HR professionals in the legal
sector have are being urged to work more closely with senior lawyers to help
recruit and retain staff.
A new report by recruitment
consultants EJ Legal claims that young lawyers are not committed to a
traditional legal career.
Two-thirds of lawyers believe
that the career structure is in need of change, while 85 per cent of HR
professionals believe that it is fine.
When asked whether the
opportunity to follow a different career path would have an impact on
retention, 60 per cent of partners said that it would.
Forty five per cent of HR
professionals didn’t consider it to be an issue.
Eighty-five per cent of HR
staff believe that family friendly policies are key to retaining lawyers, and
65 per cent of those without said that they are considering introducing
family-friendly policies.
EJ Legal’s Warren Green said,
“The survey reveals a widespread difference of opinion between legal and HR
professions. To ensure lawyers’ concerns are addressed, the two must start
working closer together to ensure there is not a decline in talent joining the
profession, or indeed, lawyers leaving the profession.”
By Paul Nelson