James Franklin

At You Legal we have a fabulous team, (pictured below Daniela Cecere-Palazzo, Tiffany Boin, Pauline Wheatley, Emily Conroy, Paige Bowers and Victoria Scardigno), and I believe a great team makes for a great workplace culture. It is hard to imagine what You Legal would be like now without our team and it truly makes for an amazing work environment. But unfortunately, it hasn’t always been that way and it isn't easy to cultivate it as a leader. Keeping your team members engaged can be challenging. When key people leave it can cause disruption and unforeseen expenses. You Legal has created a Guide to Reducing Team Turnover in Your Clinic, with strategies to engage, motivate, and retain your staff. Some strategies include: 💰 Financial Incentive Programs 💰  Bonus Payments: 💸 Simple, but can sometimes motivate self-interest over team goals.  Profit Sharing: 📊 Tracks business success and shares profits with key employees.  Employee Share Scheme: 📈 Aligns employees' interests with the clinic’s success, fostering long-term commitment.  Ownership/Partnership: 🤝 Consider offering equity to long-term, indispensable team members as a powerful retention tool. 🌟 Intrinsic Incentive Programs 🌟  Culture: 🌼 A positive workplace culture often outweighs financial incentives. Clear clinic vision, values, and celebrating team successes can foster engagement and loyalty.  Education and Training: 🎓 Offering professional development opportunities shows commitment to employees' growth, enhancing job satisfaction and retention. What’s Next?  A multi-dimensional strategy, recognising diverse career aspirations and integrating professional development, is key to reducing turnover. Cultivate a supportive culture and commit to the long-term development of your team to enhance engagement and loyalty.  I have written a blog on this topic, I have dropped the link in the comments for you. 🌱  For specific legal advice tailored to your business, feel free to contact us at You Legal. We can help document and implement effective incentives for your team members. I am interested to hear, what causes you to feel valued at work? #MedicalPractice #EmployeeEngagement #StaffRetention #ProfessionalDevelopment #WorkplaceCulture #YouLegal Shout out to the incredibly talented Henry Trumble for this recent team pic. 

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I recently shared my thoughts on 'candidate representation' via a content piece not so long ago, and it feels relevant to something that happened only this week. A new candidate got in touch via one of my adverts, so I arranged a time to speak with her, find out what she may be looking for and her personal circumstances. The candidate in question welcomed this approach and we made time to go through her CV and match her skills and experience to relevant opportunities with firms. From a recruitment agency perspective, this might sound like an obvious thing for a consultant to do to, right? It then transpired, through no fault of the candidate herself, that her CV had already been sent to numerous firms via another agent who hadn't even been bothered to pick up the phone and register her properly. Perhaps I am old fashioned. I was trained many years ago to always register a candidate, interview them, find out their motivations, needs and wants. An imperative conversation between two parties before engaging in a job search. However, there are some agencies that, it would appear, just want to claim 'ownership' of a candidate's CV by sending their details to a seemingly random selection of 'clients'. A business model akin to the fastest click of send on an email. I don't get it right all the time, and I freely admit that. We're all human. But I will uphold standards that have fallen by the wayside in some quarters of the recruitment sector. As a candidate, you have the right to choose who represents you in your job search. If you're not concerned where your CV goes to, then that's entirely your prerogative of course.

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Reflecting on the evolving work patterns in the legal sector, it's clear that the push towards hybrid models is more than a trend; it's a response to the intrinsic needs of law practice. While remote work has its perks, the pull towards the office underscores the value of in-person dynamics that are central to the profession. From my perspective as a recruiter, I see this as a pivotal moment for law firms. The challenge lies in marrying the desire for flexibility with the imperative of preserving a collaborative culture—something that holds real weight in the legal field. Check out my recent article on this topic. #LegalSector #WorkplaceCulture #HybridWork

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Are you considering a move to #London? 🌍 The London Legal market has seen a significant uptick in recent weeks, providing a wealth of opportunities for candidates across the regions. 📈 At Rampling Legal, we boast unique insights and solid relationships with some of London's top Law firms and practices. If you would like to explore your career prospects and potential opportunities, feel free to reach out for a confidential discussion. 🤝 #LegalMarket #CareerOpportunities #RamplingLegal

