Debra Frank Montero, regional vice president with Robert Half Legal, in Miami.

Throughout the remainder of 2018, litigation should yield the greatest legal job prospects. More than half (52 percent) of U.S.-based lawyers surveyed by Robert Half Legal expect the litigation practice area to be the top driver of job growth at their law firms or companies in the second half of 2018, followed by general business or commercial law (12 percent) and real estate (9 percent).

What's triggering this uptick in litigation hiring in the South Florida area? Here are a few reasons:

• The job market—The unemployment rate in Florida for May 2018 was at 3.8 percent matching the U.S. national unemployment percentage. Legal jobs throughout the United States also reached new lows with unemployment reigning steady at 2.2 percent. More companies are making moves to the Sunshine State, who in turn are hiring local counsel for litigation.
• Economy—As the local economy improves, money becomes available in the market and companies have a better chance at collectability. Internationally, Latin American business has increased over the last year with corruption type investigations coming out of the region.
• Hurricane Irma—After the devastating hurricane last year, the need for insurance related litigation rose, specifically with lawsuits against property and casualty insurers.

Growing practice areas, such as commercial litigation, employment litigation, construction and insurance defense are leading the legal hiring market in South Florida. Corporate (including compliance and regulatory) and real estate practice areas remain stable and busy.

In-demand skills and experience driven by growing practice areas:

• Litigation—Legal professionals with litigation experience are constantly in demand. While skills and practice area expertise sought by employers vary by geographic market, lawyers and legal support staff with a background in insurance defense, commercial litigation, construction and employment law are being sought by both law firms and legal departments in South Florida.
• General business/commercial law—An increase in business-related activities, such as product development and market expansion, mergers and acquisitions, and joint ventures, is driving demand for lawyers and legal support staff with corporate transactional and contract administration experience. Employers are also seeking compliance, regulatory and employment law expertise.
• Real estate —Growth in commercial and residential real estate continue to fuel demand for legal expertise. Knowledgeable lawyers and legal support professionals are needed to help manage state and local laws or offer insights on lease administration and zoning issues.

The need for litigation professionals causes employers to be in a hiring mode, but don't let that fool you: Big Law is reluctant to bend when it comes to hiring requirements for these roles. Large firms in the area remain old school and traditional, staying strict on academic and experience requirements, showing little sign of flexibility on skill set, salary, and perks.

While small to midsize firms in South Florida appear to be just as stringent on skill set requirements, they're more flexible on salary negotiations, flexible work options and other law firm perks.

In another recent survey, 62 percent of lawyers said finding skilled legal professionals is somewhat or very challenging, while 31 percent expressed concern about losing legal personnel to other job opportunities.

As competition for litigators increases, here are some tips to help legal organizations maximize the effectiveness of their recruitment efforts:

• Don't underestimate a quick learner. In many markets, the need for candidates with sought after skills and backgrounds in the hottest practice areas exceeds the current supply, which is intensifying competition in the legal employment market. Finding the perfect person for a specific role can be difficult and nearly impossible. Some of those “must have” skills can be taught on the job, so consider making concessions on certain qualifications and hiring a professional who is smart, has a great attitude and can learn fast.
• Get creative with hiring. To handle increases in workloads and supplement the work of full-time employees, organizations are using flexible staffing approaches, such as hiring legal support professionals to perform hybrid roles and employing temporary or project professionals. In addition, there has been more temporary-to-hire activity, which means workers who were previously available are now off the market.
• Offer a robust package. To attract legal professionals, employers are enhancing salaries and benefits, and in some cases, offering sign on bonuses. They are emphasizing workplace incentives, including flexible work options, good corporate culture, challenging work assignments, professional development, and career advancement opportunities.
• Move it or lose it. Employers must move quickly to avoid losing top contenders to competitors. To quickly assess legal professionals' potential for success within their organizations, hiring managers are shortening the length of the interview process and placing more weight on employee referrals and prestige of former employers. Smart companies are also working more with specialized recruiters to access the hidden talent pool of skilled candidates.

With litigation professionals in high demand and more law firms and companies experiencing hiring challenges, it's time to be a little more inventive when filling new and open roles. Hiring the best person for the job comes down to more than hard skills and experience – soft skills can't be understated, nor can the ability to learn quickly.

Debra Frank Montero is regional vice president of Robert Half Legal, the premier provider of experienced project and full-time professionals for law firms and corporate legal departments in South Florida.