A fast fill isn’t the same as a lasting one, and the difference shows up on your bottom line.
Are you preparing to grow your law firm and need extra help to handle more cases? The right law firm staffing partner can vet candidates for long-term goals rather than short-term gains. The reason you need the right hires is that you can’t afford a misstep in a legal case, such as missing a deadline or having an unprepared client.
Using an expert in legal support staff recruiting and paralegal staffing solutions helps you focus on your core business model. Meanwhile, the legal staffing agency does what it does best: find the right person for your firm. Read on to learn more about how finding the right person for your firm is one key to growth.
What Turnover Costs a Firm
Law firms lose more to turnover in legal support roles than most partners realize. Turnover in any specialized industry or role gets expensive quickly. SHRM estimates that replacing an employee can cost between 50% and 200% of their annual salary, depending on the role and seniority level. Apply this to a paralegal role, and your firm has a real, calculable number for its bottom line. Good help is hard to find, but it’s also pricey to keep.
Legal support roles are vital to your firm’s growth. Without them, attorneys do administrative work rather than focus on clients and cases. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) notes that the median annual wage for paralegals and legal assistants was $61,010 in May 2024. There are about 39,300 openings for paralegals and legal assistants projected each year in the coming years, driven mostly by workers leaving the occupation rather than new role creation.
So, if you’re paying a paralegal $61,000 a year, replacing that employee leads to a turnover cost between $30,000 and $122,000. Legal occupations in general see around 83,800 openings per year. This means turnover, not growth, drives these numbers, notes the BLS. You can’t afford to hire the wrong staff.
A transactional legal staffing agency that just fills a seat doesn’t fix the underlying problem. You need to evaluate a long-term law firm staffing partner on retention outcomes, not just time-to-fill.
Why Generalist Staffing Falls Short in Legal Work
Legal support roles require specialized knowledge. They must know filing rules for the local jurisdiction. Staffers need to know what can and cannot be said during intake calls. They also need to be savvy enough to know which cases are viable enough to take and which ones to avoid.
A generalist staffing vendor optimizes for speed to fill. Long-term paralegal staffing solutions optimize for role fit.
Legal support staff recruiting agencies should locate someone who is familiar with these aspects specific to legal work:
- Case management systems
- Billing practices
- Documentation standards
Without this type of savvy employee, you could lose cases and client trust quickly.
The Evaluation Checklist
Your law firm must evaluate a legal staffing agency carefully. Ask questions, get references, and see case studies. Evaluation criteria should include:
Specialization in legal placements in your local jurisdiction. How many firms have used this staffing agency in the past?
Screening depth beyond resume keywords, including any certifications and aptitude for legal work.
A track record of placements that last, which is where statistics and references come into play.
Much like winning a case is a long-term endeavor, having a partner that values longevity is important when it comes to hiring the right staff for your legal team. Don’t count on a generic staffing agency to come through for you because they just want to fill seats.
What Long-Term Success Looks Like With a Law Firm Staffing Partner
Retention, not placement speed, is the real success metric when you consider how much money it costs to replace someone who leaves your office. Law firms may lose more to turnover in legal support roles than most partners realize.
A transactional staffing vendor that just fills a seat doesn’t fix the underlying problem. The right long-term legal staffing partner is evaluated on retention outcomes, not just time-to-fill. Reach out to your local Snelling office to talk to a legal staffing agency with expertise in placing paralegals and legal assistants. You can limit your investment in finding relevant staff to build your team, possibly for less than the cost of replacing a bad hire.
FAQ
How does Snelling evaluate candidates for legal support roles beyond a resume?
We screen for jurisdiction-specific knowledge, familiarity with case management systems and billing practices, and aptitude for legal work, not just keyword matches on a resume.
Does Snelling track retention outcomes for legal placements, not just fill speed?
Yes. We evaluate our own performance on placements that last, since a fast fill that turns over in a few months costs your firm more than it saves.
Can Snelling help law firms find both paralegals and other legal support staff?
Yes. We place paralegals, legal assistants, and other legal support roles, matched to your firm’s specific practice area and jurisdiction.
How does working with a local Snelling office benefit a law firm?
A local office understands your jurisdiction’s filing rules and local legal market, which helps us place candidates who are ready to contribute without a long ramp-up.
What should a law firm ask a staffing partner before committing?
Ask about their specialization in legal placements, how deep their screening process goes, and whether they can share a track record of placements that lasted. Snelling can speak to all three.