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Celebrating 30 years of excellence 🎉, Lawson Clark has become the cornerstone of legal support staff recruitment in London. Here's why your law firm should partner with us: 🔍 Expertise That Speaks Volumes With three decades of dedicated service, we've honed our craft to perfection. Our intricate understanding of the legal sector's nuances ensures we match your firm with candidates who not only excel in their roles but also align with your firm's ethos and culture. 🌐 A Network Like No Other Our extensive network is a rich tapestry of experienced professionals, each vetted for their expertise and commitment. This means we provide not just any candidate, but the right candidate, tailored to meet the unique needs of your law firm. 🤝 A Partnership Approach At Lawson Clark, we believe in building relationships, not just filling positions. We take the time to understand your firm's goals and challenges, ensuring our recruitment solutions are strategic and long-term. 💼 Comprehensive Support Staff Solutions From legal secretaries to paralegals, office managers to IT support, we've got every aspect of your business support staff needs covered. Our candidates are the backbone that will keep your firm running smoothly and efficiently. Choose Lawson Clark as your trusted recruitment partner and elevate your firm's potential with the best support staff in the business. #LawsonClark #LegalRecruitment #LondonLawFirms

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We are delighted to announce that our 2023-2024 Diversity & Inclusion Report has been published. Our report provides a great insight into the D&I statistics of our submitted and placed candidates. Please register at the link below to obtain a copy of the Diversity & Inclusion Report. https://lnkd.in/exTHgQhK #DiversityAndInclusion #D&I #FlexibleLawyering #DiversityInLaw

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🔹More UK law firms have continued the trend for strong 2023-24 results 🔹 Generally speaking the UK legal market is seeing strong revenue growth in 2024. In simple terms businesses are recovering from the pandemic, creating more deals and legal work. Companies are also seeking help with new Brexit rules, increasing the need for legal services. Law firms are using better technology to work faster, and they're expanding globally to find more clients. Growing industries like finance and technology are demanding more legal help, and there appears to be an increase in lawsuits and disputes requiring attention. Clyde & Co, Brodies, Watson Farley & Williams, and Shoosmiths are the latest firms to have reported significant revenue increases. Details below. #puresearch https://lnkd.in/eQcVyAf4

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Should we listen to Glassdoor reviews? Obviously people's opinion on the culture of the firm they work for matters so the simple answer to this question is yes you should. I do, however, think you need to take the views with a significant pinch of salt. When you read general company reviews on various websites they tend to be more balanced (if not weighted in favour of positive views) as people are proactively pursued to leave a review right at the moment they have probably had a positive experience. Glassdoor doesn't do that so you have to think about how often you have personally reviewed the company you work(ed) for. If you're happy and everything is fine but nothing special has happened do you write about that and share it online. My bet is for most they don't. If we follow that argument it's quite likely that a majority (but certainly not all) of people who leave a review may be those that aren't that happy. These are important voices to hear for sure but I have seen enough examples over the years of people slamming entire cultures based on a grievance that was definitely a 2 way street but we only hear half the story on glassdoor. I am by no means suggesting that people shouldn't read them and value what people have to say as they can provide some valuable insights but I do think you have to accept that you are getting a very one sided view a lot of the time and judge the comments and reviews on that basis. What do you think about glassdoor reviews?

Change is in the air for senior legal recruitment. In 2024, we're witnessing a revitalising commitment to gender diversity in the Middle East. This is not just a fleeting trend—firms and organisations are backing up their words with action and seeking out women for top legal positions. The move towards a gender-balanced leadership is a strategic necessity. Evidence suggests firms with diverse leadership outperform their peers, and we're seeing this play out in the legal sector. 🔎𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐚𝐰 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐏𝐀𝐂. 𝐖𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞, 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐦. 🌟 Are you a trailblazing female legal leader in the region? We would love to hear from you and share your story. Please contact me to learn more! #WomenInLaw #LegalRecruitment #GenderDiversity #middleeast #APAC

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Daniel Barnett, one of the UK's most experienced employment lawyers held an hour long webinar on 'What will Labour do?' should they gain power independently or as the controlling part of a coalition government. Their pledge within the first 100 days is to implement massive reforms to existing employment law and have set out their stall in their green paper (https://lnkd.in/eK3X_p34). While we understand there will be a number of revisions before these topics become law, the general consensus is that Labour will create a single status of worker, afforded full employment rights and greater statutory benefits across the board. We intend to work with Daniel on all of the above to ensure every employment business has an alternative solution to remain virtually risk free! 90% is ready to action. THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE! Directors to be personally responsible for ET awards. To find out more email: hello@peoplegroupservices.com #agencyowner #recruitmentleaders #recruitmentnews #recruitmentconsultant M. Suhail Mirza, John Graham, Katy Rees, Eddie Austin

