Retaining Top Talent in the World of Contract Legal Professionals

Whether you are part of a law firm or a corporate legal department, you’ve probably used or seriously considered using contract legal professionals for project work and to fill specialized positions. The cost savings and increased productivity that contract legal professionals offer simply make good business sense. The question is no longer whether a firm should or should not use contract legal professionals, but rather how they will attract and retain top talent in the competitive world of contract legal professionals.

After the decision has been made to hire contract legal professionals, it’s critical to invest a small amount of time in developing a retention plan for the contractors you so carefully selected.  

Retention of a contract employee starts well before that person has been selected for the project. Your plan for retaining contractors should begin at the hiring stage and cover the basic components needed to successfully manage any team or individual. The following list provides a brief summary of the priority points to address when constructing your retention plan:

Legal Staffing Agency

In selecting an agency that you will partner with, there are a few things to consider:

Benefits Package: Inquire as to the benefits package the agency offers to their contract employees. In today’s world of flexible schedules and alternative employment arrangements, medical benefits should no longer be an option reserved only for traditional employees. You should have the satisfaction of knowing that the agency of your choice is treating their employees exceptionally well.

Agency References: Ask for references from clients and candidates who can speak to the agency’s ability to successfully staff contractors on long-term assignments.

Communication: Expectations should be clearly communicated to contractors at the onset of a project. These include performance expectations, office hours, deadlines, agency contact/point person and office conduct. Your agency should have a designated point person who is available and accessible to you and to the contractors. Each person on the team should have the point person’s direct dial and after hours contact information. Ask your agency to prepare a Policy Guide for contract employee conduct on assignment that is specific to your current project, so that the communication of basic conduct expectations is consistent.

As the project progresses, provide feedback on individual performance and status updates for the case on which the team is working. You may want to consider having a regular monthly meeting with the team and include the agency’s point person in this meeting.

Contractor Selection

Determine who, at the firm, will interview candidates or if the firm will only be reviewing resumes. Once contractors have been selected for the project, determine how they will be notified and what information they will receive upon notification. Also, determine how orientation on the first day will be handled. Partner with your agency on these two points and be sure they are clearly communicating the particulars of this assignment to the selected contractors.

Retention Bonuses

Consider offering a retention bonus to contractors who successfully remain on the project until the completion date. You can also offer a retention bonus for every three or six months they remain on assignment. Determine what the bonus will be, what the requirements are in order to be eligible for the bonus and when the bonus will be paid. Communicate the bonus potential and schedule of bonus payout at the onset of the project. This can be a key element in retaining contract employees, so don’t be afraid to over-communicate the potential bonus. Your staffing firm should be able to track each employee’s time on assignment and be able to process these bonuses for the employees in a timely manner.

Contractor Appreciation

The treatment and respect that contractors receive while on assignment are critical. Time and time again our contractors have said that the treatment they receive at a firm while on a temporary project is one of the primary factors in successfully fulfilling their commitment to the project. Communicating your basic expectations to the contractors is the first step in making them feel respected and connected to the firm. 

Simply put, an investment in a smart retention plan will allow your firm to successfully utilize the contract employees you’ve chosen, maximize productivity and reap the cost-savings benefits associated with hiring contract employees.