A legal recruiter is a human resource (HR) professional dedicated to finding and placing lawyers and other legal staff (e.g., paralegals and mediators) into open positions in various industries, not just law firms. Unlike general HR professionals, legal recruiters have specialized training and knowledge in law-related careers and may even be lawyers or legal professionals themselves. Many legal recruiters work with both companies and candidates with the goal of matching them within their own networks.

Working with a legal recruiter is especially helpful for non-law-based industries looking for in-house counsel or other legal professionals. Legal recruiters can fill a gap in knowledge for the existing HR department, which likely has more expertise with their core industry rather than the legal field. For individuals looking for a job in the legal industry, working with a legal recruiter can help them gain access to certain job listings that would be otherwise hard to locate as well as ease the burden of job hunting.

Like any HR professional, a legal recruiter will follow a specific set of steps to understand an industry, company, and need before searching for candidates, vetting them, and helping place them in jobs. For candidates working with a legal recruiter, the recruiter’s goal is to help determine the best traits within that candidate and properly highlight those traits to potential employers through job searches, resume assistance, interview coaching, and more.

There are many advantages to working with a legal recruiter for both businesses and individuals. Broadly, legal recruiters have access to a wide network of businesses and individuals in the legal world, have expertise in the legal industry that general recruiters or HR professionals may lack, and understand the unique need for confidentiality within the legal world.

However, one of the biggest benefits of working with a legal recruiter is the time they take to thoroughly understand the requirements of their clients. Experienced legal recruiters work closely with their clients, both businesses and individuals, to determine the specific skills, experience, and qualifications needed for a vacant position and filter through candidates in a way that helps streamline and decrease the time wasted within the hiring process for both businesses and candidates.

While legal recruiters can work as an agent of a business trying to hire a legal professional or as an agent of a candidate who is looking for a job within the legal profession, the general outline of a legal recruiter’s process is largely the same. For simplicity’s sake, let’s take a look at what a legal recruiter will do for a business that hires them to fill an open position. This will enable candidates to understand where they would fit into each step.

The first step of the legal recruiting process is candidate screening. Legal recruiters will employ various methods to source potential candidates, including leveraging their professional networks, using online job boards, and reaching out to passive candidates, as well as looking into the resumes of candidates that they or their firm represents. They may also utilize databases, social media platforms, and industry events to identify and attract top legal talent.

After they locate possible candidates, legal recruiters’ next step is to conduct initial screenings of those potential candidates. During these screenings, they assess each candidate’s legal expertise, experience, and cultural fit with the client organization. During this phase, recruiters often verify candidates’ credentials, conduct reference checks, and assess their motivations for considering a new opportunity.

Following the screening process, recruiters will facilitate contact between the candidates and their client organizations by coordinating and scheduling interviews between the clients and the candidates. This helps ensure a smooth and efficient hiring process as well as maintains confidentiality for both clients and candidates, if needed. During this phase, the recruiter may provide valuable feedback to both parties after interviews to help streamline the decision-making process.

Choosing the right legal recruiter for you or your business is all about matching their skills with your needs, much like the general hiring process used for other positions. In particular, however, an effective legal recruiter possesses a combination of skills, qualities, and characteristics that contribute to their success in identifying and connecting top legal talent with opportunities. Let’s take a look at some of those key qualities.

Recruiters who specialize in legal placements must possess a deep knowledge of the legal industry, including the specific skills and qualifications required for different roles. This in-depth understanding of the legal profession, including different practice areas, types of legal roles, and the specific skills and qualifications required for various positions, helps legal recruiters accurately and effectively match candidates and companies.

Legal recruiters must have extensive networks within the legal community, which allows them to tap into a pool of qualified candidates who may or may not be actively seeking new opportunities. A robust professional network within the legal community gives legal recruiters access to job seekers with various skill sets and helps them stay informed about industry trends and developments. Good recruiters know exactly how to leverage these professional networks, along with industry events and legal associations, to identify potential candidates.

Choosing the right legal recruiter for your company can certainly be a challenge. However, by taking time to assess the recruiter’s expertise, network, and dedication to understanding both client and candidate requirements, it’s possible to find the best recruiter for your company.

At Walrath Recruiting, Inc., our team includes experienced legal recruiters known for their deep knowledge of the legal industry and mastery at serving both corporate and individual clients. We tailor our legal recruiting process to each client’s needs, taking time to fully understand the industry, the specific job opening, and the culture of the business to determine the best matches with potential candidates.

Ready to learn more? Contact us to begin your journey to hire a recruiter today.