Build an Employer Brand for Your Law Firm in 8 Easy Steps

If you don’t manage your employer brand, it’s going to manage itself, whether you like the results of it or not.  That is just the unfortunate truth.

Of candidates surveyed:

·      75% say your reputation matters

·      79% are looking at your mission when considering applying to your job or accepting your offer

·      75% preferred a managed brand

We’re at a strange time in the employee market.  The job market is cooling but workers still have power.  Ages are high, employment is strong and the job-hopping opportunities are plentiful.

As such, you must be standing out as an employer of choice.  Whether you’re a solo firm, a small firm, a mid-sized firm or a large law firm, passive and active candidates care about who you are to the general public, in the marketplace, and as an employer.

Let’s work on building your employer brand. 

Step One | Start with the Audit

The first step we must take in building the employer brand for our law firm is to figure out what it currently is.  Your employer brand may be that you don’t have one at all (yes, the absence of branding is still considered a brand). 

You can find out your status in the employee market by checking Glassdoor for employee reviews.  You may not even know that former disgruntled employees left you a review.  You may not know that a former or current employee is raving about you online.  You can also check Indeed and other hiring sites. 

You can also hire a ghost surveyor.  What this person will do is go out there anonymously and figure out what people think about your firm.  They will ask other local firms (with your permission), survey professionals in the local market place, survey former employees, and have sit down interviews with your current employees.

You can also ask your employees on your own.  Invite them to have an honest conversation  (without them fearing retaliation), asking them for their input on how they perceive the company they work for. 

Check to see if any of your former or existing clients have mentioned what it has been like working with your entire team.  Do they mention anyone in particular?  If so, what type of “shine and vibe” does that particular employee radiate outwards?

Step Two | Align Your Policies with your values.

When it comes to law firms, work policies are often seen as dry, jargon-filled rules and regulations. But aligning your law firm’s values with the company work policies can be a golden key that unlocks successful operations and a great reputation.

A law firm is not just a business, it's a team of individuals with different backgrounds and values who come together to support one another. It is essential that each member of the law firm understand their role in the organization and how their individual values are connected to the law firm's mission.

With well-aligned policies built on shared values, law firms can create an inclusive culture where employees feel respected and appreciated for their contributions. After all, when employees believe in the same goals and have similar moral beliefs, collaboration and productivity tend to soar!

If you want your team to know you value work-life balance, how do your policies align with that?  If you want your team to promote your law firm’s mission to give back to your local community, are you affording them volunteer time?

Step Three | Focus on Your Current Employees the Most

Your employees are going to be your best brand ambassadors.  What can you implement into your management style that allows them to feel empowered and respected.  How can you involve them into the promotion of your mission and vision for the law firm and those that work within it?

As law firms look to expand their reach for more talent, having your employees become employer brand ambassadors is key. Investing in your employees by giving them the tools, resources, and incentives needed to be effective representatives will go a long way in evolving your law firm’s reputation.

By showing that you value their contributions and entrust them with duties far beyond the daily grind of law practice, you create enthusiasm throughout the employee ranks which translates externally into greater advocacy for your law firm and its services.

Showing pride in each employee’s career progression can encourage others to get as involved and excited about expanding your law firm’s reach outside the workplace walls. Make sure every team member feels appreciated for their part in bringing success to your law firm!

Step Four | Create an Employer Value Proposition (EPV)

What do your current and prospective employees know they will get in exchange for their skills?  This must go beyond their salary, because the salary is an obvious exchange. 

Your EPV can include career development, a unique management style, evaluations and promotions, volunteering, job security, flexibility, and more.  You can include all these things, or some of these things.  Just make sure you’re willing, ready, and able to hold true to them. 

Here is an example of an Employer Value Proposition:

“If you’re looking for a law firm where your skills and hard work can be rewarded, you’ve come to the right place. Our employer value proposition offers much more than just a paycheck: We provide professional development opportunities and access to mentors who have years of legal experience. Our law firm also invests in our employees with competitive compensation packages, an understanding of the importance of work-life balance, and other programs that promote employee success and satisfaction. In exchange for your skills and commitment, we promise to provide the support and nurturing you need to reach your career goals. You can trust that our law firm will assist you in making positive progress throughout your time with us.”

