Hiring Client Value Professionals Who Embrace Legal Tech

Legal technology is vital for law firms to stay competitive and deliver value to clients. Gartner predicts that the global legal technology market will be worth £37 billion by 2027, largely due to the impact of generative AI. Others believe that estimate to be too low, arguing that the opportunities presented by legal tech are wider ranging than predicted, particularly in how it will continue to enable client value roles like pricing and legal project management (LPM).

Technology is essential to improve efficiency. Law firms are increasingly embracing advanced tools to boost profitability and deliver high-value outcomes. To succeed, firms need professionals who not only understand these technologies but can also manage teams and implement them effectively. They must collaborate with tech departments to assess processes and identify improvements, while also guiding tech-savvy teams to ensure technology enhances project management, profitability, and client satisfaction.

The Challenges of Digital Adoption in Law Firms

Firms also need to recruit client value professionals who can anticipate and manage the challenges associated with implementing new technologies including:

• System upgrades: Many law firms operate with legacy systems that can be complex to replace. Modernising these systems presents an opportunity to unlock more efficient, scalable operations. While the transition may require investment, upgrading to newer technologies enables firms to streamline processes, boost productivity, and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market.
   
• Cost considerations: While investing in technologies like AI and Legal Tech platforms may involve significant upfront costs, the long-term return on investment lies in improved processes, higher profitability, and operational efficiency. By focusing on these commercial gains, firms can ensure that digital tools drive sustainable growth and deliver measurable value.

Key Roles and Technologies in Practice Management

Successfully driving innovation and integrating new technology within your firm is, at its heart, about improving efficiency and processes. Client value roles, such as Pricing, LPM, and Practice Management, are at the forefront of integrating new technologies to streamline operations, enhance decision-making, and boost profitability.

Senior level roles are crucial in navigating the complexities of change, ensuring new systems align with business objectives and client expectations, while managing the strategic and financial dimensions of digital adoption. Roles-like Head of Pricing or Senior LPM require deep expertise in digital integration, a clear understanding of how technology boosts efficiency, and the ability to balance cost control with profitability.

Together, these leadership and tech-led client value roles work in tandem to ensure that law firms can not only adopt new digital tools but also make them a driver of long-term growth and competitive advantage.

Recruiting the Right Talent

When it comes to hiring the right talent to lead your digital projects and prepare your business to engage with new legal technology there are a range of recruitment solutions to consider.

Sourcing Multi-Skilled Legal Professionals

For roles like Pricing and LPM, the ideal candidates combine a deep understanding of technology with client-focused skills such as communication, client relations, and leadership. These professionals use technology to optimise case pricing, streamline legal project management, and improve profitability.

Key steps to sourcing multi-skilled client value candidates include:

• Developing job descriptions that highlight both technical and leadership skills specific to client value roles.
   
• Partnering with specialized recruitment agencies to find candidates with experience in managing pricing models, legal project management, or practice group management.
   
• Using behavioural interview techniques to assess interpersonal and strategic abilities, ensuring a candidate’s fit with the role.
   
• Offering professional development programs to grow these skillsets internally, ensuring long-term retention and role evolution.

Building Teams for Long-Term Success

Building teams for long-term success requires a culture of cross-department collaboration where technology is used to achieve shared goals. Roles like LPM and pricing are integral to ensuring that tools help the wider business meet its goals. 

Encourage this through:

• Regular cross-departmental meetings to ensure client value roles align with overall business objectives.
   
• Shared performance metrics that measure how Pricing, LPM, and FP&A roles contribute to both profitability and operational efficiency.
   
• Collaborative software tools to maintain transparency and foster communication between departments.

Attracting Talent in a Competitive Market

With increasing demand for Pricing, LPM, and tech-forward roles in law firms, offering competitive compensation and demonstrating a commitment to innovation is essential to attract top talent in these areas.
Key strategies include:

• Conducting salary benchmarking to ensure competitive compensation packages for roles like Pricing and LPM.
   
• Highlighting the firm's use of technology in client value roles and promoting career growth opportunities during recruitment.
   
• Showcasing innovation-focused achievements in employer branding campaigns to appeal to top candidates.

Addressing the Counteroffer Challenge

Counteroffers are a frequent challenge when recruiting for client value roles. To mitigate this, Boston Hale focuses on sourcing passive candidates with niche skills who are motivated by more than salary alone. 

Effective strategies include:

• Engaging passive candidates through personalised outreach and career-focused discussions around client value and leadership opportunities.
   
• Highlighting non-monetary benefits, such as leadership in driving innovation and technology initiatives, beyond compensation.
   
• Creating clear career advancement pathways for client value roles to attract and retain talent over the long term.
   
• Offering signing bonuses or unique incentives to mitigate counteroffers and enhance the appeal of these specialised roles.

Boston Hale specialises in helping organisations recruit for mid-senior level, interim, and permanent roles in legal business services. We work closely with our clients to understand their unique needs, ensuring we deliver candidates who align with both the immediate and long-term goals of your firm. Whether you're expanding your team or looking for specialised skills, we are committed to providing the talent you need to stay ahead.  

To discuss your requirements contact our team today.

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