Hiring and retention is one of the leading pain points for law firms currently. Maybe your firm is struggling to find the right talent, maybe you’re finding it difficult to retain top performers, and maybe those you do bring in just don’t seem to align with your culture.  

Smokeball sat down with four attorneys—including Smokeball’s Director of Education, Jordan Turk—to discuss How to Hire Smarter and Keep Great Staff. In a candid conversation, they shared insights from every angle of the legal career journey—from being hired and working within firms to leading their own practices and building teams from the ground up.

While the full discussion is worth a listen for any firm looking to get a better handle on hiring, culture and retention, a few key takeaways stood out:

6 Law Firm Tips for Hiring Smart and Retaining Staff

1. Your Hiring Process Needs to be More Robust

If there was one thing every attorney agreed on, it’s this: most firms aren’t spending nearly enough time on hiring.

When you’re short-staffed and overwhelmed, the instinct is to move fast—post the job, interview a few candidates, and make an offer as soon as someone seems “good enough.” You’re busy, you’re tired, you’re looking for someone to help you right now. But that’s exactly how the wrong people end up in the role. As one attorney put it, whatever your current hiring process is, you probably need to expand it by two, three…even four times.

It’s easy to get excited about a candidate who interviews well or seems like a “nice” person, but that’s where you overlook important details.  

Maybe the candidate is really personable, the interview flows easily, or you’re just relieved to have someone who could take work off your plate. So you ignore the instinct: the missed detail, the slightly off answer, the gut feeling it’s not a fit. Those “pink flags” don’t go away once they’re hired and they almost always turn into detrimental red flags.  

And that gut instinct? It matters more than most firms give it credit for.  

One attorney shared that she once hired based purely on skill set for a role that required a specific personality. On paper, the candidate looked great. When it came to having a personality that worked for the role, it was a mismatch that created tension, wasted time, and ultimately reflected back on her leadership. She put someone in a position they never should have been in, leading them both to fail. The lesson: you can’t separate skill from culture fit.

That’s why a more intentional, structured process is key.  

• Bring in other team members to interview candidates so you’re not making decisions in a vacuum.  

• Use clear criteria. One attorney follows Patrick Lencioni’s Ideal Team Player model—looking for candidates who are humble, hungry, and smart—to evaluate more than just qualifications.  

• Pay attention to the small things, like whether a candidate followed the instructions in your job posting. If they didn’t slow down enough to get that right, it’s unlikely they will once they’re on your team.

At the end of the day, hiring slower is what allows you to build stronger. The more disciplined and thorough your process, the better your chances of finding someone who not only can do the job, but elevates your firm.  

2. Culture Will Override Pay

Compensation matters—but it’s rarely the reason people stay.

Across the board, attorneys agreed that while pay needs to be competitive, it’s leadership, culture, and day-to-day experience that ultimately drive retention. In fact, many firms are learning the hard way that you can’t “outpay” a bad environment.

One attorney shared a story that perfectly illustrates this: a firm lost a strong, hardworking associate to a higher-paying opportunity. It was a tough loss…until that same associate came back. Why? The culture at the new firm didn’t measure up. The paycheck was substantial, but the firm culture was toxic.

That tradeoff is becoming even more common, especially with newer generations of attorneys entering the field. Work-life harmony, flexibility, and feeling valued are no longer “nice-to-haves”—they’re expectations. Things like hybrid schedules and autonomy are now part of what makes a role truly competitive.

But culture isn’t just about perks—it’s about understanding what actually motivates your people.

One firm shared that they meet with team members quarterly to talk through personal, professional, and financial goals. And what they’ve found is that those motivations can look completely different from person to person and can change over time. One attorney may prioritize flexibility and be willing to earn less for it, while another is driven by maximizing billable hours and income. Neither is wrong—but if you’re not having those conversations, you’ll miss what matters most and risk losing them.

That’s where many firms fall short. They assume retention is just about compensation, without taking the time to truly get to know their team. But if you’re going to lead a firm, that investment is part of the job. It takes more patience, more communication, and yes—more effort—but the return is a stronger, more compatible team.

It also requires accountability. Holding onto a toxic team member because they’re productive or because you’ve “invested too much” in them can quietly erode your culture. And when culture suffers, your best people start looking elsewhere.

At the end of the day, people will occasionally leave for more money—but they’ll also leave despite more money. As one attorney put it:

“If the firm that I left would have paid me more, sure, I would have stuck around a little longer—but I was always going to go. It was such an unhealthy environment for me to stay. It wasn’t money that was going to keep me, it was liking where I was going to work every day.”

The environment just wasn’t sustainable. What would have made the difference wasn’t just compensation, it was feeling comfortable and valued in the place you work.

Pay people fairly. Reevaluate it regularly. But if you want to keep great staff, culture isn’t a soft factor, it’s the deciding one.

3. Talent is no longer looking to “pay their dues”

One of the clearest shifts discussed was this: the old model of “pay your dues now, maybe reap the rewards later” has lost its hold.

For years, the expectation in many firms was simple: work the longest hours, prove your dedication, and eventually you’ll earn your place at the top. But today’s attorneys aren’t buying into that the same way. It’s not a lack of work ethic; it’s a shift in priorities.

As one attorney pointed out, younger lawyers aren’t interested in competing over who’s the busiest or most burned out. That kind of “sacrifice culture” doesn’t signal success anymore; it signals inefficiency. Many newer attorneys are highly capable of producing strong, high-quality work without needing to grind through 12-hour days just to prove they care.

And when firms misread that as a lack of drive, they miss the bigger picture.

Because the breaking point often looks like burnout—and by the time someone tells their managing partner that they’re nearing it, they’re already well past the edge. Waiting for employees to “push through” is how you lose good people.