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PROBABTION PERIODS IN CONTRACTS - WHAT ARE THEY - AND WHAT SHOULD YOU CONSIDER? Probabtion periods have come up in discussion a lot lately with Clients & Candidates. This is reflective of the general mood of uncertainity in the market, with both looking for as much security as possible in new roles. So, I thought I would share my responses to the wider community. Probation periods in contracts serve as a trial period for both the employer and the employee to assess whether the employment relationship is a good fit. In the UK, employment law allows for dismissal of an employee within the first two years without the need to provide a specific reason, which essentially functions as a probationary period by default. So why do we have both? One advantage of probation periods in contracts is that they provide a structured timeframe for assessing the employee's performance and suitability for the role. During this period, both parties can evaluate if the employee meets the expectations and requirements of the job. It also allows for early identification of any issues or concerns, giving the employer an opportunity to address them or terminate the employment if necessary. Is a shorter probabtin period better than a longer one? Shorter probation periods, typically ranging from one to three months, offer the advantage of a quicker resolution. If the employee is not performing adequately or is not a good fit for the role or company culture, the employer can terminate the employment without significant delay. This allows the employer to swiftly address any mismatches and seek a replacement, minimising disruptions to workflow and productivity. However, shorter probation periods may not provide sufficient time for the employee to fully acclimate to the role and demonstrate their capabilities. It could also lead to premature termination based on initial impressions rather than a more comprehensive assessment of the employee's potential. On the other hand, longer probation periods, such as six months to a year, allow for a more thorough evaluation of the employee's performance and suitability. This extended timeframe provides both parties with ample opportunity to assess the employee's skills, work ethic, and compatibility with the organisation. It also allows for the completion of more significant projects or tasks, providing a better understanding of the employee's capabilities. However, longer probation periods may result in increased uncertainty and instability for the employee, as they remain in a trial phase for an extended duration. It may also prolong the decision-making process for the employer, delaying the resolution of any performance issues or mismatches. My advice is always, you have 2 years before you are secure in any new role... So you should always have this view point and not focus on 3-6 month probabtions.

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As predicted, there are reports of some of these 175 candidates losing their Training Contracts because they were incorrectly informed they failed their exams. Some have had their training contracts rescinded or their employment terminated, some have had their start dates deferred, some have chosen to abandon their prospective legal career,’ the committee said. ‘We encourage any employer with impacted candidates to look extremely carefully at the matter. We anticipate that this will include proactive and speedy consideration of reinstatement of the employment status of impacted candidates, including those for whom employment has been terminated and/or offers/training contracts rescinded.’ It's not that easy. Firms have a limited number of places to offer and likely have offered these Training Contracts to other hopefuls. If the committee finds that candidates have lost out on their dream training contract because of this failure, they are going to need to do more than the pitiful £250 gesture of goodwill currently offered. I would be apoplectic if this happened to me. https://lnkd.in/eYYgCA2n

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The average day rate for in-house legal and CoSec contractors is between £800 and £999. In 2022, more than three-quarters (77%) of employers reported using interim staff across their In-house Legal & Company Secretarial teams. However, just 43% said the same in 2023, indicating that firms are tightening their belts on contractor expenditure. Dive into a wealth of salary and recruitment trend insights by downloading our guide: https://lnkd.in/eNPQHA-p #legalhiring #salarytrends #contract #interim

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Expanding into the world of overseas contract placements can be an easy way of increasing your agency’s turnover and profitability if you can identify a client requirement within your market. Many of the recruitment processes are the same when making international placements except the profit margins are often much larger which makes this very appealing for your agency. However, there are certain things you need to know when making contract placements overseas and must be discussed before engaging an international client. Swipe to see the top 5 hazards of international contract placements ⬅️⬅️⬅️ Need more info? DM me for the link. #InternationalContractPlacement #RecruitmentHazards #MAYACHI

