In-house lawyers even consider contract attorneys while searching for full-time hires
A majority of general counsels and chief legal officers in the US would rather hire lawyers than partner with private-practice firms, a new survey has revealed.
Among more than 500 in-house counsel, which includes general counsels and chief legal officers, 65% say that they would like their in-house talent pool to grow instead of relying on outside counsel, according to a survey by legal staffing and e-discovery service provider Special Counsel.
Among the respondents, 32% said that they would consider using contract attorneys while searching for the right people to hire in-house. More than half said that they plan to grow or would consider expanding their department this year.
The survey also revealed that money is not the biggest consideration for those working in in-house legal teams, with only 13% of respondents saying this was the leading reason why they worked at their current company. Long-term growth opportunities and flexible work arrangements were the top reasons, both cited by 23% of respondents, respectively. Nearly half of the respondents (48%) say that they have been in their current job for at least six years.
“Monetary compensation is only one piece of the puzzle,” said Amanda Ellis, senior vice president at Special Counsel. “Following suit with other industries, in-house legal departments are now offering alternative perks to compete for and retain talent.”
The survey found that 56% of respondents were not confident of their talent acquisition department’s ability to attract lawyers, saying these departments lacked expertise.
