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IIn today’s tight job market, helpful signs are plastered on storefronts, construction trucks and billboards, offering competitive wages and even signature signs to attract workers. it is possible. The need for talent is evident in sectors that face a shortage of workers – such as education, health care, hospitality and trades – but the battle for talent is also present in the Arizona legal profession. .
Brad Vynalek, Quarles & Brady partner and Phoenix inquiry president.
A market report by Georgetown University Law Center and the Thomson Reuters Institute found that “at the end of November 2021, all [categories of] Law firms are on pace to lose nearly a quarter of their associates by 2021. Additionally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that by August 2022, nearly 9,000 jobs will be lost. the legal services sector.
“Between 12 months ago and now is the most competitive time in the legal profession for at least the last 25 years,” said Brad Vynalek, Quarles & Brady partner and firm president at Phoenix. “Competition for talent at all levels — loan professionals, adjusters, associates, associates — is real. Right after the Great Recession, law school enrollment has dropped dramatically, that’s where we’re at in the industry.
In such an environment, firms are reluctant to hire and retain more efficient organizations.
College affiliation
One of the first ways to recruit new lawyers is to start in law school. Ray English, assistant dean of the Office of Career and Career Services at Arizona State University (ASU), explains that in addition to job fairs, there are three primary ways businesses and housing can work together seminar. The first is the Short-Term Research Assistance Program (SHARP) which allows employers — mostly smaller businesses — who need additional support for a project to pay a legal student.
Jennifer Cranston, shareholder at Gallagher & Kennedy,
Another option is extramural work, which occurs during the school year and earns students credit for a bachelor’s degree.
“There are 260 internships in each of the fall and spring semesters, and about 43% are internships,” English said. “We started that five years ago and it has become a real way to get a job after graduation. About 94% of students who enter a paid internship are employed within 10 months of graduation, and nearly half are employed in the industry they enrolled in. them out.
A third and unique opportunity is the summer fellowship program. According to English, large firms compete for 15% of the class not to have work experience but to enter the culture of the organization.
Jennifer Cranston, shareholder at Gallagher & Kennedy, went to law school at the University of Arizona and was hired as a summer associate at the firm she is still with today.
“From my experience, it is valuable because I know the industry and the work I do. Both are very good for me,” he said. “When I came back all the time [after graduation], I was still working on some of the cases I joined as a summer associate. It’s an international showcase for people studying the industry.”
Vynalek is also a summer associate at the firm who has been working for more than two decades – something she says is not uncommon around the office. Each year, the organization determines the number of new fellows it needs in the future and selects students accordingly. This past summer, eight of Quarles & Brady’s summer associates all accepted job offers at the end of the program, but he says the goal is to create top-notch legal professionals even if they stay. , or not.
“We’re in the people’s business and we work within the law,” says Vynalek. “It means putting together teams to work on big projects for clients, they need people who work well, understand the situation and have the ability to drive a business decision to another. legal issue.”
Retaining talent
Susie Ingold, shareholder at Burch & Cracchiolo.
For businesses to perform at their highest potential, recruiting top talent is just one part of the overall strategy. Employees want an environment where they are respected and can grow professionally, regardless of their position. According to Susie Ingold, shareholder at Burch & Cracchiolo, the best way to reduce employee turnover is to make the organization a pleasant place to be.
“For retention, we need to put our money where our mouth is and provide the sustainability we promised. [when recruiting],” Ingold said. “It really comes down to how good the job is. It’s providing jobs in legal areas [the attorney is] focused on practicing and building expertise in? Are we allowing them to grow in the areas of law where they want to develop professionally?”
Consulting is a focus at Burch & Cracchiolo, with associates working closely with a senior partner who works closely with them on small daily tasks and plans for the future. Understanding the advancement opportunities available, Ingold said, is another way for employees to understand the value of staying with the company.
“In the legal world, one of the biggest questions is, ‘When can I make a partner?'” Ingold said. “That way is very important, so knowing what criteria to meet those expectations is an important part of retention.”
At Vynalek’s firm, there is a training program called QBU, which is Quarles & Brady University. One track takes a group of 30 or more new lawyers to another state for leadership development, skills training, communication workshops and continuing education. An intermediate partner course builds on those concepts and examines the partner’s responsibilities. Finally, the high-level course takes lawyers who are about to enter the partnership and identify what final steps they need to take before promotion.
“With this QBU series, we have created a way to prepare a partner to go from their first day at the firm to a real partner who stays with us for ten years,” said a Vynalek.
Sometimes, supporting a lawyer means paying for them to attend seminars or conferences to expand their expertise, even if it’s not related to their work area. “We don’t tell you how to move your business forward, but you have the opportunity to do it yourself with the support of the business,” explained Cranston.
Check method
Company culture is another factor people stay and culture is nurtured when employees have a voice in the organization, says Mike Ross, shareholder at Gallagher & Kennedy. Some companies have resource groups and committees where employees can voice their opinions. However, in Ross’s experience, most formal meetings are ineffective because some people are unwilling to share their true feelings in a group setting or are not good at public speaking.
“Taking people out of their offices — whether it’s in a social setting or participating in charity events — is where you see the true scars of humanity,” he said. “These moments are powerful and are as much a part of the fiber of our business as anything else.”
“The truth is,” Ross continued, “cost is something that everyone thinks about. Hopefully, everyone comes to work because they like it, but come to work to get paid.However, it takes a lot of effort to make sure people understand that [the firm] we are a family and we are all big fans of the wheel.”
Vynalek adds that there are two important things to consider when it comes to culture. “One is that you can’t make sense. A consultant can give advice, but they can’t fix it for you,” he concluded. “And the second is that it’s a full-time job. You have to be responsive and always available to work. revolution in the world today.
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