The nature of the legal function has drastically shifted from reactive to proactive. As a result, the criteria for making smart legal hires has also changed.
As LinkSquares Chief Legal Officer (CLO) Tim Parilla writes, “Gone are the days where being a good lawyer was good enough; the best in-house attorneys can succinctly and effectively provide actionable perspectives from both the business and the legal perspectives.”
This means making good hiring decisions requires more than just hiring candidates that meet certain career criteria. It’s no longer enough to hire lawyers based on years spent at law firm or extracurricular activities. Smart hiring decisions will always be based on the needs of the business. Hire to fill a gap, not to check a box. Here are some considerations for making good legal hiring decisions.
Business Growth Stage
Your legal department’s headcount depends on your company’s size and growth stage. In early-stage companies, when outsourcing legal services is no longer tenable, executives need to hire a legal leader who is both good at law and is business savvy.
“A key aspect of becoming that trusted business advisor and truly strong legal leader,” says Parilla, “is learning to embrace risk and own the business decisions around opportunities, standing side-by-side with non-legal counterparts in both success and failure.”
As the business grows, it’s essential to continue making legal hires based on legal needs. For example, legal teams at smaller companies tend to need generalists, while larger businesses need more specialists.
Analytical Minds
CLO Tim Parilla points out that although past legal strategies depended largely on prior experience and on-the-job training, “the reality of today’s business environment is that the legal team must incorporate data in the decision-making process.”
Today, legal departments lean more heavily on data to prove value, inform decisions, and support team operations. So when making hiring decisions, the best choice is a candidate who backs up their strong gut instincts with data. The best hires can make sense of the data and recommend improvements based on their findings.
Tech Mindedness
While technology is pretty common in modern business, lawyers haven’t always approached digital transformation with an open mind. Yet, it’s impossible to maintain a competitive edge when contracts don’t move as quickly as the business does.
The best legal leaders and teammates understand that technology can address business pain points, improve operational efficiency, and provide deeper insight into legal’s work. As Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) tools become more integral to the legal function, it’s crucial that businesses make legal hires that can adapt to technology, upskill to meet demands, and discern the true value of tech tools.
Takeaways
Making smart hiring decisions is key to the success of your legal team and business in general. Without a strong team, your department can’t perform at the highest level, and your business may lose any competitive advantage gained through revenue.
See how CLM can be a strong member of your legal team. Request a demo today.
