Articles From the Team

How to retain a full team in Manchester’s ‘lawyer short’ legal market

From my perspective, the Manchester legal industry is thriving. This became particularly apparent when I attended the Manchester Legal Awards in January where I witnessed an array of firms, (including international, national, regional and smaller) with highly successful operations in the North West. Gone are the days where Manchester-based national and regional firms stand alone; these firms are joined by international ‘challengers’, and at the other end of the spectrum, niche and specialist local firms.

The gaps

Concurrently (and partly due to), the first half of this year has seen a record number of relocations to the Manchester market. Yet, despite the influx, there seems to be a real dearth of lawyers across the commercial side of the profession.

Remaining flexible in a fierce market

For firms looking to fill any gaps within their teams, investing time and money in the development of junior staff (both internally and externally) is a great tactic to remain fierce. Another key factor is firm attractiveness at interview as it’s important to remember it’s always both parties who are judged. It’s vital you convey the benefits (of joining your firm) from the moment a sought lawyer walks through the door. A full-proof tactic is introducing candidates to their future peer group. It’s always good for a candidate to speak with someone else who’s experienced a similar journey and can tell them what the training and development are really like.

Lack of flexibility is one of the top reasons why law firms lose top lawyers. To learn about the other four, click here.

The term ‘culture’ should never be used as a mere buzzword

You should make every effort to ensure your workplace is a genuinely nice place to be in. It’s amazing how many lawyers come to us looking for a better culture as opposed to a salary increase. Not only will your staff stick around, they’ll actively sell the workplace to others.  

Click here to find out why it's important to have loyal employees.