Sharpen Your Search for Skilled Attorneys: A 2025 Legal Hiring Playbook

Legal

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By Jamy Sullivan, JD, Executive Director, Legal Practice Group, Robert Half

In today’s fiercely competitive legal talent landscape, attorneys are big game. Law firms and legal departments are working harder than ever to find and secure them. Attorneys are in the top 15% of all legal roles employers are trying to recruit, according to Robert Half’s latest Demand for Skilled Talent report.

Throw in a historically low quarterly unemployment rate for lawyers and attorneys (currently a mere 0.4%), and it’s clear that legal teams face an uphill battle in their quest for the best and brightest.

But adopting a forward-thinking hiring strategy can help. Here’s how to attract and retain attorneys who can help drive your law firm or legal department forward in 2025.

Sharpen Your Search for Skilled Attorneys

Sought-after legal skills for 2025
Strategies to attract and retain top attorneys
Contract or permanent?

Sought-after legal skills for 2025

Law firms and in-house legal teams alike crave specialization. So, what specific skills and experiences should be topping your hiring wish list?

Here are the top strategic initiatives for which law firms and legal departments are hiring for the rest of 2025, according to research from Robert Half, and related competencies and experience to look for in attorney candidates to help achieve their goals:

Law firms

Expanding to new practice areas: This remains a leading strategy through 2025 as firms adapt to client demands for compliance, cybersecurity, privacy and regulatory defense expertise.

Data security and privacy compliance: Firms are prioritizing hiring attorneys with strength in data protection regulations like GDPR and CCPA to bolster risk mitigation and client confidence.

AI and legal technology integration: AI integration and other legal technologies are key strategic drivers for law firms. Candidates skilled in AI-powered research, analytics and e-discovery tools can elevate effectiveness and client service.

Legal departments

Technology implementation and automation: Legal departments emphasize implementing and automating systems—from contract management to workflow orchestration—to boost efficiency.

Compliance and regulatory affairs: In-house teams are also doubling down on hiring attorneys versed in compliance, governance and risk management to navigate evolving regulations.

AI innovation and governance: With AI reshaping the legal landscape, legal departments are seeking talent capable of ethically integrating and governing AI tools to support innovation while creating policies and managing risk.

Strategies to attract and retain top attorneys

Recognizing the pivot toward specialized skills is one thing—attracting attorneys who have them is another. To stand out as an employer of choice, consider these strategies:

Think beyond salary. Today’s legal job candidates value competitive compensation, of course, but it’s no longer the sole deciding factor for many. They are more focused on avoiding burnout and promoting work-life balance, so flexible schedules, remote work options when possible and generous leave policies can be effective enticements. Learn more about thinking beyond salary in the most recent Salary Guide From Robert Half.

Offer a variety of development opportunities. Tuition and CLE reimbursement programs, internal training, conference attendance and other avenues to upskilling demonstrate your commitment to helping your attorneys stay ahead of the curve.

Make your work culture work for you. Promote and provide a collaborative setting where diverse perspectives are welcomed, and mentorship and training programs pave the way for career advancement. Imagine an environment where a junior attorney feels comfortable approaching a senior partner for guidance on a complex case, knowing they’ll receive support and expertise. That’s an attractive organizational culture for job seekers.

Leverage technology. Outdated systems frustrate tech-savvy attorney candidates and make your firm seem behind the times. Show your commitment to technology by investing in modern solutions. In job interviews, highlight how your firm uses the latest tools to streamline processes and deliver better client services.

Showcase your brand. Make your firm or legal department’s mission and values central to your recruitment messaging. Attorneys—especially younger generations—want to feel connected to a larger purpose, and this resonates strongly in a competitive hiring market. For example, does your firm offer pro bono work to community nonprofits or otherwise strive to have a positive social impact?

For more legal hiring insights from Robert Half, see 2025 In-Demand Legal Roles and Hiring Trends.

Contract or permanent?

Whether to hire contract or permanent attorneys is a decision a talent solutions specialist can help with, but here are some ways to think about your needs:

Contract attorneys remain a cost-effective solution when you need interim lawyers for short-term projects or to tap into specialized expertise temporarily. Leveraging a flexible blend of contract and permanent staff helps maintain both agility and long-term capacity. And many legal leaders acknowledge this. Sixty-five percent are planning to increase their use of contract professionals through the second half of the year, and 94% are hiring for either new or vacated permanent positions.

Permanent attorneys can help the firm or department build institutional knowledge that leads to optimal decision-making. You’ll ultimately want to help establish a career path for these hires and make every effort to retain them. These professionals are also instrumental in developing rich, long-term relationships with clients.

Not sure what you’re looking for? Hiring for contract or permanent roles doesn’t have to be an either/or decision. A scalable talent model—using a combination of permanent employees and contract professionals—offers flexibility, allowing you to adjust your workforce up or down more easily as needed and stay ahead of competitors.

The future of legal hiring is flexible, tech-savvy and purpose-driven. With 96% of law firms and legal departments reporting challenges finding the talent they need, legal leaders can find and retain skilled attorneys by benchmarking compensation, fostering an organizational culture of growth and learning, investing in technology, and opting for a mix of contract and permanent professionals.

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

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