Lateral hiring continues to be a central strategy in how law firms grow. According to a recent legal-industry transition survey for 2017, more than 95 percent of law firms indicated lateral growth was a key initiative, but it's a strategy full of risk, unknowns and pitfalls. A tactical lateral integration plan is critical to a lateral's success, and enables firms to mitigate the risk. But what's involved? Successful integration is dependent on five key factors: due diligence, onboarding, communication, mentorship and culture. Each plays a critical role in facilitating a smooth transition and retention of top lateral talent.

Effective Due Diligence

Integration does not begin on a lateral's first day of employment; it must begin during the recruitment process. It is important that your process is designed to learn as much as possible about a candidate early on. Effective due diligence can be difficult given confidentiality issues that often exist, but through the collection, analysis and assessment of objective and subjective data, you can create a thorough integration process. By leveraging a lateral partner questionnaire, your firm can collect objective data that examines specific financial metrics such as billings rates, compensation, portable billing, and fees billed and collected, to name a name a few.

Include your business development team in the recruitment process, and expand the scope of your due diligence to include a review and analysis of your candidate's business development and marketing skills, and the strength of his or her existing client relationships. Ask about past business development activities, which clients are most likely to move with a candidate, and why.

Once a lateral arrives, firm leadership and your business development team can work with the lateral to set business goals and define expectations. It's important to monitor:

• The business that follows the candidate;
• Ongoing business growth through metrics;
• Collections management; and
• The number of new matters opened and the frequency with which they are opened.

Pair this data with the historical metrics provided by the candidate during the recruitment process. Schedule follow-up assessments at the six-, 12- and 18-month interval to evaluate performance, and make any needed adjustments to his business plan and marketing efforts.

Onboarding

Most firms have an orientation program designed to welcome all new employees, and help assimilate them into the firm's environment and organizational structure. Effective integration includes an onboarding program that extends beyond the traditional one- or two-day orientation program. Laterals will likely have different questions and needs as they begin their career with your firm. To help address these questions proactively, it's important that your program includes meetings with various department heads to educate lateral hires about the available resources designed to help them achieve their goals, and to facilitate introductions to professionals who will support them. In addition, it's important a lateral feels welcomed and included in the firm's culture from the first day. Facilitate this by planning a first-day lunch with the managing partner or a member of the leadership team, and coordinating social opportunities, such as a welcome reception, dinner, etc., to ensure introductions are made early on, and to celebrate the lateral's arrival.

Be open and receptive to feedback regarding a lateral's onboarding experience, and solicit feedback post-90 days. Ask questions like: What worked? What could be improved? Use this valuable information to adjust your onboarding program accordingly.

Mentorship

It's important to think about what each lateral needs to feel comfortable and welcomed from the start. While most firms have a structured mentoring program, most focus on associate hires. Consider assigning an “integration Partner” to your new lateral hire. The Integration Partner's responsibilities include making introductions, explaining nuances of the firm, serving as a general resource, and answering questions that may arise throughout the onboarding process. Encourage frequent interaction, and ensure the relationship continues for at least six months. The focus of the relationship is to make it easier for the lateral hire to navigate the firm and the new environment comfortably on a daily basis.

Communication—Internal and External

Communicating the firm's new lateral hire is a significant element of a strong integration plan, and involves messaging to several audiences in an accurate and timely sequence. It is important to announce a lateral hire's arrival internally to all employees prior to any communication outside of the firm, including to the media. Schedule internal presentations to inform all legal personnel about the capabilities and accomplishments of the new lateral, and include discussions about cross-selling opportunities.

Externally, consider how you will inform clients—both existing clients of the firm, and clients joining the firm via the lateral hire. Develop a timely and personal marketing campaign targeted to:

• Key clients and prospects that highlights the lateral's capabilities; and
• The lateral's existing clients that focuses on the firm's capabilities and how the firm's expanded resources can help manage their business issues

A press release should also be distributed within the first few days after the lateral's arrival to a pre-determined and targeted media list. The release should include a positioning statement explaining the significance of the lateral's hire to the firm, and allow you to brand his or her expertise within the context of your services. Having a communication plan in place before a lateral's first day enables your firm to be strategic with your internal and external communications, and to leverage the hire's arrival with existing and new clients.

Culture Integration

Cultural fit is critical to a lateral's long-term success and retention. Legal skills and a book of business do not necessarily guarantee a lateral will be successful at your firm. It is important to ensure that your firm's recruiting process accurately portrays the organization's values and culture. This upfront transparency helps identify candidates who will assimilate within your culture well. Laterals that do not adhere to a shared culture dilute it—detracting from the essence that gives your firm its identity and helps it achieve goals. Compensation is also a critical element of a firm's culture, and a lateral should have a clear understanding of your firm's approach to compensation during the recruitment process.

Conclusion

Lateral hiring is too important—and too expensive—to approach indiscriminately. Although there are many factors that determine whether a lateral is successful or not, your firm can create a blueprint for successful integration by having a strategic and purposeful program that focuses on the five best practices detailed above.

Jessica L. Gangjee is the director of recruitment and professional development at Burns White. She leads the firm's talent management initiatives including all aspects of attorney hiring, integration and assimilation, as well as the advancement and implementation of professional development programming. She also partners with senior management to support various firm committees including the diversity and inclusion committee and the women's initiative committee, and leads initiatives focused on mentorship, leadership training and strategic planning that allow the firm to recruit and retain the most talented attorneys to support the firm's strategic agenda.