Firms often claim they have a market perception or recruiter issue when confronting the challenge of hiring laterals. In my 20 years of experience, firms seldom consider that the source of the difficulty is really an internal alignment problem. The partnership’s approach and behavior, especially as it relates to lateral hiring, often contradicts the stated, and agreed upon, growth goals.
Let’s start with the primary disconnect, practically all firms say they want growth, but stall when it requires change from the status quo. In fact, I have never had a firm share they didn’t want to grow in at least one or two practices or geographies. Lateral partner hiring is the clearest example of this: There’s a sense of urgency at the firm leadership/management level and too often hesitation and delay at the partner level. Let’s be clear upfront; this is not about blaming partners. That’s not going to help and, in fact, might seriously complicate the situation. It’s about predicting, diagnosing, analyzing, and fixing the structural friction.
What follows is an outline and series of steps for replacing partnership resistance with support and buy-in for growth.
The Illusion of Alignment
Growth conversations are often too high-level to reveal real disagreement:
Agreement in principle does not equal agreement in practice. Most law firm partners broadly support growth as an abstract goal. Who wouldn’t? Misalignment shows up when the specifics are introduced like:
- Which practices should we invest in?
- What kind of laterals to pursue?
- What tradeoffs or compromises are required?
It’s critical to discuss and work through the questions above so everyone is on the same page. Also, it’s imperative to send “the minutes” of the meeting(s) to the Partnership formalizing what was agreed to, and accepted by the group.
What To Do When Partnerships Quietly, but Effectively, Blocks Growth
The following behaviors are rational from an individual partner perspective but collectively they all stall growth and are based on feelings not facts:
- Compensation Anxiety
- Fear that the lateral will be overpaid or subsidized
- Concern about disruption or decline of internal equity
- Control and Originations
- Reluctance to share clients or credit
- Skepticism about whether laterals will truly integrate
- Distrust of External Inputs such as Recruiters or Candidates
- Assumption that recruiters prioritize placement over fit
- Perception that candidates are “over-marketed” and interview too many firms
- Bad Past Experiences
- Failed lateral hires that still shape current thinking
- Over generalization from one or two mistakes
- Passive Resistance
- Slow decision-making
- Moving goalposts during the hiring process
- Lack of follow-through after a hire is made
The assumptions listed above are not all based on historical reality and it’s advantageous to have the real facts at hand as proof. Review the history and assemble the facts that demonstrate that the concerns and objections listed above just aren’t true and need to be put aside to move forward.
The Cost of Avoidance is a Serious Mistake that Will Compound Over Time
Inaction is not neutral because it expands:
- There are missed opportunities in key practice areas
- Strong candidates disengage due to slow or inconsistent processes
- Recruiters do not consider the firm a priority and do not submit good candidates
- Internal narrative becomes “lateral hiring does not work here”
Doing nothing is a major error because the firm is reinforcing the very outcome it wants to avoid. Firms must be upfront and deal with the issue honestly and with proof.
What Managing Partners Need To Do
Managing Partners must shift from diagnosis to action. Stay practical and focused on leadership.
- Force the Specifics Around Growth Strategy
- Define priority practices, profiles and timelines
- Eliminate vague mandates like “grow corporate”
- Surface the Real Objections Early
- Don’t Assume there is Silent Agreement
- Address compensation, integration, and risk concerns upfront and directly
- Set Clear Guardrails for Lateral Hiring
- What success looks like (the book, integration expectations, realistic timeline)
- How compensation decisions will be handled
- Who has the decision authority
- Align Incentives, Not just Messaging
- Ensure partners benefit from successful lateral integration
- Try to eliminate, or at least reduce, the perceived downside of participation
- Institute a Disciplined Process
- Decision timelines
- Develop consistent evaluation criteria
- Ensure there is clear ownership of the search process
Buy-in is not achieved through persuasion. It is achieved through structure and clarity.
Where Recruiters Fit
Recruiters amplify what’s already there.
- In aligned firms, they accelerate growth
- In misaligned firms they expose friction
- Don’t Assume there is Silent Agreement
- Address compensation, integration, and risk concerns upfront and directly
Recruiters are not a substitute for internal alignment, but they are a force multiplier once alignment exists.
In conclusion, firms want to grow, but partnerships often resist the mechanisms required to achieve it. Managing Partners need clearer alignment, a stronger process, and a willingness to address internal resistance directly with sensitivity, limited patience and solid facts.
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