Many companies that cut workforce levels too deeply during the recession are discovering they are understaffed as an incipient recovery continues to takes shape. Wary about hiring full-time staff until they are more certain that new demands will be ongoing, more and more legal departments are turning to contract attorneys to fill staffing gaps. For counsel who have contemplated retirement but have decided to phase into it gradually, this is an excellent time to shift to project work.
Consulting is a way to slowly ease out of the workforce while still earning an income. This is particularly important if the downturn has decreased retirement savings while extending the timeline for exiting the workforce, as it has for many professionals.
A Mutually Beneficial Arrangement
Finding Consulting Opportunities
Depending on their level of professional experience and industry connections, lawyers may be able to find suitable temporary engagements on their own, through word-of-mouth and referrals. Often counsel who are shifting to part-time or project work prefer to team up with a specialized staffing firm. Doing so can connect them with a variety of assignments without having to perform the marketing and administrative tasks associated with working independently.
A reputable staffing firm will take the time to learn about a transitioning lawyer’s objectives and preferences —whether he or she wants to work a series of short-term assignments or a few longer-term engagements with periods of time off in between, for instance. The staffing firm partner will pre-screen assignments to find the best match for an individual’s unique combination of skills, experience and interests. This means lawyers won’t waste time interviewing for assignments that aren’t a good fit.
Counsel should be sure to take full advantage of the job-market knowledge of their staffing firm contacts. To get the most out of the relationship, lawyers should remain open to suggestions that might improve their employability. The staffing representative may recommend that taking a particular course to update technical skills, for example. It is advisable to follow his or her advice.
By staying engaged in the legal profession as a consultant, counsel can continue to enjoy the challenges and intellectual stimulation of the legal environment while gaining scheduling flexibility and supplementing their retirement savings. With many law offices looking to legal project professionals for needed expertise and vital operational knowledge, counsel transitioning toward retirement can parlay a lifetime of professional skills and experience into a rewarding next phase of their careers.
Charles A. Volkert is executive director of Robert Half Legal, a leading staffing service specializing in the placement of attorneys, paralegals, legal administrators and other legal professionals with law firms and corporate legal departments. Based in Menlo Park, Calif., Robert Half Legal has offices in major cities throughout the United States and Canada.