed time off, leaving leaders with fewer resources.

Legal leaders face a dynamic and evolving environment requiring extra staff to address these priority projects and ensure their business runs effectively at year-end. Contract/Temporary hiring enables rapid team adjustments without incurring the long-term costs of permanent hires.

This is why we see firms and legal departments relying on interim staff to cover spikes in workload and bridge talent gaps. The benefits are clear:

Specialized skills: Contract/temporary professionals can bring immediate skills in areas such as compliance, corporate governance or eDiscovery

Cost-effectiveness: Contract/temporary employees can address urgent needs without adding to permanent headcount

Speed and flexibility: Teams can adjust more quickly than if they waited for a permanent hire

Priority projects driving year-end hiring

Our research shows the projects for which legal leaders are most likely to engage contract/temporary professionals in the final six months of 2025 include:

1. Technology implementations, such as eDiscovery tools, contract lifecycle management (CLM) platforms and AI-powered systems

2. Regulatory compliance and risk management

3. Employment and HR support, including disputes, labor law compliance and I-9 audits

4. Litigation related to business operations

5. Corporate governance, especially in data privacy, cybersecurity and records retention

The data also underscores a theme: Legal departments are spearheading technology adoption and governance, while law firms focus on litigation support. Both types of projects demand professionals with current knowledge of regulations, technology and case management tools.

Balancing contract/temporary and permanent hiring

One of the most common questions I hear is: When should leaders hire contract/temporary professionals versus investing in permanent talent?

If the work is project-oriented and has a defined end date, contract hiring is an effective approach. This is especially true when the need is urgent, or the budget cannot yet support a permanent role.

On the other hand, if the skill gap is long term or if the organization needs to build institutional knowledge in areas like data governance or AI policy, then a permanent hire may be more appropriate. Contract/temporary professionals can be a short-term solution and a bridge, maintaining momentum while permanent teams upskill or future needs are assessed.

Hiring quickly without sacrificing quality

Speed is one of the biggest challenges legal leaders face in the hiring process. Eighty-four percent are concerned about finding talent quickly when it is needed, and 79% are concerned about keeping critical business projects on track.

To move fast while maintaining quality, legal teams should:

Streamline evaluation and interview processes: Clarify steps and eliminate bottlenecks so decisions can be made quickly

Maintain updated job descriptions: Even if needs evolve, having a recent description ready to edit helps reduce delays when openings arise

Strengthen your employer brand: Candidates—especially specialized contract/temporary professionals—gravitate to organizations with strong reputations for corporate culture and development

Working with an established talent solutions source like Robert Half can also help accelerate timelines by giving you immediate access to pre-evaluated professionals.

Preventing burnout and supporting retention

Retention is a pressure point. Nearly all law firm leaders (97%) and a large majority of legal department leaders (89%) say they are concerned about holding on to top talent. The year-end rush only amplifies the risk of burnout.

To mitigate that risk, encourage your team to take their vacation and downtime. Employees need opportunities to recharge after a demanding year. To ensure work demands are met, engage contract talent to cover gaps so permanent staff can take time off with less stress.

Two other strategies that can improve morale and reduce turnover are offering flexible work models and investing in professional development. Many attorneys and legal staff value hybrid schedules, and year-end is a natural time to plan training and upskilling for 2026, which can strengthen loyalty.

Retention is about more than pay. Attorneys now highly value flexibility, career growth and work-life balance.

Looking ahead to 2026

While addressing immediate year-end hiring needs is critical, legal leaders should also take a forward-looking approach. What strategies will ensure competitiveness in 2026 and beyond?

Several stand out:

Plan for emerging roles: Legal technologists, data analytics specialists and governance experts are becoming essential

Prepare for AI governance: As organizations adopt generative AI tools, expect new policy and compliance demands

Assess data governance frameworks: Proactive planning around records retention, cybersecurity and privacy will be a differentiator

Build a blended workforce strategy: Combining permanent staff with contract professionals ensures agility during uncertain times

Year-end hiring offers an opportunity to test and refine these approaches, positioning teams for success in the new year.

Final thought: Expect the unexpected

Even with careful planning, surprises happen. End-of-year hiring often bumps against budget limits, holiday absences or unforeseen litigation and compliance needs.

My advice to employers is simple: Be flexible. Keep talent pipelines open, lean on contract talent when demands spike and give your permanent team the space to rest and recharge.

By balancing immediate staffing needs with forward-looking strategy, legal teams can not only manage the year-end rush but also enter 2026 stronger, more resilient and ready for what comes next.

 Learn more about how Robert Half can help you find the legal talent you need.

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