Posts Tagged ‘associate retention’
How Time Pressure Changes Law Firm Hiring Behaviour
How Time Pressure Changes Law Firm Hiring Behaviour, by Stephanie White, Senior Associate – May 2026 Most hiring decisions in law firms are framed as strategic. In reality, many are made under pressure, and this is particularly heightened in a market where there is a high demand for experienced legal professionals within particular practice areas.…
Read MoreThe Early Warning Signs Firms Miss Before Valued People Leave
Resignations rarely come out of nowhere. In most cases, the decision to leave a law firm or in-house legal team has been forming quietly for months, sometimes longer. By the time notice is given, the individual has already moved through a period of reflection, recalibration, and, often, disengagement. And yet, across the legal job market…
Read MoreWhy Cultural Fit Is Often Decided Before the Interview Ends
There’s a quiet moment in most interviews that rarely makes it into hiring frameworks or feedback forms. It’s not when credentials are confirmed or when technical questions are answered correctly. It’s earlier than that — often within the first third of the conversation — when both sides begin to form a view on whether this…
Read MoreWhy high performers are not always the safest hires
In legal recruitment, the term “high performer” carries weight. Strong billing figures. Consistent matter ownership. Positive client feedback. A CV that reflects progression and achievement. On paper, these candidates often appear low risk. Proven. Reliable. The kind of hire firms feel confident making. And yet, across the legal job market in Australia, there is a…
Read MoreFlexibility in Law: From Benefit to Baseline
For many years, flexibility in legal careers was positioned as a benefit. Something offered selectively. Something negotiated. Something that signalled a progressive firm culture. Today, that framing no longer holds. Across the legal job market in Australia, flexibility is no longer viewed as an advantage. It is increasingly seen as a baseline expectation – for…
Read MoreWhy Counteroffers Fail More Often Than Firms Expect
When a valued employee resigns, the instinctive response from many law firms is immediate: make a counteroffer. The logic seems sound. If the issue is salary, adjust it. If the concern is title, accelerate progression. If the risk is losing a high performer, act quickly and retain them. And yet, counteroffers fail far more…
Read MoreWhy Career Security Now Looks Different Than It Did Five Years Ago
For a long time, career security in law was defined by continuity. Stay with the same firm. Progress steadily. Avoid gaps or lateral movement that might raise questions. Stability was visible, linear, and often tied to tenure rather than adaptability. That definition is quietly breaking down. Across the Australian legal market, both lawyers and legal…
Read MoreThe quiet skills law firms are hiring for, before they appear in job ads
Every week, we speak with law firm Partners, HR managers and team leaders across Brisbane and Queensland about their hiring plans. What’s interesting is this: The roles they advertise are rarely the same as the problems they’re actually trying to solve. The real hiring decisions are being driven by a set of “quiet skills” –…
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