There’s also been a mindset shift around what the employer-employee relationship actually is. The idea that a firm is a “family” with an expectation of loyalty, sacrifice, and going above and beyond at all costs doesn’t resonate the same way it once did. As one attorney framed it, people already have families and lives outside of work. What they’re looking for is a team—one that collaborates, respects boundaries, and functions well together.

That doesn’t mean the work can’t be meaningful or fulfilling. But it does mean the relationship is more transparent: employees do great work, and firms compensate them fairly. The expectation isn’t endless sacrifice in exchange for a vague promise of “one day.”

Firms that recognize this shift—and adjust expectations around hours, productivity, and what “commitment” really looks like—will be far better positioned to attract and retain top talent. Those that don’t may keep asking why no one has the same “hustle” anymore, without realizing the definition of hustle has simply changed.

4. It might be your systems, not your people

When something isn’t working—missed handoffs, dropped tasks, uneven workloads—it’s easy to assume it’s a people problem.

But more often than not, it’s a systems problem.

This came up directly in a question about remote work. One attendee shared that having remote employees actually created more work for the in-office team. And the response was: that shouldn’t be happening.

Instead of defaulting to “remote work doesn’t work for us,” one attorney challenged firms to dig deeper: What about your current system is breaking down when someone is remote? Where is the pressure shifting? Where are the gaps?

Because usually, there’s a fix.

Maybe it’s as simple as staggering in-office schedules so coverage is more balanced, or it’s a communication breakdown that could be solved with clearer workflows or better use of technology. Or maybe a process needs to be rebuilt entirely.

In some cases, improving systems means intentionally stress-testing them. Pushing on the weak spots, identifying where things fall apart, and rebuilding in a way that supports how your team works today. It can feel disruptive in the moment, but the payoff is a much smoother, more scalable operation.

This idea extends beyond remote work, too. If your team is constantly overwhelmed, it may not be about individual performance—it may be a capacity issue. If there’s more work than your current team can realistically handle, the solution isn’t to push harder. It’s to hire ahead of burnout.

And underlying all of this is a mindset shift: treat your team like professionals.

When you give people flexibility (whether that’s stepping away for an hour to attend a family event or structuring their day in a way that works best for them) they tend to respond with more ownership, not less. They come back more engaged, more motivated, and more committed to doing great work.

At the end of the day, strong systems create strong teams. When the process works, your people can do their best work.

5. Firm Owners Must Learn to Manage Themselves

Leadership isn’t just about managing your team…it’s about managing yourself.

Several attorneys pointed out that one of the most overlooked challenges for firm owners is understanding their own tendencies, limits, and triggers—especially in high-stress environments. Whether you realize it or not, your behavior sets the tone for the entire firm.

One example that came up? Late-night emails.

Many attorneys have experienced it: a message sent at 10 p.m., pointing out a mistake, with a tone that feels sharp or reactive. Even if that wasn’t the intention, the impact is heavy. The employee reads it at night, overthinks it, and by the next morning, it’s escalated into unnecessary stress or anxiety.

A simple shift can make a big difference. Draft the email, then schedule it to send during working hours. Better yet, give yourself time to cool off before hitting send.  

That self-awareness is critical for firm retention, especially for leaders who know they “run hot.” You don’t have to change your personality, but you do have to understand how it impacts others and adjust reactions accordingly. Whether that means stepping away before responding, reworking your communication style, or putting guardrails in place, it’s part of the job.

Because the reality is, people don’t quit jobs—they quit bad bosses.

And in a law firm, the power dynamic amplifies everything. A passing comment, a rushed email, or a moment of frustration carries more weight when it comes from leadership. That’s why being intentional in those moments matters. It’s not about being perfect, it’s about being aware.

The best leaders aren’t just focused on improving their team, they’re constantly working on themselves. And that’s what ultimately creates a healthier, more productive culture for everyone.

6. The right tech is important  

Your tech stack plays a bigger role in hiring and retention than most firms realize.

Today’s legal talent is paying attention to the tools you use—and outdated, manual systems can be a dealbreaker. The right technology improves efficiency and creates a better day-to-day experience for your team.

Here are tools firms are using today to bridge the gaps they need:

• LAWCLERK: A flexible way to access on-demand legal talent without committing to a full-time hire. LawClerk connects firms with experienced freelance attorneys who can support project-based work, overflow tasks, or provide a fresh set of eyes on a case. It’s a practical option for firms that need help now but aren’t ready to expand headcount.

• Automatic time tracking: Automatic time tracking that captures billable activity in the background as your team works—without the burden of manual entry. When attorneys don’t have to scramble to reconstruct their day or stay late just to log hours, it reduces stress, frustration, and burnout. It also creates a more transparent and fair environment, where work is captured accurately and expectations feel more attainable—helping teams stay focused, motivated, and engaged.

• Secure client portals: Client portals do more than streamline communication, they reduce friction across your entire firm. When everyone has clear visibility into case updates, documents, and next steps, it creates clarity. That clarity creates a calmer, more collaborative environment.  

Hiring and Retention are Firm Strategies

If there’s one theme that carried through every part of this conversation, it’s this: hiring and retention aren’t separate challenges. They’re the result of how your firm operates every day.

From the way you hire, to how you communicate, to the systems and tools you rely on—every decision shapes your culture. And culture is what ultimately determines whether great people stay or start looking elsewhere.

These are all things within your control as a firm owner.

You can slow down your hiring process, take the time to understand what motivates your team, build better systems, invest in the right technology, and become more intentional in how you lead.

At the end of the day, the firms that win on talent aren’t just offering better pay or perks. They’re creating environments where people can do their best work, feel supported, and enjoy showing up each day.