Step Five | Develop a Positive Hiring Process

Your hiring process should be professional and rewarding, even for those candidates you are not hiring.  This feeds into your employer brand because it leaves an impression on potential employees. 

Your hiring process should be fair and consistent.  Make sure you take a step-by-step approach that does not leave any room for gray areas or discrimination concerns.  For instance, it is best advised to run background checks after you’ve offered them a job (you can make it a contingency of the offer). 

As law firms and hiring managers look to fill positions with the right candidates, embracing transparency while interviewing can help bring out the best qualities in each person to make a collective decision that is beneficial to both the law firm and candidate. It begins with making sure job expectations and responsibilities are explained thoroughly so any candidate coming into the interview knows exactly what they are signing on for if selected. It should also include having an open dialogue about salary and other logistical details for the role. Don’t undersell or over sell the position. 

Demonstrate excellent communication with your candidates, responding to their inquiries and emails in a timely manner.  Make sure the interview is conducted to the highest standard of professionalism, and keep the process organized and clear to follow.

Step Six | Meaningful Onboarding

Second impressions are just as important as first impressions.  The second impression happens in the first few days of their employment with you.  This is where we start talking about retention.  Your retention rates are going to speak volumes to your employer brand. 

As a law firm, it is essential to have an effective onboarding experience for your new employees. This period should be a time for ambitious yet constructive learning; you want the employee to understand your law firm's expectations, goals and culture.

Make sure this process is successful by setting up check-ins to review progress, providing resources to answer questions and offering helpful advice from experienced professionals. When done well, onboarding has the potential to inspire growth and motivation within your law firm, as well as cultivating a healthy work environment that rewards hard work.

Step Seven | Leverage social media

Your employer brand will demonstrate itself naturally over time if you stay true and consistent to the steps above.  However, to expedite, take greater control, and fully expand on the brand you’re building, you need to be leveraging social media.

Engaging with current and future potential candidates on social media can provide you with an opportunity to draw attention to your law firm, allowing potential recruits to feel connected to your company and aiding in employee retention as well as recruitment.

Through thoughtful content and utilizing the power of visuals, you can create an appealing brand image, making sure that everyone knows exactly why you law firm stands out from the competition.

Here are some content ideas to display your employer brand:

·      Employee highlights

·      “In the community” pictures and news articles

·      Office insights (every day behind the scenes)

·      Video job recruiting ads

·      Demonstrating respect for all legal professionals (not just lawyers)

·      Career Development opportunities hosted by your firm (webinars, in person networking events, etc.)

Step Eight | Get Your Employees Out There

Your employees are your best brand ambassadors of all. Start off by highlighting them with a bio on your website.  I understand some firms are so large that it would be exhaustive to have hundreds of employees on the website at a time, but if you can – give it some effort. 

Allow your employees to do some “social media takeovers” if they’re willing.  You might find that they have a blast doing it.  They could each take turns doing “a day in the life” video.  Encourage them to use their creativity to create company hashtags. 

Encourage your current and former employees (if you parted amicably) to leave Glassdoor or Indeed reviews for your company.

Finally, let creativity fly!  You never know what type of marketing guru you may have on your team.  Allowing them to take creative initiative is a great demonstration of your appreciation and trust in them. 

Step Nine | Reach out to Jaclyn Foster

Ok, I lied in the title – I have nine steps, but this one is truly optional.  I would be honored to help consult you and your firm to build an impactful employer brand.  Having worked with hundreds of law firms on their staffing and legal recruiting needs, I can tell you the power a positive employer brand has on our success rates. 

So let me do a complimentary audit, and then we can decide if it makes sense for me to work with you and your team on positioning your law firm as the employer of choice! (LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR EMPLOYER BRAND CONSULTING & DEVELOPMENT)