Legal recruiters can be a tremendous resource to employers.

They are wild connectors and can serve in many value-add connecting needs.

But like any business relationship, it requires nurturing and some of the basic

steps any important relationship would require. 

Here are 5 Tips for Getting the Most from Your Legal Recruiter Relationship

1) Regular communication – Be intentional 

Stay in touch with your select recruiters at a minimum quarterly but I recommend monthly. Coordinate in office meetings. 

Introduce him/her to new laterals/hires and key decision makers.  If there’s an active search, there should be a weekly or biweekly frequency of communication via the phone. 

2) Build relationship – Be inquisitive and vulnerable 

Get to know your recruiter(s). Discover what makes them tick and who are they? Be candid and vulnerable with them

both personally and professionally. Draw them into your world. Share and ask for insights from the news, books and current market conditions. I find the stronger the relationship between the recruiter and the client the more effective the search and candidate 

placements become. 

3) Marketing materials & the selling points – Be empowering

Empower your recruiter with all the knowledge they need to know about the opportunity, the people

involved with the new hire and the culture of your company/firm. Help them understand why someone 

very happy and content would want to leave their employer and join yours. 

4) Your events – Be social and inviting 

Invite your recruiter to your events. Saturate them in your company/firm’s culture and people. 

The more they understand who you are, the more they will get excited and passionate about

serving your growing needs. A passionate recruiter is an effective recruiter. 

5) Your Eyes and Ears – Be front of mind 

Your goal as an employer is to have the recruiter be thinking about your strategic needs 24/7. This, 

of course, depends on your demand for growth. Challenge your recruiter. Ask them for market 

intelligence and insight into competitors and other industries. Depending on how deep you go in 

relationship, respect and trust, your recruiter could be someone who will be on the look out for great 

quality candidates and opportunities to bring to your attention.  

Conclusion

Recruiters work with who they like and are passionate about serving. These two elements are never present unless the legal recruiter and client have done the hard work of relationship building. These 5 tips help explain how this can develop.
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Related Pages

Legal Recruiting and the Search Agreement

Ethics, Legal Recruiting & Accountability

How to Select the Right Legal Recruiter

How to Create LinkedIn Company Pages 

Sourcing Attorneys through LinkedIn Groups

3 Steps to Sourcing Attorneys on Twitter

Using Job Boards to Source Attorney Candidates


For more information on our legal recruiting services, contact us.

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