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*Amlaw 100 released for 2024* - highlights from the AmLaw 100 stats that data nerds like me will find interesting: - The top 6 firms ranked by gross revenue remained the same as last year - those are (in order) Kirkland & Ellis; Latham & Watkins; DLA Piper; Baker McKenzie; Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates, ; and Sidley Austin LLP. - PEP increased on average by 9.3% across the AmLaw 100 as a whole. - Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz topped the PEP rankings with PEP of $8.5m. Kirkland & Ellis took second place at $7.9m. - In a nod to the robust litigation market last year Quinn Emanuel and Susman Godfrey LLP took third and fourth spots in the PEP rankings. - Firm non-equity partner ranks continued to grow - up 5.3% across the Amlaw100. This means almost half (49.4%) of all partners are non-equity partners. There is lots of excellent analysis by the entire American Lawyer team which is worth checking out. Follow me for more #biglaw market commentary, intel and roles.

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Let me know if you want to know more about 💃🏽having time to do the things you like when you like 😎 taking time off whenever as often as you like 💷generating more income and more wealth What have you got to loose call me let’s have a chat …. It could lead to the best next chapter of your book of life . DM to find out how it’s all done . ✔️ #lawyer

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Why measure the performance of your in-house legal team - and how do you do it? It’s the role of a General Counsel to provide and promote an efficient and responsive legal service to their internal stakeholders. But if there are no clear performance metrics in place, there is no business case for continued investment in the legal function. What’s the best way to demonstrate your in-house team’s value to the business? This was the theme of our latest General Counsel roundtable event, the third in our Legal Operations series. We were honoured to have Chris Fowler Legal COO at Rio Tinto, share his insights both from his current role and his previous career, which includes nearly more than 20 years in various senior roles at BT. For those running large institutional in-house legal teams, there were four broad areas of advice. Find out more in our blog https://lnkd.in/et4QxaSD Well done to my colleagues Amanda Chard and Sarita Rai for hosting this and adding real value to the General Counsel community. #generalcounsel #headoflegal #inhousecounsel #legalrecruitment #marsden

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⚖️🌞 Announcing The Great Big Legal Offsite 2024 ⚖️🌞 Who says the legal event of the year has to be in London? 😃 I often get asked, "Rob, why can't you do more in-person events?" Well, you asked, and I'm delivering! This summer, we're shaking things up with the debut of the Great Big Legal Offsite (GBLO), set to be the summer's standout legal gathering! * Future-Proofing Success: The Playbook for Mid Market Law Firms * 📅 Mark your calendars for July 3rd, 2024, and join us for a day of strategy, collaboration, and fun—yes, with plenty of northern charm thrown in! Together with Kate Burt and the HiveRisk team, we’re thrilled to bring you an event like no other. GBLO is not just a conference; it’s a movement to unite and empower small to mid-sized law firms across the UK. We're here to change the game, bringing together the brightest minds in the industry to strategise and harmonise, just like a finely-tuned offsite—not another boring legal event. 📍 Check out the spectacular venue, Ribby Hall Village, a luxurious retreat in the heart of Lancashire. With its award-winning Spa Hotel, health club, lush greenery and a variety of dining experiences, it’s a destination worth visiting on its own! Ribby Hall Village promises a rejuvenating backdrop for our event. 🚀 What’s in store? - Keynote speeches from some of the biggest names in legal and entrepreneurship. - Interactive sessions on crucial issues facing today’s law leaders and lawyers. - Networking opportunities to forge valuable connections. And who doesn’t love an ice cream on a hot (optimistically speaking!) summer’s day? We'll have plenty of creamy treats to keep you cool while you connect and learn. This event is a collaborative effort, powered by the Legally Speaking Podcast ™️, HiveRisk, and our headline sponsor, Clio - Cloud-Based Legal Technology. It's designed to ignite inspiration and propel our community's growth and efficiency. 👀 Stay tuned for more updates, including our full line-up of amazing speakers! 🎟️ Tickets are going fast, make sure you take advantage of our early bird ones NOW (link in comments) Want to get involved or get first dibs on all the latest GBLO news? Drop a line to either Justine Westwell, Kate, or myself to join our mailing list and find out more. Just 10 weeks out and the excitement is building! 🌍 Let's make this a summer to remember—where we come together to shape the future of legal practice. Can’t wait to see you at GBLO! #LawFirms #Lawyers #Solicitors #LegalTech #LegalEvents #Community

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